Home > Manchester > HVAC, plant and machine noise control
For projects in Manchester
HVAC, plant and machine noise control in Manchester
Noise with a source. Almost every honest fix is at the machine, the duct or the plant room, and almost nothing useful happens by lining the far wall of the occupied space. Radiators and open windows in older stock, mechanical ventilation in new build, so the noise source depends on the age of the building.
- At source
- Enclosure, barrier or anti vibration mounts at the machine.
- In the path
- Duct lining, attenuators and lagging on the first run out of the plant.
- At the receiver
- Only after the first two, and only for what is left.
- Quote
- From a plan and a section, within 48 hours
01 / What it is
The material, and what it actually does on a Manchester job
Noise with a source. Almost every honest fix is at the machine, the duct or the plant room, and almost nothing useful happens by lining the far wall of the occupied space.
Radiators and open windows in older stock, mechanical ventilation in new build, so the noise source depends on the age of the building.
Work reaching us from Manchester is mostly warehouse conversions, student housing, studios, bars, offices, schools.
- Warehouse conversions Exposed brick, timber joists and steel look superb and hold nothing back. Neighbour noise between units is the first complaint, echo the second.
- Student and build to rent blocks Repeat rooms mean a repeatable detail. Get the wall and floor build-up right once and it works across every level.
- Metrolink and city centre traffic Ground level trams and buses put low frequency into the structure, which panels on the wall will not touch.
- At source Enclosure, barrier or anti vibration mounts at the machine.
Full specification
Thickness, density, NRC by frequency, fire class, standard sizes and build-up detail for HVAC and plant noise control are on the main product page. This page covers what that means for a project in Manchester.
02 / The build-up
The build-up, layer by layer
-
Layer 1
SoundBlanket mass loaded vinyl
A limp, high density sheet that adds mass to a partition, floor or duct without adding depth. In Manchester, radiators and open windows in older stock, mechanical ventilation in new build, so the noise source depends on the age of the building.
Wall, decoupled. Independent stud, membrane between the boards, cavity absorption, two boards. The membrane is one part of a system, never the whole answer.
-
Layer 2
Acoustic foam and BassBloc
Open cell foam shapes for high frequency control, and BassBloc, a high density absorber built for the low mid range where ordinary foam does nothing. In Manchester, church buildings, civic halls and converted industrial spaces are long-decay volumes with hard surfaces throughout.
Corner loading. Low frequency energy collects in corners, so absorber in the corners does more than the same area spread across a wall.
-
Layer 3
Ceiling baffles and clouds
PET felt suspended from the soffit, vertically as baffles or horizontally as clouds. In Manchester, school buildings run hard floors and long corridors, with sports halls and dining halls the loudest rooms.
Vertical baffles. Hung on edge in rows. Both faces absorb, so coverage figures based on plan area understate them.
Architects working in Manchester usually need the build-up before the product. We will draw the section and mark what does the work. See how we support architects.
03 / In this market
What the buildings in Manchester do to the specification
- Warehouse conversions
Exposed brick, timber joists and steel look superb and hold nothing back. Neighbour noise between units is the first complaint, echo the second.
- Student and build to rent blocks
Repeat rooms mean a repeatable detail. Get the wall and floor build-up right once and it works across every level.
- Metrolink and city centre traffic
Ground level trams and buses put low frequency into the structure, which panels on the wall will not touch.
- Wet climate
PET felt does not take up moisture or feed mould, which suits older brick stock and cold external walls.
- Plant and HVAC
Radiators and open windows in older stock, mechanical ventilation in new build, so the noise source depends on the age of the building.
04 / Room by room
Space by space, for Manchester briefs
-
At source
Enclosure, barrier or anti vibration mounts at the machine. Exposed brick, timber joists and steel look superb and hold nothing back. Neighbour noise between units is the first complaint, echo the second.
- Soundproofing materials, 2100 kg per cubic metre. 2.5 mm STC 30 at 5.25 kg per sq m, 4 mm STC 34 at 8.4, 6 mm at 12.6
- Wood wool acoustic panels, 20 mm
- Ceiling baffles and clouds, Made to the drawing, standard and custom
-
In the path
Duct lining, attenuators and lagging on the first run out of the plant. Repeat rooms mean a repeatable detail. Get the wall and floor build-up right once and it works across every level.
- Soundproofing materials, 1800 x 900 x 20 mm, 100 kg per cubic metre, NRC 0.85
- Wood wool acoustic panels, 400 kg per cubic metre
- Ceiling baffles and clouds, Both faces work, which is why suspended area outperforms the same area laid flat
-
At the receiver
Only after the first two, and only for what is left. Ground level trams and buses put low frequency into the structure, which panels on the wall will not touch.
- Soundproofing materials, Mass, then decoupling, then cavity absorption, then sealing
- Wood wool acoustic panels, 0.30
- Ceiling baffles and clouds, ASTM C423
Designers get colour, pattern and CNC options with the absorption figure attached to each. See how we work with interior designers.
04 / Conditions
The Manchester climate decides the material list
Manchester is cool and damp, with long heating seasons and cold external walls, and that narrows the material list before acoustics is discussed.
Cold wall build-ups and long heating seasons mean interstitial condensation is a real risk behind any lining. PET felt is unaffected by damp air and will not feed mould where a fabric-faced mineral product would.
The failure we design against here is condensation behind linings in older, poorly insulated stock.
If a consultant has set the target, we will quote against their figures rather than ours, and stay out of the scope they own. More on working with acoustic consultants.
06 / Read this first
What we watch go wrong on jobs like this
-
Absorption on the office wall for a plant room problem
Noise with a source is fixed at the source. Treating the receiving room is the expensive way to get a small result.
-
Lagging a duct that is carrying the noise as breakout from the fan
Enclose the machine, break the vibration path, then deal with what is left. Doing it in the other order costs more and achieves less.
-
Ignoring structure borne vibration through the mounts
Small on the drawing, expensive on site, and almost always found after handover.
-
Treating it as a generic Manchester job
Exposed brick, timber joists and steel look superb and hold nothing back. Neighbour noise between units is the first complaint, echo the second.
05 / Logistics
Getting it to Manchester, with real dates
| Ships from | Palwal, Haryana, India |
|---|---|
| Arrives at | Liverpool, Felixstowe or Southampton |
| Dispatch | 4 to 7 working days |
| Freight | Sea via Liverpool |
| Support | Drawings, build-ups, BOQ and material that arrives complete |
Standard items dispatch in 4 to 7 working days. Grooved and custom colours take longer, and we tell you before you order.
Sea freight into Liverpool, Felixstowe or Southampton. Air freight for samples and urgent quantities. Clearance through your agent or ours.
Questions from Manchester projects
What makes HVAC, plant and machine noise control different in Manchester?
Radiators and open windows in older stock, mechanical ventilation in new build, so the noise source depends on the age of the building. Exposed brick, timber joists and steel look superb and hold nothing back. Neighbour noise between units is the first complaint, echo the second.
Where should the budget go first on a Manchester project?
At source. Enclosure, barrier or anti vibration mounts at the machine. In the path. Duct lining, attenuators and lagging on the first run out of the plant.
Do you have an office or installation team in Manchester?
No. We manufacture in India and supply into Manchester. We give you drawings, build-ups, a BOQ and material that arrives complete, and we will tell you plainly when a job needs a local contractor we cannot be.
How does material get to a Manchester site?
ships from: Palwal, Haryana, India, arrives at: Liverpool, Felixstowe or Southampton, dispatch: 4 to 7 working days. Standard items dispatch in 4 to 7 working days. Grooved and custom colours take longer, and we tell you before you order.
What goes wrong most often on this kind of project?
Absorption on the office wall for a plant room problem. Lagging a duct that is carrying the noise as breakout from the fan.
What do you need from us to quote?
A plan, a section through the critical partition or ceiling, and what the room is for. From that we can give a build-up and a BOQ rather than a price per square foot.
Next step
Drawings in, BOQ and a delivered date out
A plan and a section is enough. We will come back with a build-up, a BOQ and a delivered date, and we will say so if what you are asking for will not work.