Insulating Rooms With Central Heating Systems or Pumps

Is your central heating system, heat pump or swimming pool pump installed in a separate room? Chances are that no attention was payed to the acoustic insulation of this room and its appliances. This is unfortunate, especially considering the fact that often these types of rooms offer little space to take acoustic measures. Yet, the Acousticshop has discovered five ways to improve the sound problems, which we will describe in this article.

In the picture below, you find a cross section of a room containing a central heating system, numbers 1 till 5 indicate its weak spots. Underneath the picture we describe the solutions and the right products to tackle these sound issues.

1. • 1: Appliance on the wall
     

     Appliances that contain moving parts like a pump in a central heating system or a hydrophore often cause contact noise in adjacent rooms, in your own home or the one from your neighbours. Once installed, replacing an appliance is often impossible, leaving you with a limited number of options. In order to still reduce the contact noise as much as possible, you should mount a vibration insulating strip between the appliance’s mounting bracket and the wall. In this way, you minimise the touching point between the wall and the appliance’s mounting bracket. The only thing left that is touching the wall are screws and bolts. Often, this sufficiently reduces the problem. The products are suitable for the following applications:

     Polypress Strips: vibration insulating foam strip with a thickness of 10 mm and a relatively high density. Applicable to appliances weighing up to 50 kg.
     
     
   • 2. Appliance housing/enclosure
     

     Appliances or machines that produce a lot of airborne noise (sounds), should be insulated by means of a housing. On our tips page “Step-by-Step Plan for Insulating Appliance Housings” you find a step-by-step plan. In short: build a heavy, solid housing and equip the inside with absorption material.

   • 3. Entrance door central heating room
     

     The most profitable adjustment is the door. A qualitatively insulated door has to meet the following two requirements: it needs to close off well at all sides and be heavy. In most cases this means the door has to be equipped with a drop seal in order for it to close off well, and the door leaf insulated with Isomat TS in order to add weight. We have another advice page dedicated to this topic: “Step-by-Step Plan for Insulating Doors”. A fully insulated door also belongs to the possibilities, but make sure to pay attention to the measurements of the available doors.

   • 4. Insulating ticking pipes
     

     Rigidly mounted pipes can cause a ticking sound once they are heated. This can be prevented by installing a flexible piece of pipe, preferably close to the appliance in order for its vibration to be spread less. Apply a piece of draught band between the pipes and their mounting brackets. In this way, the pipe does not make a rigid connection with the bracket, which diminishes the chance of ticking and contact noise. You can thermally and acoustically insulate pipes with Merfisol.

   • 5. Decoupling appliances from the floor
     

     Just like appliances on the wall, appliances on the floor can spread contact noise as well. A heat pump can be standing on a fixed spot in the room, yet causing noise that can be perceived throughout the whole house. This has to do with the fact that the moving parts like a pump or compressor inside the appliance that transmit vibration to the floor. This can be prevented by a ‘floating’ floor, or alternatively a floating platform. Install at least 5 pieces of Regufoam D300 (art. Nr. M0718), measuring approximately 125 x 125 x 25 mm underneath a thick, heavy plate (preferably concrete). Place these pieces in the middle of the plate and under the corners and place the appliance in question on top of it.

Points of attention
When you place a housing on top of an appliance, there is one point of attention: make sure there is a sufficient amount of air is being supplied and exhausted! Inquire the manufacturer of the appliance about the minimal amount of free space or air that the appliance requires. When you apply vibration insulating products, behind or underneath the appliance, there is one point of attention to consider: always make sure that the appliance in question stands or hangs steady! Check this during the first period to be sure no clearance on the pipes arises and that the appliance continues to stand or hang steady. By no means should the appliance wobble caused by its own movements.

Questions?
Do you have questions concerning this topic? Please feel free to contact us, we would like to answer your question as quick as possible.