How to Improve the Soundproofing of Your Home
If you have noisy neighbors, they can be extremely difficult to deal with. They may play loud music, or cause disruptions through screaming or using loud machinery early in the morning. Whatever the cause, noisy neighbors disrupt sleep patterns and are quite simply annoying! If you try to talking to your neighbors, calmly explaining your concerns, they may agree to lower the noise. If they are within legal limits, they also have the right to decline your request. If this happens to you, just be proactive and soundproof your home.
Insulated Doors and Windows
The insulation inside your doors and windows is not only a method to improve the temperature in your home. That insulation also dampens sound that passes through it. If your door is old, or your windows are not double pane, consider replacing them. The costs to do so will typically pay for themselves within a year or two of use because of increased energy savings.
Foam Strips
Weather stripping around doors and windows is another method to improve the seal around doors and windows. This improvement will also dampen sound from the outside, with the added benefit of keeping moisture out.
Replacing Flooring
If you replace your wood or stone flooring with carpeting, you’ll dampen the sound that enters your space. You can achieve a similar effect with rugs. The added padding helps to reduce how often sound waves bounce around, and that ultimately reduces echo and volume as well.
Keep Everything Closed
When you’re dealing with noisy neighbors, opening a door or window has the disadvantage of letting more sound into your space. To cut down on this problem, keep your doors and windows closed as often as possible. If you must open windows, make sure you open them parallel to each other. This will reduce the amount of windows open, while providing a cross breeze to cool the home.