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I was considering renting a new townhome but once I was inside I heard some loud constant humming noise in one of the bedrooms. I look out in the back and see this fenced off area with a bunch of power cables and generator equipment?
Can someone tell me what these things are and why would they be right behind the home?
I attached a link. It seems like some electric power station? I was only there during the day and it was a noticeable noise inside the room, so I was wondering if the noise would be even more noticeable at night or in the morning. I came back later in the day and still heard the noise. The landlord never mentioned it before I came to look in person and they didn't seem to know what it was. They said they could ask someone to turn it off and that it was temporary but from what I have seen on Google maps it has been there a long time so they might be lying. Inside the grey building is an indoor mall/ food court that was recently built. Also can that cause health issues living so close to that? The unit has not been rented for a long time so I'm wondering if people just don't want to be around that. It was newly built this year and has yet to have been rented.
So would the station be always on and making a loud noise at all times of the day?
No one here can answer with certainty. If you're signing a lease, go back at different times of the day/night and see if you can hear the equipment. Also, ask your landlord, they may or may not be forthcoming, but it never hurts to ask.
Unless there is something particularly special about that unit/complex, you may want to avoid it, as there is what the situation is now, but you never know what it will be tomorrow (i.e. might be tolerable now, but get much worse later).
I was considering renting a new townhome but once I was inside I heard some loud constant humming noise in one of the bedrooms. I look out in the back and see this fenced off area with a bunch of power cables and generator equipment?
Can someone tell me what these things are and why would they be right behind the home?
I attached a link. It seems like some electric power station? I was only there during the day and it was a noticeable noise inside the room, so I was wondering if the noise would be even more noticeable at night or in the morning. I came back later in the day and still heard the noise. The landlord never mentioned it before I came to look in person and they didn't seem to know what it was. They said they could ask someone to turn it off and that it was temporary but from what I have seen on Google maps it has been there a long time so they might be lying. Inside the grey building is an indoor mall/ food court that was recently built. Also can that cause health issues living so close to that? The unit has not been rented for a long time so I'm wondering if people just don't want to be around that. It was newly built this year and has yet to have been rented.
Is this installation on the townhome's property or not? I'd call the electric utility that serves that street, maybe send them a couple of photos and the address, and ask them what this is. The white fence panels don't look permanent, but temporary could be 20 years or more. Hard to say what function it serves based on one photo but I agree it looks like some sort of pumping station. Whatever its pumping requires power, so the power company might be a good place to start. I wouldn't count on the LL's information if they don't even know the purpose. I'd assume the noise is constant. At lower volumes people often end up tuning out a constant steady background noise (think about the noise from highway traffic for example).
As for the food court, don't see how that would be of much concern unless there are exhaust vents facing in the direction of the townhome and you don't like smells. Sure, wind direction can affect where they travel, but did you notice any when you toured the place?
Looks like pumps of some kind to me. Probably pumping some kind of liquid... perhaps water. I would say that it's likely that these pumps will be running a lot... perhaps constantly.
I think the landlord is being untruthful in saying that they don't know what the equipment is or that they are going to ask someone to turn it off. Who are they going to ask? If they know who owns it, then they could ask what it is. Obviously, the equipment is necessary for something, so the owners of the pumps aren't going to turn something off that is necessary.
The sound of pumps running can go right through the walls. This can make it hard to sleep at night. You may not notice it much during the day, but at night, it could be a real bother to your sleep.
I think I would keep looking for something else.
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