Noisy Neighbors: What Do You Do About Them? [Block Talk]

ACROSS AMERICA — Summer is noisy.

There’s a line, though, when the usual noises of summer become a nuisance. We asked readers when neighborhood noise becomes too much to bear for Block Talk, Patch’s exclusive neighborhood etiquette column,

Here’s the line for Sue in Illinois: “When I can hear the thumping of music inside my single detached house coming from inside another house, car or back yard, I have to draw the line regardless of the time of day.”

The answer may be an air horn, the La Grange Patch and Western Springs Patch reader joked.

Waukesha (Wisconsin) Patch reader Sallie isn’t inclined to go that far to send a message to her neighbors, who she said “party until all hours of the morning — 1, 2, 3 and 4 a.m., multiple times a week.”

“The thought someone thinks this is OK is beyond me,” Sallie said.

But she lets it go. “In this day and age,” Sallie said, she is “worried about backlash and that it will just get worse.”

Loud music and boisterous parties were frequently the source of reader comments about neighborhood noise. But so were loud cars, leaf blowers and kitchen exhaust fans.

“They use their kitchen exhaust (70+ decibels) over six hours a day, morning (5:30 a.m.), non and evening,” Illinois Patch reader Tom said. “It’s very frustrating.”

Closing the windows and doors “helps, but doesn’t completely block it out,” Tom said.

Lighten Up, It’s Summer

Some readers don’t see the problem.

“It’s a season,” said Salem (Massachusetts) Patch reader Christine said “Everyone wants to be out, especially dogs and kids. Expect noise. The loud bikes, cars and fireworks are harder to deal with, but summer goes by quickly.”

Homewood-Flossmoor (Illinois) Patch reader Cherell lives around people who host a lot of backyard events.

“Our back yards meet together but are fenced in, so things can be seen and heard with no problem,” Cherell said. “I just sit back and enjoy the music until I fall asleep and allow them to enjoy their lives.

“We will all have a time we want to congregate on our land, that we’re paying taxes on,” Cherell continued. “Everyone should be able to enjoy what they are paying for without any neighborly issues.”

“Summer is a short season,” Bolingbrook (Illinois) Patch reader Patti agrees. “Turn it all the way up.”

“We try to give grace during certain parts of the year when noise levels might go past a certain level or time,” Woodbury (Minnesota) Patch reader Junie said, citing occasions such as graduation parties and the 4th of July.

“I do draw the line at having to listen to some guy yell through a microphone while he practices his homemade DJ skills at 1 a.m.,” Junie said.

That’s not all, either.

“We also have a neighbor who does yard work every day for a couple of hours — either mowing or leaf blowing or a combination of the two,” Junie said. “The leaf blower even comes out in the winter. I have to assume it’s their hobby or they have OCD about their yard. We chuckle about it, but generally let it go.”

Brookline (Massachusetts) Patch reader Ginger is in the same camp.

“The arrival of summer is marked annually by my extraordinarily noisy neighbor, who judging from the noise, enjoys most days lounging by the swimming pool, cranking up the music or current sports game or entertaining their adult children and guests with the wide screen TV that is installed outdoors, and all the while, the pool generator is loudly buzzing next to our shared property line,” Ginger said.

She’s found the best recourse is to “grin and bear it , until it becomes truly unbearable.”

“Then I call or email my neighbor and ask that the noise be turned down,” Ginger said.

It Wasn’t Loud Clogs After All

Brandon (Florida) Patch reader Debbie said she impresses the importance of playing quietly so they don’t disturb the neighbors, “but sometimes they are having so much fun in the pool that they can’t stay quiet for the childless neighbors,” who she said “seem to hate children.”

“The husband is especially mean with his words and his stares,” Debbie said. “Several of the disc golf Frisbees went into their yard during a year-end, out-of-school Saturday party, and he would not give them back.

“I asked nicely if they could put them over the fence but they have yet to give them back,” Debbie continued. “So, we just ignore them. Some grownups can act so childish!”

Upper West Side (New York) Patch reader Edith is inclined to give neighbors a pass.

“A one-time party? Let it go. Live and let live,” Edith said. “Otherwise, a friendly and polite knock on their door, ‘Sounds like fun! But could you please keep it down a bit from now on?”

Edith’s patience was tested when a young couple moved into the apartment above her.

“After a bit, I began to hear what must be heavy clogs pacing all times of night and into the morning. It was kind of driving me crazy,” Edith said. “I finally one evening went up to knock on their door to ask them if they could wear quieter shoes. The man answered, and his arms was a newborn baby!

“Needless to say, I did not complain and just congratulated them,” Edith said. “The next day, I bought them a baby basket with gifts.”

‘Who Will Move In Next?

Newport (Rhode Island) Patch reader Rose just punches up the volume on her own music to drown out the noise from her upstairs neighbors who “party and have a crazy dog.”

“I’m non-confrontational, so it’s tough for me to say anything,” said Rose. “Once, after 12 a.m. when they were being really loud, we banged on our ceiling and they yelled expletives at us. Things have been chilly ever since.”

The neighbors are moving in three months, but Rose can’t help wondering, “Who will move in next?”

Rose is surrounded by noise. The neighbors next door have a dog who barks at passersby, and “they have an outdoor speaker and start music at 8 a.m. and leave it on all day, regardless if someone is outside,” she said.

“Then the people on the other side are always shouting to their dog. And the people behind us have been renovating their house for nine months, seven days a week, starting at 7:30 am. And going until 7 p.m. — hammers banging, nail guns sending shock waves, Latin music playing, roof tiles flying.”

Rose just wants to find neighbors she can live around.

Headphones are Tami’s defense. Sometimes, that’s not enough.

“They have lots of loud get-togethers next door,” the Atlanta Patch reader said. “I’ll leave and go run errands if their music is too loud, and I can’t drown it out. If I’m in the mood for music, I’ll just turn mine up and drown out their noise.

“If the noise is ridiculous from our local party house, I’m not opposed to letting the police enforce the noise ordinances after midnight on a week day.”

Just be aware that authorities may say “their hands are tied,” said Barnegat-Manahawkin (New Jersey) Patch reader Chris, who called the cops on neighbors who have “music on all the time, with the bass blasting through the house.”

There’s a “constant party out by their pool and drinking all day from morning til at least 10 or 11 p.m.,” Chris said. “It’s loud and disrespectful.”

Garden City (New York) Patch reader Michele suffers in silence.

“I’m 75 years old, and my neighbor has no consideration for the neighborhood,” Michele said. “He works out of the garage repairing motorcycles, and they don’t keep their house up. Where is the quality of life for the neighborhood?”

‘I Don’t Stand For It’

Arlington (Virginia) Patch Jeff figures his rights supersede those of his neighbors because he owns his home and they rent.

“Pay property taxes, and then you have a leg to stand on, but keep renting and acting stupid, and you’re gonna piss everyone off around you,” he said.

Jeff’s neighbors have friends over “every day and night” and blast music from powerful outdoor speakers.

“Instead of being respectful of the neighbors, they think they are at the beach,” Jeff said. “I don’t stand for it. I’m out there to tell them to knock it off. I own, they rent! If they can’t respect my neighborhood then I don’t want them here. It’s that simple. I’ll send the police there every time.”

Jeff thinks the loud neighbors will be gone by the end of the month because the landlord isn’t renewing the lease due to noise complaints.

“Noisy neighbors, especially renters, are the worst type of neighbors you can have. They don’t respect the people or neighborhood, and in my opinion, they should not be allowed to rent if they can’t behave and be quiet!”

Another Arlington Patch reader, Marti, said that while police may have more important priorities, talking to apartment complex managers may help resolve the situation.

“Our house backs up to an apartment parking lot. People work on their cars with the radio music very loud and rev their engines for hours at a time,” Marti said. “We ended up speaking with apartment management after speaking with the noisemakers. I don’t know what the apartment management said to the offenders but it seems to have stopped — for now.”

‘We’re Not Talking About Sparklers’

Macon (Georgia) Patch reader Robert draws the line at excessive use of fireworks.

“Why are they ‘legal’ 365 days a year?” Robert asked. “It is very disturbing for anyone living around this inconsiderate activity to hear it as you watch TV or read a book in your home.

“And we’re not talking about sparklers here; we’re talking about a boom that sounds like an explosive device or dynamite,” he said. “The only ones who think it is OK are the ones out in the street participating in it — no consideration for babies, toddlers, pets, vets with PTSD, or just plain folks that want peace and quiet in and around their subdivision.”

Robert thinks fireworks are fine on the 4th of July and New Year’s Day, but wants officials in his county to pass an ordinance restricting fireworks on other days of the year,

‘Shut Those Damn Dogs Up’

Homer Glen-Lockport (Illinois) Patch reader “Bulldog” said their neighborhood has gone to the dogs.

“I am surrounded by nine dogs, of which five are annoying with barking and howling. I have politely asked my next door neighbor what is their dog’s problem and have told them I will not be putting up with all this barking to where I cannot enjoy my yard this summer,” Bulldog said. “I cannot throw out my garbage, walk in my yard, pull in my driveway or garage without the constant barking and howling.”

On the other side of Bulldog’s house is a neighbor “whose dogs bark and charge the fence like maniacs ready to kill the dog on the other side of the fence.”

“This happens at least five times a day. It sounds like a savage dog attack,” Bulldog said. “I have now resorted to a hand-held air horn with a speaker and have told them to shut those damn dogs up.”

New York City Patch reader Em has some thoughts about that.

“Anyone who owns an animal that barks incessantly is a bad pet owner and neighbor. Having a dog is a responsibility. Living in a community with neighbors is responsibility. It’s a pet owner’s job to train their animal,” Em said. “It’s obvious my neighbor has no control over her pit bull and has no commanding effect when she does, rarely reprimand the animal in the yard.”

Em said the dog is audible even when her neighbor’s and her windows and doors are shut.

“Her dog obviously has anxiety and is suffering.” Em said. “And so are her neighbors.”

About Block Talk

Block Talk is an exclusive Patch series on neighborhood etiquette — and readers provide the answers. If you have a topic you'd like for us to consider, email [email protected] with “Block Talk” as the subject line.

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