Flapping, snapping flag drives nappers mad
Q:When we sell our home, do we have to disclose our neighbor’s unusually large American flag? It makes so much noise on windy nights that we have to retreat to another bedroom to sleep. He refuses to take it down on even the most blustery nights, and it flaps loudly right outside our secondfloor bedroom window. He has let us know that this is politically sensitive to him and I’m sure he would have no qualms about going to the local press if we were to formally complain. There’s apparently no town ordinance regarding this. What can we do?
A:Your complaint may strike some as frivolous, but a loud noise is a loud noise — be it blaring music, baying hounds, revving hot rods or an oversized flag snapping and crackling a few feet from your weary heads. Alas, boorish neighbors who would happily trample our rights in the righteous exercise of their own can really diminish quality of life.
First, whether you need to disclose this to the next buyer is a legitimate concern. Know that if you take official action, such as a police or homeowners association complaint, then that’s “on the record,” helping make your nondisclosure actionable if the buyer of your home discovers the grievance. Also, many disclosure forms have a space for sellers to divulge “neighborhood noise or nuisance.”
Have you thought about asking him to consider muffling the flag? Flag enthusiasts say you can temper the snap of a large flag without obscuring its field by adding small pieces of heavy rope to each of the flag’s outside corners. Alternatively, you might request that he switch to a quieter polyester flag the next time he replaces it, though he might have a counter suggestion for you that is unflattering.
Alternately, there are a number of options for soundproofing windows, including the installation of thick acoustical windows such as those found at airport hotels and office buildings. Do your homework thoroughly on these and read internet reviews and threads on the subject if you want to go this route. With such windows installed, the flag may not be a nuisance — and perhaps a nonissue on disclosure.