For many people, the home should be a peaceful and calm space. And according to research, your living space can impact your health. Noise, in particular, can make it difficult to enjoy your home. Is your home close to a highway, or are you living close to an industrial area? Finding ways to prevent the bothersome outside noise from entering your home will be helpful. Below are eight useful approaches for soundproofing your home to make it more peaceful.
Cover any cracks or holes
Noise can permeate even the smallest spaces, undermining your soundproofing efforts. It is best to be as comprehensive as possible when sealing gaps and cracks around your doors, windows, and walls. You can use latex caulk or flexible polyurethane. Expanding foam or putty can work great for sealing areas where wires and pipes enter your home. Some experts even recommend extreme measures such as closing off a mail slot and using a mailbox instead if you live near an airport to minimize noise levels.
Consider using heavy drapes
Although curtains may not completely block all sounds from entering your home, they significantly reduce noise by absorbing them. They are particularly useful for blocking noise from the windows, and different types of curtains are available. Movie theaters, churches, or dining halls use this technique to block outside noise and prevent indoor noise from going out. However, there are two recommendations for blocking sounds using heavy drapes. First, you want to ensure that the curtains you use are heavyweight. Second, choose plaited curtains over the flat options. Pleated curtains are thicker, meaning sounds have to travel through more fabric. These drapes also have a much larger surface area.
Keep all loudness levels in check
Electronic devices within and outside are one of the biggest sources of noise pollution in households. Despite their small size, these devices produce a lot of noise and, when used to their utmost potential, can drastically harm your ear health and general peace of mind. Therefore, unless you’re having a movie night where keeping the volume up enhances the experience, keep the volume low when using an electronic gadget to prevent noise pollution. Especially during bedtime, turn off all electrical devices to reduce noise pollution while saving energy. The easiest way to reduce the loudness from your outside machines is to close your windows. While this may prevent outside noise from entering your room, it would be of no use if you don’t check the level of loudness from inside.
Add caps to your chimney
If you have a standard fireplace with a chimney, you will likely suffer popping noise, wind noise, and infrequent rattling sounds in your home. Fortunately, you can prevent this noise by installing a chimney cap. You can also use a flueblocker or chimney balloon to prevent the noise. However, chimney balloons, in particular, might be annoying for others. Flueblockers, on the other hand, are more convenient since they are easier to install and remove. It would help if you considered cleaning your chimney since creosote build-up could be causing the popping sound. You could call your chimney professional or use a creosote buster to eliminate the dirt and noise.
Plant more trees
Because plants and trees are natural noise absorbers, having them in and around your home is a fantastic method to reduce noise from entering your home. According to studies, trees lower noise by 5 to 10 decibels, which is a lot of sounds to discard. Trees can also enhance air quality, providing long-term benefits. Aside from tree planting, you can use other easy techniques to muffle sounds that may pass through the leaves. For instance, you can use wind chimes for more peaceful sounds.
Rugs are fantastic
Filling empty areas and covering hard surfaces is a guaranteed technique to minimize noise exposure in your house. An area rug works nicely for this because they are inexpensive and easy to get. If you have a lively, bold motif in your house, you may choose a puffy tousled rug, a Persian-style rug, or a floral-patterned one. Rugs with delicate designs provide a lovely and opulent touch to your living space. Carpet tiles are an excellent alternative to area rugs in residences with multiple levels. Because of their composition, they may block sounds from floors above and below, functioning as effective soundproofing to keep noise at bay.
Consult an expert
Even with all the above useful tips, bringing in the experts is sometimes a good idea. Consulting with soundproofing specialists is always a good option if you are truly searching for a shift or are unsure of the best method. Sound can be complicated, and soundproofing must be adapted to the building and the unique noise problem. One of the best decisions you can take is to talk to an expert who understands your particular problem to provide you with the finest, most accurate solution for your specific case.
Repair or replace your windows
Replacing your windows can be costly, depending on your number of windows. However, upgrading to triple or double-paned windows with PVC frames can significantly reduce noise in your home. You can also restore your wooden frames and windows to reduce the outside noise coming inside. Soundproofing windows with thick glass, solid frames, and adequate weather stripping are the most effective. The greater the gap between the primary and storm windows, the stronger the sound insulation. Storm windows fit readily into double-hung and glider windows, whereas crank-out casement windows work best with one-piece, internal magnetic windows. You can check options like Renewal by Andersen Windows for the best cost-effective soundproofing window treatment with unmatched efficiency to suit your home interior needs.
Your home should feel like a safe haven for you and your family, and noise can get in the way. Hopefully, the tips mentioned above provide insight into how to reduce outside noise in your home. They are a great way to start creating a quieter and more peaceful home for your entire family.
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