Home on a hill

   You may encounter a nice looking lot at the bottom of a hill or on a steep incline in the street. When cars and trucks go uphill, they tend to make more noise as the engine is working harder. Depending on the steepness of the hill the increased noise can be considerable.

   On the other hand cars and trucks coming down hills can also produce noise from sqeaking and sqeauling brakes and think of the sound of a delivery, semi or construction truck trying to slow down while decending a  hill. That loud, growling exhaust note is a result from a large truck using it’s engine compression to slow the vehicle down. It’s called Jake Breaking and is designed to assit the trucks breaks in slowing down the vehicle. Click the video here to get an idea (be sure your speakers are turned up a bit)…

This might not be the noise you want to hear in your living room and bedroom day and night. Something to think about. 

   There may also be a safety issue living on or at the bottom of a hill. Folks naturally speed up as they go downhill, for one; another issue could be in cold and snowy climates. In this situation it’s a matter of simple physics: ice + gravity = problem. 

   Finally think of the line of sight when looking at lots around hills or inclines. Is there a blind spot created for motorists driving on that road where they may have trouble seeing you as you pull in or out of your driveway? Will you, or family members, be pulling out onto a road where there is a danger of traffic not seeing you? If you have younger kids, or are thinking about adding a few more to the family, is the homesite you’re looking at one that will be as safe as possible for them when they start to drive?

   Similar noise issues can come about with a stop sign or speed bumb near a homesite. While speed bumps and stop signs around your future home can be an advantage in the safety area, they can also be a real annoyance. With a speed bump close to your home site, you may quickly grow tired of the sound of tires bumping over that bump. Also consider delivery and work trucks banging and clanging each time they go over it.

   Stop signs can have the same effect. Each time a car approaches the sign, it’s got to slow down, come to a stop, and then get going again. Not a big deal; however, it does add to the noise level in the area of your home. There is always someone who feels the need to squeal their tires once in a while.