By Bob Gatton
In a home, when a customer asks about acoustics, or sound control, they are usually really asking about either isolating sound (sound proofing) or making a room or area sound better for music and movies.
This article will be about sound isolation. When I was at the International Builders Show in Orlando last January in Orlando Fla., as the "home theater guy" at the HGTVPro.com booth. Many people asked about flat panel television, media rooms, whole house audio, etc., but the most common question that I received was about sound proofing.
The desire for sound proofing can result from two different reasons: The home is in a noisy environment and its inhabitants want the interior to be quieter, or they want to keep the sound from one room (usually a media room, home theater or a home recording studio) from going to other parts of the house and to the neighbors. Sound proofing involves building a room within a room; the term in the industry is called "floating the room."
But before starting plans for this room within a room, ask the customers what they really want. Are they concerned about street noise or a nearby railroad track, and they want the sound level reduced? Will a band be practicing in one room of the house, and they want the sound contained within the room? What are their expectations? If they just want the sound level reduced, the cost will be a lot less than going for sound isolation. When you start the process of isolating a room, it is not just the walls, floor and ceiling. The doors, windows and HVAC will also need to be considered. The cost can quickly escalate.
If you have never done this kind of work before, how do you start the actual design? Auralex Elite has a great service where you can send them the plans, tell them your goals, and they will recommend the appropriate products and placement. Include as much detail as possible. Fax or e-mail Auralex the plans and objectives; in about a week they send you a detailed plan. If you have more questions, you can e-mail or call the acoustics expert who made the recommendations. And this service is free.
To use this service, go to www.auralexelite.com and select "Personalized Room Analysis." Take a look at the customer submissions and Auralex response examples. Give it a try! With Auralex you can add another service for your customers and not have to become an expert in another field.
If you want to know more about acoustics, go to Auralex Acoustics 101 and Auralex University. I particularly liked the audio files at Auralex University; they show the amount of sound reduction possible using different construction techniques.
Bob Gatton is a Knoxville, Tenn.-based freelance writer and consultant on home theaters and home automation.
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