Why would my neighbors need an air compressor running 24/7?

[Anonymous]

Our neighbors have had contractors over doing some sort of work for days. We first thought it was HVAC, then maybe electrical, but it could be plumbing? The contractors (of unknown nature, in plain white vans hauling large trailers) have had a large diesel-run air compressor running now for two days. It’s parked and chocked in the street. They’ve gone home again for the day and left it running. It sounds like a generator but it’s definitely an air compressor (we looked it up) with a hose attached and running into the backyard and, I’m assuming, the house.

The neighbors aren’t home. I am assuming they’ve had some sort of catastrophic issue. What in the world could this air compressor be running or doing? It’s obnoxiously loud but assuming they had a major issue I’m trying to find understanding, so that I won’t be as annoyed by the thing. In the meantime, we are dying to know what it could be for. Any ideas?

[Anonymous]

Probably freeze drying bodies.

That’s the most logical explanation

[Anonymous]

If they had a flood, it could be running the fans to dry things out.

[Anonymous]

Air powered tools. Nail gun, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they had a flood, it could be running the fans to dry things out.

Wouldn’t that be run by electricity?

[Anonymous]

If it's violating noise bylaws you can always report them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Air powered tools. Nail gun, etc.

But they have left for the day. Nobody is using tools. They left it running last night, too, and nobody was using tools then, either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it's violating noise bylaws you can always report them

I’m not sure that it is. Wouldn’t it fall under the same category as a generator?

I’m also trying to tolerate it for the sake of being neighborly and understanding if someone is going through a difficult situation. That’s why I’d love to know WHY it’s running! I can’t make sense of it. I can’t imagine they’d leave it running for nothing, since diesel isn’t cheap!

[Anonymous]

Pumping out water?

[Anonymous]

There’s one running next to us because they are framing a new addition. But they turn it off at the end of the day.

I can’t think of any reason an air compressor would run all night. B

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it's violating noise bylaws you can always report them

I’m not sure that it is. Wouldn’t it fall under the same category as a generator?

I’m also trying to tolerate it for the sake of being neighborly and understanding if someone is going through a difficult situation. That’s why I’d love to know WHY it’s running! I can’t make sense of it. I can’t imagine they’d leave it running for nothing, since diesel isn’t cheap!

Depends on your specific rules, mine say quiet time overnight for certain hours, so if it's running 24/7 and disrupting sleeping it's 100% a violation.

I too am interested in the mystery now!

[Anonymous]

you sure it's not a generator?

[Anonymous]

Dehumidifier. They had a flood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you sure it's not a generator?

Positive. It says what it is on the side and we looked it up.

[Anonymous]

Go over in the morning and ask the contractors in a friendly way. At least you will know, maybe find a contractor if something is needed in your house later.