Wellington, FL Noise from Specific Sources: HVAC & Mechanical Noise (2026)

Table A of Sec. 13-8 in the Code of Ordinances singles out fixed mechanical equipment as its own noise-source row for residential land, holding it to 60 dBA at any time of day rather than stepping the limit down in the evening as it does for other residential sources. This category covers the hardware homeowners run continuously: central air conditioning condensers, backup or standby generators, irrigation and pool pumps, and exhaust fans, the kind of equipment that produces a steady tone rather than a brief burst.

Because the limit applies at any time, a unit that is loud enough to exceed 60 dBA at the receiving property line violates the code at noon just as it would at midnight; there is no daytime exemption specific to mechanical equipment the way there is for lawn equipment under Sec. 13-7(F). Sound is measured with a calibrated Type 2 sound level meter on the ANSI A-weighting network, taken at or beyond the real property line about five feet above grade, and a reading is only a violation if it exceeds the 60 dBA cap for more than ten percent of a measurement window of at least ten minutes. Section 13-8(A) makes the property owner responsible for a noisy unit even if a tenant or contractor, not the owner, is actually running it.