Acoustic insulation for existing homes
Whether it is the outside noise of traffic, barking dogs, neighbours or the inside noise of children, music, loud appliances or the home theatre, noise certainly disturbs the peace. Acoustic insulation is an excellent way to make your home quieter, comfortable and more enjoyable.
Clever home design is the first step in controlling noise levels within a home, however there are other measures you can take to create a quieter household.
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Overview
If you live in a noisy area and external noise is causing you a problem, then it is important to consider existing windows and doors, as well as acoustic insualtion. Good quality glass and solid doors will reduce noise coming into the home. Like air, sound can travel through any gap so ensure your doors and windows are well sealed.
No matter where you live, life can be noisy.
Installing acoustic insulation in external walls and applying an acoustic plasterboard is a highly important and efficient way of protecting your home from external noise. It is difficult to alter external walls in an existing home, however it is still cost effective to replace existing walls than to move house altogether.
Keeping noise under control inside the home is important, particularly with the modern lifestyle of home theatre rooms and increasing numbers of people working from home. Don’t forget the traditional noises of children playing loudly, the irate washing machine or other clamorous sounds that occur in the home.
Using floor coverings such as carpets with an underlay will help absorb sound. It is also a good idea to think about double glazed windows as it is an effective way of blocking out noise, window coverings such as curtains will assist with sound absorption as well.
The layout and design of your home, for example secluded bedrooms, help create quiet zones. Using solid internal doors with well sealed frames will help keep noise within the room.
Acoustic insulation is a very important method for reducing noise transfer within your home.
Acoustic insulation fits within the cavity of internal walls and coupled with acoustic plasterboard is an effective method of reducing sound power by up to 75% to create a quieter living space.
Acoustic insulation may be used in certain areas of the home, for example around bedrooms or utility rooms rather than every internal wall in the house. Being specific with acoustic insulation placement is a cost effective way of reducing noise.
It is easier to include acoustic insulation at the time of construction or during a renovation, however in an existing home acoustic panels and retrofitting insulation is certainly worth consideration.
