Basement noisy sounds coming up through vents/cold air returns. Need something to reduce noise

Meast21

Well-Known Member
Is there a product out there that I can wrap my vents/cold air returns down in my basement so I don't hear sound in my bedroom/living room. My basement is noisey bc of NEW inline fans, etc.... Does sound even travel up through vents?
 

Phytoplankton

Well-Known Member
The vents are like a megaphone. Is the fan in the vent or just nearby? 90 degree turns will help muffle the sound, BUT, it also slows down airflow. If the sound is transferring into the vent from a nearby fan, then you could insulate/soundproof the exterior of the vent.

I had an issue when I hung an extraction fan for my tent from the floor joist above the tent. The sound transferred from the fan through the floor joist and set up an annoying deep hum that you could hear upstairs. Had the hang the fan differently to get it to stop.
 

Nizza

Well-Known Member
alot of the time just adding like 6'-12' of insulated flexible duct (4" or 6" or whatever) will drastically reduce sound
 

Meast21

Well-Known Member
Do you have access to this ducting? Can wrap it in this
Thanks I think this is what I'm looking for. Is there a specific tape I need to get? Just curious will this keep my heat coming up through the vent warmer?
 

Nizza

Well-Known Member
You mean at the end of the ducting down in the basement where its going up to the room?
Yes if it is a short "flex" you could run a longer flex and loop it or something and reduce the sound

its hard to give an appropriate solution without a picture or more details though
 

Meast21

Well-Known Member
Yes if it is a short "flex" you could run a longer flex and loop it or something and reduce the sound

its hard to give an appropriate solution without a picture or more details though
Thanks I will send a pic later... I have a decibel meter and the meter next to the vent in my room was like 54 decibels. 8 feet away from the ven it was 44. So I'm figuring the noise is coming through the vent and the noise is the inline fans.
 

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
Is there some kind of damper between the fan and whatever it's against? If it's mounted to a wall make sure there's something to cushion the vibration. Even foam.
 

Meast21

Well-Known Member
Is there some kind of damper between the fan and whatever it's against? If it's mounted to a wall make sure there's something to cushion the vibration. Even foam.
The inline fan sits right on top of the carbon scrubber. The carbon scrubber is up right on the ground.
 

Nizza

Well-Known Member
Where do you mean 6'-12'?
Take a deep breath
Let's think you are reading this on a different perspective without knowing what you're thinking

More details will help

My advice is extending the ducting to the room that the noise is affecting.. with limited info
 

Meast21

Well-Known Member
Take a deep breath
Let's think you are reading this on a different perspective without knowing what you're thinking

More details will help

My advice is extending the ducting to the room that the noise is affecting.. with limited info
I can't extend the ducting. The ducting runs about 18 feet from my furnace to the bedroom vent. Here are two pics. The pic that says "bedroom 1" is the vent that runs to the bedroom I sleep in and I can here the noise better after I changed all my inline fans out and carbon scrubbers. The two pics are the start of the duct and the end of the duct.

I'm hoping I can wrap this duct with some time of insulation and reduce the noise.
 

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MICHI-CAN

Well-Known Member
I have reactive tinnitus and am a little sound sensitive.
I hear low freq. Your system is hard to isolate from sounds. A wrap will fail unless of high priced sound application quality.

And if it is the heating system of issue? Oh boy.
 

Nizza

Well-Known Member
I can't extend the ducting. The ducting runs about 18 feet from my furnace to the bedroom vent. Here are two pics. The pic that says "bedroom 1" is the vent that runs to the bedroom I sleep in and I can here the noise better after I changed all my inline fans out and carbon scrubbers. The two pics are the start of the duct and the end of the duct.

I'm hoping I can wrap this duct with some time of insulation and reduce the noise.
I don't see a pic that says bedroom 1
Just two basement pics
Gotta go to bed but If you're around tomorrow I'll be around to help
 

Meast21

Well-Known Member
I don't see a pic that says bedroom 1
Just two basement pics
Gotta go to bed but If you're around tomorrow I'll be around to help
You got to zoom in. Its right above the blue marker I used to cover stuff up. That is the vent that runs like 15 feet. The second pic is the end of the same vent. THanks
 
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