How to Sound Proof Your House

Noise pollution is an increasing problem in our society where urban sprawl is resulting in more homes built close to one another. Sometimes we are unfortunate enough to live near airports, trains, above ground subways, and all sorts of loud things.

Our homes are the places where we develop our skills and hobbies, whether that means banging the drums in our bedroom or honing our karaoke skills in the basement. A home should also be a place where every person living in the household can find some peace and quiet when it is wanted. In an age where stereo, computer and television sound system are capable of reaching higher and higher decimals and stress levels continue to soar, sound proofing a home becomes more and more important.

There are a variety of soundproofing techniques that you can implement to your home that will reduce the noise level. You need to focus your efforts on eliminating as much noise as possible, and dampening the noise that you cannot avoid.

Seal Holes and Gaps

One of the easiest adjustments you can make is sealing holes. You can buy polyurethane, acrylic latex caulk or foam sealant to fill in the gaps. There are all kinds of foams that you can buy: convoluted and non-convoluted, faced acoustical, melamine, and closed cell acoustical. Make sure you check around everything that penetrates your walls and ceilings, like light switches and pipes.

Windows

Windows are fantastic, but a home that lets in a view also lets in a lot of sound. Reduce the amount of noise coming through the window by installing double-pane windows with acrylic frames instead of wooden frames.

Walls

Adding more drywall creates better sound barriers between rooms, and the thicker the drywall, the better. If you are remodeling your home, you have the opportunity to apply fiberglass insulation to the wall before the drywall goes up. If the walls are firmly in place, then drill holes between the wall studs and blow foam or paper insulation in. The same rule as drywall applies to insulation: the thicker, the better.

Ceilings

It may require a lot of work, but you can also reduce the sound that travels between floors by either adding carpeting and foam padding, or you can take the drywall down from your ceiling and insert fiberglass insulation. There is also soundproofing tiling available.

Roof

If your noise problem is largely the result of air traffic, try adding more layers of asphalt to create more material to block the sound.

Choose flexible furnace ducts instead of the metal ones because sound will not reverberate as clearly through them.

Carpeting is a great way to absorb noise. Also, the more furniture and the more drapes you have, the better.

If you are remodeling your home, do not design doorways across from one another in a hallway. The more the doors line up, the more air (and thus sound) can travel between them.

And finally, whenever possible, buy quieter appliances and use them as far from your bedrooms as you can.