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Sandy, UT Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Residential night limit
50 dB(A) at boundary
Residential day limit
55 dB(A) at boundary
Measurement period
10-minute minimum, L90
Pure-tone/hum penalty
Minus 5 dB(A) allowance
Cycling-noise cap
L10 no more than 15 dB(A) above L90

Summary

A rooftop or condenser unit in Sandy is a stationary noise source and cannot push sound above 50 dB(A) at night or 55 dB(A) by day at a residential property boundary, with a five decibel penalty added if the unit's hum is a steady tone or cyclical.

It shall be a violation of this chapter for any person to operate or permit to be operated any stationary source of sound in such a manner as to create a 90th percentile sound pressure level (L90) of any measurement period (which shall not be less than ten minutes unless otherwise provided in this chapter) which exceeds the limits set forth for the following receiving land use districts... Residential 50 dB(A) [9pm-7am] 55 dB(A) [7am-9pm]. Commercial-Agricultural 55 dB(A) 60 dB(A). Industrial 75 dB(A) 80 dB(A).

View official code

Full Breakdown

Sandy City Code section 13-2-5 governs any "stationary source of sound," a category that reaches a permanently installed HVAC condenser, heat pump, chiller, or rooftop unit. ) for a residential receiving district; 55/60 dB(A) for commercial-agricultural; and 75/80 dB(A) for industrial. Where a commercial building's HVAC sits near a residential lot line, the more restrictive residential limit governs at that boundary. " Section 13-2-5(b) additionally bars a stationary source from creating a tenth-percentile (L10) level more than 15 dB(A) above the ambient L90 during the same measurement period, capturing HVAC units that cycle on and off.

The Salt Lake City-County Health Department measures compliance under Section 13-2-6 using ANSI-standard A-weighted sound level meters, and a property owner facing a hardship can seek a temporary permit under Section 13-2-8.

Violations & Fines

A violation of Section 13-2-5 is an infraction under Section 13-2-11, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense, and is also declared a nuisance under Section 13-2-12, subject to abatement by restraining order or injunction.

Frequently Asked Questions

How loud can my neighbor's AC condenser legally be in Sandy?
As a stationary source affecting a residential property, it cannot create a sound level above 50 dB(A) between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. or 55 dB(A) between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. at the property boundary, measured over at least a ten-minute period, under Section 13-2-5.
Does a humming rooftop HVAC unit get a stricter limit?
Yes. Section 13-2-5(c) subtracts five dB(A) from the normal limit for any stationary source, including HVAC equipment, that emits a pure tone or cyclically varying sound, and independently makes it a violation if the tone causes a noise disturbance.
Who enforces commercial HVAC noise complaints in Sandy?
The Salt Lake City-County Health Department has primary sound-measurement responsibility under Section 13-2-6, and violations are cited as infractions under Section 13-2-11, with each day of continued noise a separate offense.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Sandy

Fence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsDelivery Truck NoiseSome RestrictionsGenerator NoiseSome RestrictionsBar & Nightclub NoiseSome RestrictionsLow-Frequency Bass LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Material RestrictionsSignificant RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic ZoningSome Restrictions

All Sandy rules

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