Want a simple behind the scenes way to increase the comfort and value of your home? Soundproofing may sound like something only professional recording artists need, but you will be surprised at how much you will enjoy the added quiet that soundproofing supplies to your home environment.
There are many areas where soundproofing can be added in order to make for a quieter space. Sometimes it the outside disturbances of traffic, barking dogs or even planes flying over head that you would like to block out. Other times, you may want to keep noises from one room inside your home from transmitting into other areas. Depending on the way you want to manage and control sound, there is a soundproofing technique that will meet your needs.
Keeping Noise Out
One of the most effective ways to keep street noise from entering your home is to soundproof your windows. Normal windows are given a sound blocking rating on a numerical scale. The windows either need to be double glazed, or have an acoustic laminated glass inserted into the frame. The general rule in glass is thicker is always better. You can also insert relatively cheap seals into the frames of the opening window sections. This will help reduce sound from passing through as well as offer resistance to cold winds blowing in or allowing hot air from escaping in winter.
The best part of the whole process is that it is easy. When you add soundproof windows to your home it will look just the same as the old windows. In fact, the old windows remain in place and the extra glass barrier is added to them. Windows will still open and close in the same manner too, but the panel of glass and the air pocket created by the double pane greatly reduces noise.
Sound proof windows differ from just plain double pane storm windows. The greatest effect is in the amount of space between the two panels of glass. It is just the right amount to trap unwanted noise, and it has the added benefit of staying clean inside because of the air block seal.
Keeping Sound In
Another area where soundproofing may be wanted is in a home theatre, stereo room, game room or home office. If you want to keep the sound from the stereo system from disturbing others around the house, then there are a few things to look at. The windows as discussed previously will help prevent the sound from getting out and irritating the neighbour. But 2 overlooked options are doors seals for the interleading doors in the house and acoustic insulation needs to be installed in the ceiling. All single storey buildings have these great voids between the ceiling that you see from the inside and the room that you see from the outside. This leaves a lot of space for the sound to travel in the ceiling void from one room to another. Sound proof panels can be added to the room, but this is to reduce echoes or distortion within the room and can’t be seen as a sound proofing option. These panels are usually made of high-density acoustic foam, fabric upholstered acoustic panels, PET Acoustic Panels and Bass Traps, but other materials are being made and tested every day.
Soundproofing – Doing It Yourself
If you are good the DIY projects, then soundproofing is one you can tackle. It is best to leave the windows to the professional installers, but during any renovation of your house, you should consider sound proofing as important a decoration as the carpet or wallpaper. When you need to repair drywall for example, consider adding the insulation that will reduce noise. After all, no one wants to be enjoying lunch in the kitchen or on the patio and have to listen to a teen’s stereo from the bedroom! Soundproofing may not be something you would have missed until you have it once. Then you will be thinking about it anytime a noise gets in the way of your peace and quiet.
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