Is the view in the top photo from your property? If so, I would expect the current noise levels you hear would increase with this installation.

Amplify sound? No. Reflect sound? Yes. But, the angled corrugations will reflect/scatter sound in differing directions, probably negating any increase in volume. I doubt you would notice any difference. Besides, a pool filter system and heater are fairly quiet to start with. The air conditioner? If anything, the reflected sound will be louder at the neighbor's house, not yours.

Yes, the photos were taken from my yard. I would disagree about the pool filter and heater not being loud. The pool heater is especially loud, so that I can no longer sleep at night with the bedroom window open. My neighbor's property is at a higher elevation than mine, which may also cause the sound to travel better since there is no ground beneath to absorb at least some of its energy.

@Stax, I don't know the answer. I only know what it sounded like this summer without the metal surround. The surrounding metal structure was added this week, so I won't know what it will sound like until next spring.

Sorry you’re experiencing this. Any chance your neighbor will enclose the side facing your property for the pool equipment? They surely realize they’re directing those sounds your way.

@jrb451 unfortunately, there have been many problems with this neighbor over the 30 years of living next door ro them. They are not capable of doing anything neighborly and reasonable, and any hope for compromise is not possible at this point--the proverbial bridges have been burned. They are causing me so much stress, but I'm working through it by staying active and practicing mindfulness (meditation and kindness), which has been very helpful to me. Your empathy is much appreciated.

Could you put up a fence on your side of the property? (Where is the property line?) To shield the view and hopefully deaden some of the sound? A wooden fence might absorb some of the sound.

Put up a fence of your own. Also, check your Town's noise and building ordnances. Sounds like you're going to have to play hardball with this unpleasant neighbor. Get a big dog and train it to bark when the equipment comes on. Won't help you but at least it will keep your neighbor awake also!!!

Well their equipment is on at higher elevation than my property. They've installed a 4' chainlink fence along the property line (they installed a nicer fence on the other sides of their pool enclosure.. The ordinance in our town is 6' fence max, which wouldn't be enough to make difference. I already checked State, County and Town ordinances, none on the books that would address this sort of thing. I want to avoid more escalation with this neighbor, but I will do what I need to do if it's intolerable. Maybe I could try wind-chimes or music speakers to drown the sound out. There are noise ordinances for barking dogs, speakers, motorcycles, boat engines and a few others, but not for pool equipment or wind-chimes. There are very few pools in Wisconsin. Here's a photo of their fence.

Landscape your side to hide them and get a sound machine for your bedroom. No noise ordinance will help you and these neighbors have shown who they are.

Yeah, we are already on top of the landscaping. I've been planting trees and shrubs like crazy, I know a lot about landscaping, its sort of my field of expertise. Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. I will just have to wait and see how it sounds in spring and then address the issue if it is intolerable.

Unfortunately, bushes and trees let pretty much 100% of the noise through them.

@sktn77a I know the bushes and shrubs won't resolve the noise issue, but it will serve to screen their offending landscape choices. I wish I could find a solution on my side of the fence to muffle the noise.

@k8cd that is an exceellent suggestion. I was thinking a free-standing screenhouse with a solid wall facing the property line might be perfect. It would be code compliant to build such a structure, and I could build it higher than a fence. Thank you so much for your suggestion!

Hope that helps shield the sight and sounds!

Mostly, there just look like crap.