Mohamedjoya
New Member
I live in the Marine Park section of Brooklyn. Since last May, 2014 my neighbor runs their clothes dryer 20 - 23 hours per week, mostly in the evening and sometimes late night into early morning hours. The dryer vent is located on the driveway side between the 2 homes directly across from my rear door. All my windows on this side of the House face the driveway. The driveway is only 8' 11" wide. The noise coming from the vent is very loud when the windows are open. The noise can even be heard when the windows and door are closed. The dryer runs from 5M to 10:00 PM Monday through Friday. Saturday and sometimes Sunday it will run 10:30 PM - 2:00 AM. When the windows are open or I use the rear door the smell from the dryer comes into the home. My wife and I high work and my daughter attends college. We can not enjoy eating dinner or watching TV because the dryer is constantly on. Forget about eating in the backyard during the summer. The noise makes up enjoyable and the dryer smell will take your appetite away. We have argued and talked. They refuse to move the exhaust vent stating their basement was finished 10 years ago (without permits). They refused to change the time they do wash when we are out of our home stating it is not in their married daughters schedule. Neither the daughter or my neighbor works. They also have another married daughter who does not work and sits in their home all day doing nothing. I made a complaint regarding the dryer vent location. The NYC Dept of Buildings deemed it was not ther matter and to refer the complaint to another agency. I made 2 complaints to the NYC Dept of Environmental Protection. First was in October, 2014 and appointment was mms for November. I cancelled the appointment because he said that he would move the vent if I paid half the cost. I agreed to pay. For 4 months he avoided me and when I was able to ask him he give a vague answer. Finally in February I made the second complaint because I saw he was not going to move it. Two inspectors from NYC DEP came on 3/19/15 and found them in violation of noise code under Administrative Code 24 - 227, noise level from the clothes dryer was above the allowable 42 decibels in my home. It registered 53 decibels and was 18 decibels above the ambient sound level in my home of 35 decibels. The 2 inspectors went to their name and told them they are in violation and will receive a summons in the mail. They also told them to correct the violation they should move the dryer vent. They have a hearing date on 5/12/15 at ECB. Since the notice of violation was issued they have not moved the vent and have extended the amount of time they use the dryer. Is there anything that can be done to stop the dryer use between now and 5/12/15. They refuse to move it.