Unless you live alone in a remote part of the country, then you are more than likely going to experience noise within your property. Whether you live in a house or a flat, sound can travel and it can become an annoyance but you can make changes that can help to reduce sound.
Types of Noises Explained
Almost every property will suffer from noise. You have the problem with noise from neighbours who are either attached next door or live above or below you. There is noise from knocking pipes, creaking floorboards and you might even want to reduce the noise of a screaming baby. There are many noises that can cause disruption but fortunately, there are solutions available to pick from.
How Does Soundproofing Work?
Soundproofing comes in many different forms and it can range from wall panels to acoustic installation and specialist plasterboards. Soundproofing can work in two ways and this is by blocking the sound by preventing it from travelling through walls or by absorbing the sound which can help by dampening the sound.
However, there is also other forms of soundproofing that you can use to reduce the amount of noise and this is by introducing things such as carpets, curtains and you can even purchase wall coverings that can aid with soundproofing.
Overall, soundproofing has been designed to provide homeowners with several options. What this means is that they can either choose to undertake serious work to alleviate the problem or they can introduce cosmetic solutions that can be installed easily.
How do you Soundproof Flooring?
If you want to soundproof flooring then that is a great way of reducing the noise that resonates to the floor below, what’s more, it can also prevent noise from travelling upwards too. If you are happy to undergo serious renovation works then you could lift all of the floorboards and lay acoustic soundproof panels. However, it is possible to make this task easier as you could lay soundproof matting which is available in carpet shops or you could actually lay a thick carpet. If the floor below is suffering from noise above then you could insulate the ceiling by adding soundproof tiling to the ceiling. Nova Acoustics have provided a handy guide on how to soundproof flooring.
How Do You Soundproof Walls?
Sound travelling through walls is often a real problem for homeowners. After all, you might suffer from noise travelling from neighbours or the children playing on their console might disrupt the entire house. If you want to carry out a thorough job and completely reduce noise then you could introduce noise-blocking insulation or add additional insulation to the walls by removing the plasterboards. The thicker the insulation the better the reduction in sound. If the walls are already built then you can opt to cut out holes and have foam or paper blown into the hollows to help dampen the sound.