Picture this: You get home from a busy day at work, you’re tired, and all you want to do is get some rest. But in the garage, your teenage son is practicing his electric guitar skills, the neighbours are having a party, and your husband or wife is watching the television with the volume all the way up.
At a time like that, you would probably trade all you can just to muffle all that noise. But you know what? You actually can. By soundproofing your walls, you can enjoy some peace and quiet and yes, save your sanity.
To tone down household noise, you are going to have to reduce plug sound leaks, reduce vibrations, and absorb sounds. Here are some things you can do to achieve those:
ADD EXTRA DRYWALL
Because sounds are basically vibrations, muting down those vibrations using heavy and dense materials can greatly help in soundproofing your home. When you hear heavy material, you instantly think of bricks and stones, and while they are great, they are quite impractical to use for retrofitting interior walls. Your easiest option is to add another layer of drywall.
Does it mean you have to add a second layer of drywall all around your house? Not at all! You can choose to isolate either the quiet room (your bedroom or home office) or the noisy room (your kid’s room, where he can practice playing his instruments). A refinish and repaint would be needed for the new drywall, and you’d probably have to extend the switch boxes and outlets, too.
PLUG SOUND LEAKS
Like how water leaks through any opening available, no matter how big or small, sound can also get through cracks and gaps. You can stop sound from leaking by plugging holes and gaps around door casing, ceiling fixtures, switch boxes, and receptacle boxes using acoustical caulk.
ABSORB SOUND WITH ACOUSTIC PANELS
Acoustic panels can absorb sound even before it bounces off walls and ceiling. Not only can they improve sound inside a room (whether it’s instrument or home theatre playing), but it can also reduce the transmission of sound through walls.
INSTALL GOOD WINDOWS
Technological innovations have allowed us to see a vast improvement in the kind of windows we have available at present. And gladly, those innovations have included noise reduction. George Kent’s laminated glass used for our windows has ratings that are 20% better when it comes to reducing noise. They can greatly help tone down the sounds coming from outside the house like honking cars and noisy neighbours.
Soundproofing is a great home improvement to take on, especially if you value peace and quiet in your house. So try these tips and enjoy your after work hours relaxing in your home!
