Noise is ever present, some pleasant and some unpleasant. A lack of it can be peaceful and calming but that can be quickly disrupted by a noisy neighbour, a passing car outside or noise from upstairs.
The effects of noise do more than just disrupt your peace and quiet. It has far more serious health effects especially in regards to sleep. An abrupt noise can cause you to wake up and experience restlessness the next day.
Below are 3 ways you can optimise your environment to reduce the noise and improve sleep quality.
Soundproofing your wall
Adding more layers of drywall to the wall where the noise emanates from can reduce the noise. This is because the noise has to travel through more layers of material. This is the most straightforward and simple fix to apply. Ensuring that you leave no gaps when applying the caulk or sealant will ensure that you avoid ‘noise leakage’.
Insulation is commonly used to increase the energy efficiency of a home by trapping more heat. It provides another lesser known benefit which is sound insulation. This is great if you are thinking about renovating your home and would like to make your home warmer and quieter.
Soundproofing an apartment
For those living in an apartment, noise can often come from neighbours living upstairs. If you are renting, applying drywall may void your tenancy agreement.
Whilst it may seem like there isn’t much you can do, there is, however, products that can help such as soundproof blankets that can reduce the amount of noise. Soundproof blankets are a great way of insulating against noise from outside without having to redecorate your apartment by adding drywall.
Simply buy soundproof blankets that will cover the entire length where the noise is coming from and use the clips to hang them on the wall.
There is also underlay that can help with insulating noise that comes from below. Sound insulating underlayment can also prevent noise from travelling to the lower levels as well.
When purchasing or shopping for these products it may be tempting to go for the cheapest, avoid this! Usually, the cheapest products will usually deliver poor sound insulation properties because of the low-quality materials that are used.
Soundproofing windows
To block outside noise from traffic and pedestrians (useful if you live next to a busy road), here are some ways you can block the noise: block the window, double glazed windows and soundproof curtains.
If the window is in a room that you do not use the blocking of the window entirely can help with reducing the noise. A good material to use for blocking the noise is insulation panels. They can be cost-effective and offer good sound insulation. Though it is not the most appealing material to use, this can be fixed by hiding it with curtains.
Single pane windows are a poor insulator of sound and also contribute to heat loss. Double glazed or even triple glazed windows can offer much better sound insulation because of the two (or three) panes of glass that stops the noise.
If you currently have double glazed windows it would be worth checking if the seal on the window is broken or if it fogs up. The seal usually contains an inert gas such as argon and helps insulate against heat and noise. If the seal is broken it could let in more noise. Fixing this can reduce the amount of noise. If you don’t currently have double glazing in your property, you can find a local double glazing installer online and then arrange for an online window quote, so that you know the cost upfront.
One simple and straightforward way of reducing the amount of noise that comes in from outside is to use soundproof curtains. A soundproof curtain is a good way of complementing the techniques used above.
Soundproofing your home is vital for home as it can be somewhere that you can enjoy a peaceful time to relax. Without it, it can lead to stress and poor sleep as well as a negative atmosphere.
Start the journey to brightening your day with Frank Key’s wide range of DIY products from drywall to underlay to help you soundproof your home and enjoy the quiet.
You can find your nearest builders’ merchant store here.