Hendersonville, TN Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)

Title 11 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code contains no HVAC-specific section, no equipment-specific decibel cap for residential HVAC (heat pumps, A/C condensers, pool heaters, generators), and no equipment setback within the noise ordinance itself. Two layered standards apply: (1) Section 11-402 ('Anti-noise regulations') - the general 'unreasonably loud, disturbing, and unnecessary noise' standard reaches a malfunctioning, poorly placed or excessively loud HVAC unit when it disturbs the comfort or repose of a neighbor, particularly between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. under Sec. 11-402(1)(b)'s residential-quiet emphasis. (2) Section 11-403(3) - for HVAC equipment serving a business or commercial facility (e.g., rooftop units on a strip-center bay backing up to residential lots), the 65 dBA night / 75 dBA day cap applies measured AT the residential wall (not at the commercial property line). That gives the standard sharp teeth when commercial HVAC abuts residences - common in Hendersonville along Highway 31E (Gallatin Pike) and Indian Lake Boulevard where commercial uses back up to single-family neighborhoods. Permanent HVAC installations require permits from the Hendersonville Building and Codes Department (101 Maple Drive North, (615) 264-5395) under the state-adopted International Mechanical Code. Equipment setbacks are governed by the Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance (administered by the Planning Department) - typical accessory equipment setbacks are in side and rear yards, with minimum distance requirements that vary by zoning district. The Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance also imposes screening requirements for rooftop and ground-mounted mechanical equipment in commercial districts.