Keeping the volume down on household appliances

City council is looking at whether or not a new by-law is needed to deal with some noisy home appliances, like air conditioners and central vacuums.

On Monday, Mayor Naheed Nenshi and Aldermen Shane Keating and Druh Farrell convinced their colleagues further study is needed.

Nenshi says they need to know whether or not a rule should be implemented that requires future air conditioning units to be installed in a backyard, rather than between homes.

Farrell says for many, it’s a health concern; one that can have serious implications for those who are sensitive to sound and vibrations.

“We want to give those people some comfort and as we live closer and closer together and more and more people get air conditioners, it’s something that we should address,” she says.

The Ward 7 alderman says she’s been hearing from some constituents and believes many instances of loud noise are going unreported.

Last year, city by-law received 2,400 noise complaints; 131 of those were because of loud central vacuum or air conditioning units.

“I need more information, I don’t want to jump to conclusions,” Farrell tells 660News. “The automatic assumption is that we are going to outlaw air conditioners in side yards and I think that’s a really blunt instrument. I’m not sure that would be the most effective.”

“We don’t have to re-invent the wheel; there are lots of cities that have regulations and requirements around air conditioners,” she says.  “We want to look at what they have done, what we can learn from them and go forward.”

Some suggestions include sound buffering air conditioners and requiring them to be maintained.

But not everyone is for a new by-law.

Ward 2 Alderman Gord Lowe admits he has an air conditioner in his side yard, and adds it’s not bothering anyone.

“My air conditioner is a new one, it’s very quiet, it’s in the side yard but there are no bedroom windows,” he explains. “There are two bathroom windows, I think I have one and my neighbour has one, they’re both sealed and that’s it.”

“I think blanket prohibition is foolish, this is a community standards issue and is not something that should be embedded into a by-law,” he adds.

Lowe says a by-law would create the problem of what to do with homes that already have air conditioners and vacuums installed.

Aldermen will not be making any immediate decisions on the issue; they’ve given themselves until next February to make a decision.