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I live in a small building (3 stories), and the ceiling of my kitchen is a glass canopy with rain water pipes just above (about 8 meters above).

One of the pipe is directly above a small aluminum thickly thermal-isolated pane. When it rains, the water goes on the pipe and big droplets fall directly on the aluminum pane, which makes a loud noise. It always falls on a specific point, within 20cm.

The pipe belongs to the building, so there's no way I can move it. It's in a perfect state as it has just been replaced.

How can I muffle the sound of that droplet so I can sleep quietly when it rains?

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    Some downspouts?
    – Huesmann
    Commented Jan 19 at 13:27
  • Is there a feature on the pipe that causes the dripping, e.g. a joint, collar or support? If so, and if the general arrange leaves space for it, a light chain could be attached at the appropriate point to guide the drops elsewhere.
    – HABO
    Commented Jan 19 at 13:29
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    A photo of the situation would really help. The nuances of the hardware and their relative proximity are important.
    – isherwood
    Commented Jan 19 at 19:01

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Invite building management over next time it rains. Demonstrate the annoying noise and mention that, should there ever be an icicle form off that pipe in the winter, it could break loose and potentially come right through the window. Ask them nicely to fix the pipe so it's not dripping directly over the skylight.

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    I think it's coming from a joint that's not sealed properly. OP mentions it's just been replaced "so it's perfect" but that's not always the case. +1 in getting building management involved as it's impacting the OPs quality of life
    – DJ.
    Commented Jan 19 at 18:02
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    A more objective variant of this might be to obtain a sound level meter, note down the maximum sound level next time it rains, and then tell the building management that number (along with suggested fix(es)).
    – gidds
    Commented Jan 20 at 21:56
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A very low key solution would be to glue (or tie with a string if the setup is suitable) a sponge (the kind used for washing dishes) onto the aluminum pane on the spot where the drops hit. Such a setup probably would need to be replaced every couple of months but a drop of water falling onto a sponge should be silent.

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    You might be able to use something more durable than a sponge and still have good results. I muted the dripping of my upstairs neighbors air conditioner condensate on my AC with a small rock and broken brick. The stone buffers the drops impact enough that they metal shell of the AC doesn't serve as an amplifier letting me sleep in peace.
    – Dan Is Fiddling By Firelight
    Commented Jan 19 at 20:01
  • Not bad for sitting on top of a window AC unit, but might not be so good on a glass canopy.
    – FreeMan
    Commented Jan 20 at 15:15
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If you aren't able to solve the problem from the outside by convincing the building management to redirect the water somehow, you can at least try to solve the problem from the inside by adding mass to the glass roof.

Adding mass to the panels by applying a window tinting film to the glass panels or a vinyl film to the aluminum support beams should at least help to dampen the noise and lower the frequency (by which I mean the pitch, not the number of drips per minute) of the sound.

There are films designed to prevent glass breakage on ground-floor windows and doors that also have a beneficial side-effect of reducing resonation generated by striking the pane. It's not going to silence someone knocking on it, but it should help to dampen the noise generated something so small as a water droplet. Depending on how nice your building management is, you might even be able to get them to pitch in since it could be spun as a security improvement to the structure.

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    Having problems envisioning how adding a window tint would add enough mass to a piece of glass to make any noticeable impact on sound transmission.
    – FreeMan
    Commented Jan 19 at 19:35
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    @FreeMan In retrospect, I probably should have used the word generation in place of transmission. While any film thin enough to still see through wouldn't do a whole lot to reduce sound waves from being transmitted through a glass pane, adding even a little mass (and stability) by thickening will reduce sound generated by the panel in response to being struck. Especially by something as small as a water drop.
    – Chris O
    Commented Jan 19 at 20:09
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I second the idea of a single roof shingle.

Or else... I had a similar issue with my upstairs neighbor's AC unit dripping onto mine. I solved it by folding/wadding up some window mesh and attaching it where the water was falling. Just a couple of layers would likely be sufficient. Alternatively, maybe an attachment of some sort (screw, binder clip, etc) on the end of the spout with a rope tied to it. That way the water would drip/fall down the rope instead of falling through the air to land from a great height.

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It would solve the problem if you get a Styrofoam sheet or block and attach it so the rainwater drops on it instead of the aluminum pane. Styrofoam has plenty of elastic squishiness and thus deafens the impact sounds a lot, is cheap or even free (try asking for it in hardware store, or anywhere it is used in packaging) and it is very light so you won't have any problem whatsoever in carrying a 20+ cm sized chunk from the hardware store. It is also more hydrophobic (makes water bead up and fall of instead of soaking in), and thus it is a solution superior to sponges and pillows (those will soak up water much more easily and potentially create a spawning point for harmful molds).

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    How long would styrofoam last when put on top of a roof, considering it will be exposed to the weather 24/7?
    – Mast
    Commented Jan 20 at 8:39
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    As bits break off, styrofoam/polystychrene becomes also a danger to wildlife - when it breaks down into small balls, it looks exactly like food to birds. And it tends to move easily in the wind, also making it look even more like food. Rubber products might be a better candidate here.
    – Criggie
    Commented Jan 20 at 11:48
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    Perhaps the same but with something designed to be outdoors - a felt roof shingle would likely work just as well as a foam block.
    – Tom Carpenter
    Commented Jan 20 at 16:06

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