Any idea what this noise is?

[scrjack]

There is a noise coming from my neighbour's house through the party wall. Sounds like a pump of some sort. They have had a new ensuite installed recently and also a pipe from first to ground floor was leaking and they had it repaired. The noise comes and goes every couple of days. When it is on it is very loud, lasts about 4 seconds at intervals of about 3 hours. I have played the attached noise

to the neighbour who has no idea what it could be and says he cannot hear anything. I thought it might be a faulty saniflo system but he says he does not have one.

Attached is the noise. It was recorded on my iphone voice memo so will probably need full volume and headphones to hear it. Any feedback as to what it might be would be appreciated as when it goes off at night it wakes me up.

 

[Chuck]

It could be a waste water pump. These are sometimes installed in circumstances when there it's not possible to get enough fall on the drains. They are supposed to operate only when needed, e.g. a shower is being used, but sometimes the flow detector is a bit sensitive and they come on and off randomly.

I've also known self-defrosting freezers make that sort of noise. A couple of times a day, they use a fan to force a small amount of warm air through the freezer for a minute or two.

 

[Deleted member 120897]

I can’t hear anything, it could be a float valve perhaps?

 

[scrjack]

It could be a waste water pump. These are sometimes installed in circumstances when there it's not possible to get enough fall on the drains. They are supposed to operate only when needed, e.g. a shower is being used, but sometimes the flow detector is a bit sensitive and they come on and off randomly.

I've also known self-defrosting freezers make that sort of noise. A couple of times a day, they use a fan to force a small amount of warm air through the freezer for a minute or two.

Many thanks Chuck for the quick reply. The neighbour says he has not fitted any new pump. The only one he has is a shower pump to increase flow while taking a shower. I also have a shower pump and it doesn't sound like the noise that is disturbing me.

 

[PETE 123]

Neg presure pump coming on to bring pressure up. or condense pump on boiler if fitted. ?

 

[scrjack]

Neg presure pump coming on to bring pressure up. or condense pump on boiler if fitted. ?

I can’t hear anything, it could be a float valve perhaps?

Thanks guys. Undertrained, to hear the audio mp3 you would need to use headphones with the volume turned up. It was recorded on my iphone so not great clarity.
PETE123, would these pumps come on for 4 seconds at 3 hour intervals?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Either condy pump or neg head pump hunting

 

[scrjack]

Either condy pump or neg head pump hunting

Thank you Shaun, I think you may be right with the negative head pump. I moved into my property 7 years ago and when renovating initially had a negative head pump fitted which did not work. The gravity from the water tank in the loft was insufficient. I changed to a positive shower pump and it has worked great since. It sounds like my neighbour has fitted a negative shower pump in their ensuite refurb and along with the leak has caused it to sound off intermittently. Would I be correct to suggest this to my neighbour?

Keith