While generators are a lifesaver everyone who has ever used one knows how LOUD they can be! Yes, so loud that I had to write that in all caps. However, there are some things that you can do to help alleviate this issue and save your eardrums.

Inspect the exhaust regularly

Generator noise comes from two main sections, the engine, and the exhaust. By installing a muffler in the exhaust, noise emanating from this section reduces by a huge margin. You can opt to replace the exhaust with a bigger muffler/a car muffler either by yourself (if you are sufficiently skilled) or hire an expert to install for you. Either way, the result is a significant reduction in the noise your generator produces.

Change the orientation of exhaust pipe

Horizontal exhaust pipes direct sound waves in one direction making the noise louder in a particular direction. Imagine what the situation would be if the pipe is pointing to your nearby house? Modify it to face up for it to channel noise upwards. Brace yourself for a slight change in its appearance. However, the change in appearance is too little a sacrifice for the resulting massive reduction in noise level.

Create an enclosure

Brick or walled wooden enclosures absorb the sound your noisy generator produces. Surround the cabinet with a fireproof insulator to absorb sound. The Housing nonetheless, needs to be spacious enough and adequately ventilated so that the resulting heat and exhaust gasses outflows.

Install your noisy generator far from house

Your generator will appear quieter if you install it as far as possible from your home. So, if you need an inexpensive and yet effective way to silent your generator this strategy is ideal for you. Just ensure that your generator is not at risk of any form of meddling, theft or damage. Also placing it further from your house will be at the expense of its safety.

Install your generator correctly

After identifying the ideal position for your generator, put it in such a way that its exhaust points away from the adjacent residential area. The exhaust is, principally, the section of your generator noise emanates from hence appears the loudest. Consequently, by directing it away from the nearest estate goes a long way in making it less of a nuisance to persons living in the area.

Build a wall to reflect away the noise

Build a wall and install a good sound reflector on it to redirect the noise your generator produces away from your place of residence. While this approach does not essentially reduce the noise, by reflecting the sound, your generator will appear less noisy. Your family members and neighbors will not even realize that your generator is running. The most important thing is to reduce the disturbance your noisy generator causes to residents and building a wall achieves just that.

While some of these tips seem simple you would be surprised at how many people overlook them. Such simple ideas can help make a miserable situation just a tad easier to handle.

Let us know if you have tried these and how they worked. Do you have ideas to add? Let us know what works for you.

Source: The Preppers Will