The global city life is usually noisy and disturbing especially for people living near busy highways and industries. Everybody is willing to invest a little more to access a peaceful home for his or her family.
A noisy neighborhood can never provide that peaceful atmosphere you would want hence the need for residential soundproofing.
Residential soundproofing will be efficient if you have noisy neighbors or there is a disturbing noise from vehicles on the adjacent highway.
Soundproofing your home will ensure that you get that home feeling even when the surroundings are noisy.
What are the potential sources of noise in your home?
Sources of noise in your home can be either external or internal.
External Sources
External sources are those that are outside our homes and which a homeowner has little control over. Dealing with external sources may require the adoption of soundproofing for your home.
External sources of noise may include noise from your neighbor next door, noise from cars on a busy highway and live event sounding.
Internal Sources
Internal sources include the equipment that you own within your home that may generate noise. A homeowner has control over the internal sources of noise and are easy to address. Internal sources of noise may be your old sound system and your garage door.
What are the factors to consider before choosing your soundproofing techniques?
After you have decided that you will install residential soundproof, you need professional guidance in choosing the various soundproofing techniques and materials for maximum efficiency.
Below is a list of factors you should consider before settling on a residential soundproofing technique.
1. Sources of the noise: There are different ways to soundproof a room depending on noise sources. Identifying the sources of noise in your home will be helpful when considering the various techniques for soundproofing your home.
2. What costs are involved: It is always best to choose the techniques that are affordable but more efficient for soundproof homes. To soundproof a room, you should invest in techniques that may be expensive in the short-term but ensures long-term room soundproofing.
3. Type of material to use: When choosing a room soundproofing technique, it is important to know that different materials provide different levels of soundproofing. Choose the best-suited material depending on the levels of noise in your home.
What techniques can you apply to make your home quiet and peaceful?
Cut down on noise sources
Cutting down on noise sources in your home does not mean that you stop using your music system, or sending your kids to the neighbors to play. It simply requires you to take the simple steps that will reduce the unnecessary noise in their homes.
It may involve acquiring new home appliances that are fitted with sound optimization, installing soundproof windows and ensuring regular repairs on your garage door to minimize noise production.
Adopting sound-absorbing materials
Wall surfaces can absorb or reflect sound. You should ensure that your wall surfaces are soft. Hard walls will reflect sound leading to more noise while fitting your walls with soft materials will absorb sound and reduce noise.
You should consider installing soundproof windows to prevent noise penetration.
Installing sound-blocking doors
Noise mostly penetrates through spaces on the doorways into your house. You should consider installing sound-blocking doors that will help in blocking the transmission of noise from one room to another or from outside into your home.
Hollow doors are also not effective in insulating the movement of sound from one room to another.
Solid-core doors may be a bit expensive but they can help you insulate against the movement of sound and soundproof a room.
Use the weather-strip interior doors
Sometimes, the sound from your door does not come from outside but it comes from the door itself. You can use weather-strip to ensure that you doors do not generate sound and gives your rooms soundproofing properties.
You can fix any existing floor squeaks
Floor squeaks may not be the major sources of noise in your home but they may contribute to the noise in your home. Consider fixing them, as they can be sources of unnecessary noise that makes your home less peaceful.
Ensure your pipes are silent
Sometimes if your home contains lots of piping, noise may be resulting from pipes chatter, rattle, or noise when flushing the toilet.
Consider addressing the issue by taking simple steps that will ensure you address noise generated from the piping system in your home.
Addressing noise from pipes requires you to install water hammer arrestors on you piping system to make soundproof homes.
Quick facts about soundproofing
Hearing loss that results from noise pollution is due to the damages the sound causes on the tiny hair cells in the inner ear.
It is untreatable and this is a good reason why you need quality soundproofing in your home.