The following contribution is from another author.
Sound pollution is one of the top complaints homeowners have about their properties and is one of the main reasons people decide to move out of their homes. It’s hard to sleep when all you hear is a highway raging every night, or focus on working from home when your neighbors are adding another deck onto their home and making tons of noise every day.
These are the top ways to reduce sound pollution in your home and make your property a quiet oasis: while also ensuring few noises make their way out!
1. Decide What Spaces Need the Most Help
Before you start revamping any area, it’s important to stop and consider which rooms need the most work. Is it your bedroom that’s the most annoying? Are you trying to build an entertainment space but struggling to keep the sound out?
Look through your property, and identify what spaces need the most help and what makes them so noisy. Don’t be afraid to take a chair and go from room to room with all distractions turned off so you can listen to which has the most noise making its way in.
2. Consider a Fence or Treeline on a Larger Property
One of the oldest ways to keep noise out is to create a wind line of trees. This is most commonly seen on properties near highways and busy roads, where owners have a thin line of trees that add a buffer between the noise of traffic and their home. Although this can seem rudimentary, it actually stops a lot of noise and wind from hitting homes and can lower the volume to a far more comfortable level.
Fences are another great option, although they’re not quite as effective. A good privacy fence that’s at least eight feet tall can block a lot of noise while also making your home far more private.
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Target and Panel the Sounds Out
Sometimes it’s just a specific room that you want quieter. This is usually an office or entertainment room, but it can vary from house to house. Instead of closing off every inch of the space, consider using a decorative acoustic panel design. You can place these throughout a room, and they’ll give the appearance of classic paneling or a wood inlay while stopping noise from making its way inside or out.
If you work from home or you simply want to immerse yourself in whatever media you’re consuming, this is a great way to stop noise from transferring through the walls in either direction.
4. Check Your Home’s Insulation Levels
Your home’s insulation makes a huge difference in how quiet or noisy your property feels! With high insulation levels, a lot of sounds are stopped in their tracks. This can go all the way back to it being built, making sure to start with insulated concrete forms.
The most common areas to have insulated are your roof and attic, your walls, and your flooring if you have a crawlspace. Keeping your property fully protected will stop noise in its tracks while also blocking out moisture, insect life, and temperature fluctuations!
If your home is more than 50 years old, and you don’t know the last time it was inspected, it’s a good idea to have a professional come in and check for asbestos before you start DIYing anything. Keeping safe is far more important than saving a couple of dollars by doing it yourself.
5. Ensure Your Windows and Doors are Updated
Anywhere that can leak air will also leak sound. Check that your windows and doors are updated or are at least air-tight. You can do this a couple of ways, but the easiest is to check for drafts using a candle.
Light a candle, and walk near closed doors and windows. If you notice the flame strongly flickering one way or another, that means you have an air leak. You can seal this or look into replacing the windows if necessary.
6. Consider Carpet For Areas Inside Your Home
Carpets are one of the best materials for absorbing sound. Although more homeowners are going for vinyl flooring throughout their homes for ease of cleaning and to cut down on allergens: nothing beats carpet when it comes to sound absorption.
Simply adding carpet to areas like bedrooms can lower the volume enough to make it far more comfortable for sleep and relaxation. It also buffers whatever noises come out of these rooms, stopping the entire home from hearing you snore.
Every Property Can Get Quieter!
Whether this is a brand new property, and you can’t get used to the loud highway noises, or you’ve owned it for years, and you’re just fed up with all of the sound leaking in: you can mute your home in no time. Consider some of these tips to make a huge difference in your home!
