Low frequency noise

Accurate measurement of low frequency noise is fraught with difficulties. It is a problem on the rise, and one that is increasingly difficult to tackle.

In the first instance, the local authority environmental health department (or the dedicated noise team if one exists within your local authority) should be contacted regarding investigation of the noise.

If they are unable to satisfy your request, we are of course happy to come to the property to try to measure the noise in question during either attended measurements and/or automated survey measurements following the Defra guidance of NANR45: Procedure for the assessment of low frequency noise complaints.

In instances where it is possible to measure the low frequency noise when we attend site, locating the source of noise often presents a separate challenge, which is unlikely to be resolved within the duration of survey attendance through use of equipment. Rather, this often requires an ongoing ‘process of deduction’ based on the client’s knowledge of the area and investigation at various locations of possible sources of the noise.

Unless the source of the noise is readily identifiable during our survey, it is likely to be more cost-effective for the client to undertake their own independent investigations. We would recommend involving other agencies where it is suspected that their equipment may be the cause of the noise, for instance large industrial sites, or utility infrastructure operators such as National Grid or Southern Water.

Most sources of low frequency noise are powered electrically in some way, so eliminating any electrical source in your own home is a good first step – turn off the mains electricity supply and see if it stops! If so, you can turn circuits back on one at a time to try and locate the culprit; if not at least you now know to look further afield.

We would then be more than happy to attend again at a later date to undertake further investigations, once likely sources of the noise have been pinpointed.