Watch the video on Acoustic Wall Insulation.
Even if they don't realize it, one expectation a new homeowner has is that they'll no longer be kept awake all night listening to the person in the next room snore, or suffer through the latest hip-hop classic their teenager just can't get enough of. But unfortunately, unless special care is taken by the builder, the complaint of "paper thin walls" could be heard loud and clear from the new homeowner.
Sound travels in waves and flows much like water or air. Any hole or opening that could let a draft in will let noise in. As new homes are built with larger, more open kitchens and living spaces, there's a greater chance that the noise level within the house will increase.
Installing sound-dampening acoustic batt insulation into the home's interior walls during construction is the best practice for reducing noise traveling from room to room.
While installation of acoustic batt insulation is pretty much identical to standard batt insulation installation, here are a few tips to consider:
- Be sure that the insulation fits snugly into place, and that it fills the wall cavity. Gaps or holes will easily allow sound to flow through.
- Staple the insulation to the inside of the wall framing using the kraft flanges.
- Use a utility knife to carefully cut the insulation to fit around electrical boxes, pipes, and other obstructions.
- Take extra care to make sure the acoustic insulation is kept dry during shipping and storage.
To reduce noise that travels from room to room, using acoustic batt insulation is a great place to start. You can also reduce noise in the house by installing thicker carpet and padding, choosing quieter home appliances, and by placing telephones on interior walls. To learn more about sound insulation within the home, check out the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) Website.
The Sounds of Silence
Partitions like walls or floors are rated on how well they reduce sound or noise levels using a scale known as the Sound Transmission Class (STC). The better the material and the more the noise dampened, the higher the rating.
The rating directly reflects the number of decibels (dB) a partition reduces. Normal conversation is about 60 dB. A standard interior wall with 3/8" gypsum board has an STC of about 35. This means if someone were speaking at normal level in the next room, you would hear about 25 dB of noise, or just over a whisper. (To read the full study of STC ratings for interior and exterior partitions produced by HUD, follow this link: http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/energyenviron/environment/resources/guidebooks/noise/chap4supplement.doc)
It's possible to increase the STC of interior walls up to over 60 by installing a double-layer of 5/8" gypsum, using at least 2"x6" studs and adding 6 inches of acoustic batt insulation. While this will pretty much eliminate the chance of being able to hear someone speaking in the next room, this approach is normally beyond the scope of conventional interior wall construction and will require careful planning.
For homeowners who wish to create home recording studios, or "absolute silent" zones, a complete redesign of the space will be needed. By using a combination of pre-fabricated wall inserts, sound dampening panels, and specially designed and installed window units, it is possible to create a room in the home where sound can not enter, nor escape. Earplugs are also an option.
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