Ducting a Heat Pump Water Heater for Sound Control
DC_Contrarian_
| Posted in General Questions on
I have an A.O. Smith heat pump water heater and it is loud enough that I can hear it in the kitchen from the basement. It’s not super loud, it reminds me of the way refrigerators used to sound when I was a kid, it’s more that the tone it makes is irritating. So I’m looking at ways to quiet it.
I know that sometimes in HVAC work flexible insulated duct is used for sound isolation. I’m thinking that maybe putting 8′ or so on the intake and outlet might help.
Thoughts?
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Replies
In this thread: https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/question/rheem-hybrid-water-heater-noise
in post #90 user tgtech posted a document where listed the effectiveness of various modifications to a HPWH. Ducting the inlet and outlet is the most effective modification. The only things with similar effectiveness are adding soundproofing to the room with the water heater.
Document itself is at: https://s3.amazonaws.com/greenbuildingadvisor.s3.tauntoncloud.com/app/uploads/2022/02/13095221/RheemNoiseAbatementEfforts.pdf