- Mind the gaps. Fill gaps around doors and window frames, seal spaces around pipes through ceilings and floors with insulation. For outer doors use draught excluders and keyhole covers. Put putty or expanding foam around pipes and wires where they enter the house.
- Use your decor. As a rough guide, at lease 25% of a room should be good at absorbing noise. As well as cushions, heavy curtains and carpets, use decorative room dividers and upholstered screens and break up sound reflecting surfaces with shelving and bookcases. If replacinginternal doors, opt for solid rather than hollow ones.
- Buy quieter gadgets. Unfortunately the best appliances are not always the quietest, though manufacturers are starting to develop less noisy products. Look for the Quiet Mark logo (a purple Q) launched in 2012.
- Block it out. Don't underestimate the value of good wall and loft insulation. Change from single to double glazing.
- Herd of elephants living upstairs? The trend for hard floors has led to an increase in noise levels. With wooden floors, insulate between the joists. For laminate flooring, use a good-quality foam-cushioned underlay. Put rubber or felt stops on chair and table feet.
Tuesday, 6 January 2015
Soundproofing
Life just seems to get noisier and noisier. Here are some tips to cut down on noise levels.
