New Zealand couple says neighbor's heat pump sounds like 'a diesel truck,' file 16 noise complaints

Heat pumps are often promoted as a smart home upgrade because they are efficient, electric, and help keep energy costs in check. 

But in New Zealand, homeowners Jeff and Gina Dombroski say a neighboring outdoor unit has become a yearslong source of lost sleep and frustration, sending a steady low-frequency hum into their bedroom and living room, as Stuff reported.

Here's what to know

The Dombroskis told the outlet that the outdoor heat pump unit across from their home in Urenui, Taranaki, sends a steady low-frequency hum into parts of their house, including the bedroom and living room.

Jeff said the equipment, a large twin-fan system about 33 feet (10 meters) from their bedroom window, sounds "like someone sitting outside your bedroom with a diesel truck running, just humming away."

According to Stuff, they have made 16 noise complaints since August 2023.

Follow-up council monitoring on June 11 reportedly found the system was complying with the rules after a new control board was installed. In August 2025, testing on three occasions had recorded the unit a few decibels above the 45-decibel evening limit.

The couple, however, say the sound is still disruptive.

"It's hard to escape," Gina explained to Stuff. "It's like a worm; it gets in your head."

As the outlet reported, there are no enforceable local or national standards that set minimum siting distances for residential heat pump units.

More background

Heat pumps can heat and cool homes efficiently, often using less electricity than older electric resistance systems while helping households move away from fossil-fuel appliances. Over time, that can also translate into lower utility costs.

But the Dombroskis' experience shows how poor placement can undercut those benefits.

When the noise is bad, Jeff, who works 12-hour shifts, told Stuff he sometimes leaves the couple's bedroom and sleeps on a daybed. Gina added that the disruption affects the entire household.

"This is how we've been living when [Jeff's] on night shift and it's very loud," she said to the outlet. "It's ridiculous."

Bill McKay, a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland School of Architecture, told Stuff that this kind of problem could become more common as homes are built closer together.

"The issue of hums and similar is something the general public don't really think about, but it's an increasing problem," he said.

What can be done?

Damien Morresey, New Plymouth District Council consents and regulatory manager, told Stuff the agency "recognise[s] Jeff and Gina have been living with this issue for several years" but that the current evidence does not support stronger action.

The Dombroskis, meanwhile, want either the unit relocated or additional measures added to reduce the noise, per Stuff.

One preventive step is siting outdoor units farther from neighboring bedrooms where possible. Shielding, site layout, and quieter system configurations can also be considered more carefully from the outset.

Another possible route is legal action, but University of Auckland law professor David Grinlinton told Stuff that nuisance cases can be expensive, require strong expert evidence, and may still not succeed.

"A change in the rules would be a good start, so nobody else has to put up with this," Jeff concluded to the outlet. "We just want our peace and quiet."

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