No matter the source of noise – whether that be noisy neighbors, working from home and needing focus or young children making too much noise – there are ways to control it that are both cost-effective and simple. Here are a few suggestions.
Fiberglass insulation found in walls to regulate temperature and airflow is an excellent heat and cold insulator but mediocre sound insulator; better-quality acoustic insulation pairs thermal insulation with mass to reduce noise pollution.
Insulation
Insulation is often touted for its thermal qualities, but its sound-dampening abilities should not be overlooked. Materials used in insulation like fiberglass, cellulose and mineral wool help capture and dissipate sound energy more effectively so as to create quieter living environments.
Soundproofing your house can significantly decrease noises from outside, within rooms, and between floors. While there are various approaches to soundproofing your house, one key method involves sealing any holes that allow sound to leak into or leave your home through leaky openings or gaps.
Caulking, expanding foam and packing putty are great tools to use to mute noise around doors, windows and openings in walls and other places where sound travels between rooms. Curtains may also help absorb sound transmission between rooms while hanging heavy blankets or fabrics over them can reduce vibrations further still.
An alternative solution for sound reduction is installing sound-reducing insulation such as an acoustic slab or mat. Though they don’t offer as much thermal efficiency than regular batting insulation materials, specialized soundproofing materials offer better acoustic performance while remaining easy to install into existing homes.
If you want to invest the effort and expense in soundproofing a room, the optimal time and place to do it would be during remodeling. That way, existing insulation will absorb some of the soundwaves and make your job harder!
One option for soundproofing walls is installing resilient channels – Z-shaped metal strips installed between wall studs and drywall to form decoupling spaces that block sound waves from traveling between them – to help sound waves be blocked from traveling between wall studs. This process creates space between them that prevents sound transmission.
Some types of insulation may be effective soundproofing options, with blown-in cellulose being particularly easy and effective in this regard. Although not designed specifically for airtight spaces like an attic or basement, cellulose insulation is suitable for installation between joists in an attic ceiling or walls to reduce both external noises as well as family activities in the home. Soundproofing cellulose panels is particularly effective at dampening down exterior noise levels while simultaneously dampening family activities within.
Walls
Your walls play a crucial role in controlling how much noise travels from room to room in your home, with soundproofing techniques using multiple strategies and layers to increase mass absorption and absorbance. There are also cost-effective options such as caulking and using acoustic curtains.
Acoustic curtains offer an affordable, straightforward solution for noise reduction from outside or between rooms. Hanging like drapes, these affordable solutions come in various colors, patterns and styles – typically costing $50-200 from online retailers.
Add acoustic foam to existing walls for more permanent noise reduction; this method is economical and straightforward, yet doesn’t provide as much noise-blocking power as insulation or drywall insulation would.
An expensive way to soundproof walls is adding another layer of drywall. While this process may require moving outlet and switch boxes, measuring each wall before purchasing enough drywall to cover from floor to ceiling is essential to ensure complete coverage. Building new 2×4 walls insulated and covered both sides before attaching it with existing walls may also help isolate noise transmission and reduce transmission rates.
An alternative to drywall is Rockwool insulation, more commonly referred to as mineral wool. This dense type of insulation can significantly decrease noise transmission through walls while adding an acoustic plasterboard with high concentrations of cellulose can further boost sound-absorbency qualities of your walls.
An acoustic panel that’s intended to attach directly to walls is another excellent way to soundproof walls, offering the optimal combination of mass and absorption to reduce sound in most homes. Note that adding different types of mass is more cost-effective than simply adding more of the same material; otherwise returns diminish over time.
Floors
Many don’t consider soundproofing floors, yet it may be important for any number of reasons. Perhaps you need to keep out noisy neighbors’ children or lessen squeaks of hardwood flooring in your own home – whatever it may be there are various solutions available that can help achieve what you desire.
Carpets are one of the least costly and easiest ways to soundproof your floor, helping soften footsteps while blocking noise from traveling up through the ceiling. But keep in mind that while rugs provide some level of soundproofing protection, their lifespan may not match up to more permanent treatments such as tile.
Install a thick layer of rubber under existing flooring as another viable option to soundproofing. Like mass loaded vinyl (MLV), rubber provides both airborne and impact sound insulation; additionally, its more discreet nature won’t compromise aesthetics while still offering effective soundproofing measures.
If you are considering replacing the existing flooring in your home, be sure to select products with high impact and airborne sound ratings. Products with an STC of 50 and IIC rating of 70 or higher will prove more efficient and will ultimately save money over time.
Add an acoustic underlayment between floor joists for effective soundproofing of any floor. While this project may be time consuming and messy, its results could more than justify your efforts. Your selected underlayment should have an STC of 60 or higher and an IIC rating of 75 or greater to achieve optimal results.
A more permanent solution involves adding fiberglass or rockwool insulation above the ceiling joists. Though this project can be challenging when working around existing electrical and HVAC systems, insulation has proven extremely successful at reducing impact noise as well as airborne noise levels. As it will require removal and reinstallation of ceiling drywall panels, professional advice should always be sought prior to starting this type of task.
Ceilings
Unwanted noise can disrupt sleep and concentration when working from home. From noisy neighbors hosting loud parties, to your 10-year-old practising his saxophone in the hall or hearing their table saw rattle through your garage wall, soundproofing can provide relief by reducing vibrations, plugging leaks and absorbing sounds.
Soundproof walls during new construction or renovation by adding insulation. Rock wool or fiberglass insulation, such as Skolnick suggests, should be used because thicker insulation absorbs more sound waves. Foam insulation doesn’t inherently absorb sound waves but may simply block them; furthermore it could lose its insulating properties over time and result in condensation or mold growth.
Retrofitting existing walls requires adding another layer of drywall and applying green glue noiseproofing compound between layers; for more dramatic results, consider building a 2×4 wall within each room and insulating it, before drywalling both sides to separate rooms – known as decoupling soundproofing, this method can be extremely effective.
Other methods include hanging acoustic ceiling clouds that are suspended parallel to and offset from walls to reduce direct sound transmission, or choosing from among various types of acoustic tiles made from cork and polyester materials that absorb or block sounds depending on what result is desired.
While some basic soundproofing can be accomplished on your own, projects that involve removing walls or floorboards or adding batten and drywall typically require professional assistance to avoid errors that could compromise the structural integrity of your home and compromise its value. Such projects often require building permits as they could impact electrical wiring or plumbing infrastructure.
Some projects can be labor intensive and costly; for instance, installing acoustic ceiling tiles or adding an additional layer of drywall requires cutting into existing studs for installation and moving outlet and switch boxes in order to fit it all in properly. But the payoff can bring peace and quiet for years.