Running Air Conditioning at Night

trialsandtravel · 13th September 2009, 12:28 AM

We moved to Madrid a few months ago and finally found a piso...quick question on an issue of immediate concern. Our downstairs neighbor is a bit over the top and complained that no one in Madrid runs their air conditioner at night. Our landlady warned us he complains alot and we try to be very conscientious neighbors. He implied we were violating an ordinance or something official, "No se permiten usar los aires." Any thoughts from a cultural or official point of view (other than ignoring him or dealing with an extremely warm bedroom)?

greytop · 13th September 2009, 07:47 AM

I don't know about the legal position but from a health angle it's maybe a bad idea to use them all the time as they can play havoc with the airways. Try cooling the room down before you go to bed and have a fan circulating the air during the night.
Our neighbours certainly run theirs until about 1AM but after a while you don't notice the noise - in fact it dulls the external traffic / party noises.

ValenciaSon · 13th September 2009, 12:28 PM

How about asking your neighbor or land lady to produce the ordinance, tactfully. Also when would you be allowed to run your a/c? What if it were a hotter than usual night? Those kind of questions would have to be answered in my opinion. You didn't install the unit so the landlady should bear at least some responsibility for this unneighborly a/c.

greytop · 14th September 2009, 01:10 PM

Life's full of coincidences! This article on one AC problem in Valencia appeared today in Las Provincias.
The case was brought as the plans for the building showed a terrace to be used for drying clothes, which later had AC installed and that exceeded the permissible noise levels. No municipal license had been obtained or noise measurements made of the installation.
It would seem that this is a local ordnance rather than a national law, as is much to do with buildings in Spain.

jimmy_jazz · 15th September 2009, 09:14 AM

If you want to make sure, the best thing is to look in the "ordenanzas municipales" of madrid.

http://www.munimadrid.es/portal/site...00dc0ca8c0RCRD

I would get to an arrangement with him, if he complains it must be because it's annoying even if the legislation doesn't prohibit you to turn on the aircon.

Pippa · 15th September 2009, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trialsandtravel

We moved to Madrid a few months ago and finally found a piso...quick question on an issue of immediate concern. Our downstairs neighbor is a bit over the top and complained that no one in Madrid runs their air conditioner at night. Our landlady warned us he complains alot and we try to be very conscientious neighbors. He implied we were violating an ordinance or something official, "No se permiten usar los aires." Any thoughts from a cultural or official point of view (other than ignoring him or dealing with an extremely warm bedroom)?

It seems you can use it as long as it does not surpass the allowed noise:

Quote:

Reglamento de Instalaciones Térmicas en los edificios (RITE) aprobado por RD 1751/1998 de 31 de julio, modificado por RD 1218/2002, de 22 de noviembre, ambas normas establecen los mismos limites para inmisiones en viviendas: 30 dBA durante la noche y 35 dBA durante el día, aunque difieren por cuanto para la Ordenanza noche es desde las 23 horas a las 7 horas y para la RITE de 23 horas a 8 horas

trialsandtravel · 17th September 2009, 07:24 PM

I truly appreciate your thoughtful responses ... the article, the website and the specific provision... funny it got cold this week so our concern was suddenly less pressing but all of you have made me a better neighbor for the next heat wave!

13th September 2009, 12:28 AM	#1
trialsandtravel Novato Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Madrid Posts: 3	Running Air Conditioning at Night We moved to Madrid a few months ago and finally found a piso...quick question on an issue of immediate concern. Our downstairs neighbor is a bit over the top and complained that no one in Madrid runs their air conditioner at night. Our landlady warned us he complains alot and we try to be very conscientious neighbors. He implied we were violating an ordinance or something official, "No se permiten usar los aires." Any thoughts from a cultural or official point of view (other than ignoring him or dealing with an extremely warm bedroom)?

17th September 2009, 07:24 PM	#7
trialsandtravel Novato Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Madrid Posts: 3	Thanks for the Great Feedback I truly appreciate your thoughtful responses ... the article, the website and the specific provision... funny it got cold this week so our concern was suddenly less pressing but all of you have made me a better neighbor for the next heat wave!

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13th September 2009, 07:47 AM	#2
greytop Hero Forero Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pego, Spain Posts: 3,370	I don't know about the legal position but from a health angle it's maybe a bad idea to use them all the time as they can play havoc with the airways. Try cooling the room down before you go to bed and have a fan circulating the air during the night. Our neighbours certainly run theirs until about 1AM but after a while you don't notice the noise - in fact it dulls the external traffic / party noises.

13th September 2009, 12:28 PM	#3
ValenciaSon Hero Forero Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA Posts: 4,923	How about asking your neighbor or land lady to produce the ordinance, tactfully. Also when would you be allowed to run your a/c? What if it were a hotter than usual night? Those kind of questions would have to be answered in my opinion. You didn't install the unit so the landlady should bear at least some responsibility for this unneighborly a/c.

14th September 2009, 01:10 PM	#4
greytop Hero Forero Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pego, Spain Posts: 3,370	Life's full of coincidences! This article on one AC problem in Valencia appeared today in Las Provincias. The case was brought as the plans for the building showed a terrace to be used for drying clothes, which later had AC installed and that exceeded the permissible noise levels. No municipal license had been obtained or noise measurements made of the installation. It would seem that this is a local ordnance rather than a national law, as is much to do with buildings in Spain.

15th September 2009, 09:14 AM	#5
jimmy_jazz Forero Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 19	If you want to make sure, the best thing is to look in the "ordenanzas municipales" of madrid. http://www.munimadrid.es/portal/site...00dc0ca8c0RCRD I would get to an arrangement with him, if he complains it must be because it's annoying even if the legislation doesn't prohibit you to turn on the aircon.