We live surrounded by noise, especially in the city. It is annoying and harmful to health, but can we avoid it? Improving the insulation of your house is essential to achieve this. Here are some tips to insulate your home from noise.
Natural Barriers
On balconies and terraces, lattices and plants can act as outside noise barriers. Much of the external ambient noise can be reduced in this way.
Double Glazing
To achieve maximum silence, the first rule is to install double glazing, which will also insulate the house thermally and reduce the cost of air conditioning.
In cases of extreme noise, the solution is to install a double window: one on the outside of the wall and the other on the inside. Experts in sound testing say that the greater the separation between the two windows, the greater the acoustic insulation.
It is better if the glass is thick (between 6 and 8 mm) and hinged instead of sliding because it guarantees a more hermetic closure. In terms of materials, PVC enclosures insulate better than wood and aluminium.
When The Noise Is Inside The House
At home, there are noises that seem unavoidable, but there are things you can do. For example, put felt covers on the legs of chairs and furniture. Close the doors when the extractor fan, the washing machine or the dishwasher are running. Leave space around the refrigerator and make sure that it is level (so as not to overload the operation of the compressor, causing noise), and your home will be quieter.
Sounds That Hide Noise
Background music, a fountain, etc. produce “white noise” that mitigates the sounds we have inside the house, such as those produced by electrical appliances.
Cushioning Fabrics
Fabric cushions and upholstery effectively absorb sound waves.
If The Noise Is On The Other Side Of The Wall …
You can create a double wall: use laminated drywall or cellulose fibre panels and fill the air chamber with an insulating material (go for an ecological one).
Option Without Construction Work
If you don’t want to do construction work or if the space is very small (an air chamber occupies about 10 cm), you can cover the wall with cork panels that are a minimum of 5 mm thick.
Leave them in their natural colour or paint them in the same colour as the walls. Solid wood or chip panels can also be useful insulators.
Insulate The Floor
One of the best insulators is cork. You can install it on the floor without having to cover it with any other material or finish, which will be much easier and cheaper.
If The Roof Is The Problem …
Many buildings do not have good sound insulation in the separation between floors. If this is your case, you can solve it by installing a false ceiling that adds an air chamber: you will reduce the noise that comes from above.
There are also noise-absorbing panels available in geometric shapes to create decorative ceiling compositions.
Final Thoughts
We may be used to living with noise, but it is one of the most annoying and harmful forms of pollution. Reducing the street noise is not in your power, but at home, silence is a necessity and a right.
At night, too high a level of noise can cause insomnia and stress, causing heart rhythm disturbances and irritability, among other disorders.
To avoid such issues, during the day the noise level should not exceed 50 decibels, and at night, the recommended limit is 30 decibels.
You can check the noise levels in each room of your house, at different times of the day. Then you will know if you need to take action.
