Sound Insulation Options for Homes and Apartments

Noise pollution is an often overlooked environmental problem. Disturbance from unwanted sound can affect human health and performance, as well as disrupt wildlife. At home, sound insulation is an important consideration to rid your house of unwanted noise.

There are basically three approaches to sound control: elimination, passive absorption and barriers. Elimination is the ideal solution but not always applicable. Passive absorption and sound barriers also offer ways to reduce unwanted noise within the home.

Elimination

Elimination of noise can be applied to certain household operation sounds that are considered undesirable. HVAC systems and plumbing are often the source of rattles, knocks and other noises that can be eliminated.

With plumbing, water moving through pipes can be disturbing. For quiet pipes, let’s turn to the nation’s most respected plumbing expert, Richard Trethewey of T Bros Plumbing and This Old House. Trethewey offers the following:

Cast iron drain- pipe is worth every penny in terms of its quietness…Plastic piping, whether it's PVC or ABS, is far less expensive, easier to handle, easier to cut, and easier to join. It's also noisier, no doubt about it.

While there's no way to entirely eliminate those annoying sloshing sounds, there are a few ways to reduce them. One thing to look at is where the pipes will be routed; it's always better to go through a closet wall instead of a living room wall, if you have the choice.

You can also reduce noise transmission by insulating around the pipe with sheets of sound- absorbing foams (www.soundprooffoam.com) or with open-cell spray foam insulation (www.icynene.com). Batts of fiberglass insulation aren't dense enough to be good at soundproofing.

Another option is to mix drain materials, the way we did at the TV project in Billerica, Massachusetts. There, the drains were all plastic except for a vertical length of cast iron that ran beside the dining room wall. Tom Silva then had foam insulation sprayed all around it, just to make sure that pipe would never be heard. (from Quieting Drainpipes)

Along these same lines, efforts to stop noise can also include securing elements within walls, such as ducts. Many noises are from small sources like a loose screw or poorly sealed component. If you hear noise whenever air passes through your system, check all exposed ductwork, as well as the source, for any parts that may be easily secured.

Passive Absorption

Some materials reduce sound by absorbing the energy of the sound wave. These include certain types of insulation and foam. The most effective of these incorporate a reflective surface that keeps the sound wave bouncing around within the absorptive material.

Typical fiberglas insulation is not very effective for passive absorption but there are denser insulations that can help reduce unwanted noise. These are usually three times denser than conventional fiberglas insulation and can be used in floors, walls and ceilings. Different versions come with reflective or “acoustic” membranes. Similar products can be found for use as a carpet underlay.

Barriers

Another sound insulation solution is to stop the noise with a sound barrier. This approach is meant to reflect sound waves before they have an affect on materials and cause vibrations, noise. Barriers need to be heavy and dense in order to be effective.

Noise barriers are helpful only if they have mass and don't allow vibration to transfer to other materials. These products usually come as sound proofing mats or membranes that can be installed between walls and within floors and ceilings. These types of sound insulation can be effective if installed properly.

For more on sound insulation options, use the helpful links below.