Is the noise coming from your neighbor's house driving you crazy? Are you thinking about moving? It may just be time for you to do a little soundproofing in your home. Soundproofing insulation can be found in many different types of materials as well as acoustic materials. The sound or noise coming from your neighbor's home needs to be dampened or stopped before it reaches the interior of your home.
There are three ways to stop or dampen noise. You can start by first creating space or more room for sound to travel through. As the sound travels it loses its intensity and becomes not as loud. You can also create mass or thick barriers between you and the source of the sound. Adding thicker and denser insulated soundproofing materials to walls, doors, and windows will absorb the noise and prevent it from reaching you. Finally, you can stop sound vibrations within the room you are in. Items like large furniture, thick drapes, carpeting, and other soft objects will help dampen or slow down the sound vibrations.
Soundproofing Windows
Seal all spaces around your windows from the inside and outside. Use caulking or weather stripping to cover any gaps, holes, and cracks surrounding your windows. This is a step you definitely do not want to skip because it is probably the least expensive thing you can do help soundproof windows. Next purchase drapery that is dense or made of a thick material like velvet. The most expensive but very effective way of soundproofing windows is to replace your existing windows with double-paned windows. These are made with two panes of glass. Between the two panes of glass is a space filled with gas which helps prevent noise from penetrating through the window. Double paned windows also help cut your heating and cooling costs.
Soundproofing Walls
Adding wall coverings is probably the least expensive thing you can do to soundproof a wall. Wall coverings can include framed art, fabric, or soundproofing materials like foam panels. Textures like these can be incorporated as décor and fit into any style you would like to incorporate in the space. QuietLivity says insulation like foam or paper can be blown into the existing walls of your home. This process should probably be completed by a professional with experience in the different products available as well as the proper installation of each type. Adding another layer of drywall is probably the most costly way of soundproofing walls but it is also very effective. If your existing walls are made of a thin layer of drywall or paneling then this is definitely the most effective way of improving sound resistance in your walls.
Soundproofing Doors
Doors are usually forgotten when homeowners are trying to soundproof a room. All thin doors should be replaced by real wood doors or doors made of denser materials to prevent sound from penetrating. A sturdier door is going to cost quite a bit more than a hollow door but the soundproofing benefit is worth the investment.
There are many types of soundproofing insulation materials on the market today. Some are made to specifically block sound from entering a room like soundproofing insulation or other that are made to enhance the sound within your home like acoustic insulators. Any of these will work but you must first begin by finding the source of the problem.