Have you ever wished you lived on a remote island somewhere? A tranquil, calm, quiet place just for yourself? If so, you’re certainly not alone. Depending on where you live, whether in an urban city or in the suburbs, overpopulation remains an issue, and dealing with noise pollution has become a real responsibility.
Whether sound comes from loud neighbors, domestic animals, construction workers, or landscape workers we live in a noisy world which can affect us where we need it least—in our homes. These days, we barely even notice the sounds of everyday occurrences such as lawnmowers and nearby roads. However, this amount of external stimulation would have made our distant ancestors nervous wrecks!
Close up Your Gaps
The old advice rings just as true today as it did when you first heard it: “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.” Making your home as tight as possible is imperative to reducing the external noise in your neighborhood from invading your privacy and comfort – this means closing all possible gaps.
Starting with the obviously visible holes and cracks, grab some flexible polyurethane or latex caulk to make your walls and window gaps airtight. Even the slightest of open areas around windows will allow sound to infiltrate. If you have an issue with exposure around the openings for pipes and wires where they enter the house—if so, use expanding foam or putty to tighten up your house.
Invest in High-Quality Windows
High-quality windows are one of the most important elements for a soundproof home. Opt for models with seriously thick glass. Many noise-conscious individuals choose storm windows with sturdy frames and decent weather stripping.
Shape up Your Insulation
Not only for the sake of your heating and electricity bills, good-quality insulation in your home will significantly reduce the internal disturbance from external noise pollution. Attics and walls are usually most vulnerable to noise infiltration due to under-insulation. Meticulously installed fiberglass batt and blown-in insulation will ensure your sound pollution from the environment remains low.
Consider Your Own Noise Contribution
We sometimes can be so accustomed to tolerating a noisy environment ourselves that we become oblivious to our own contribution to noise pollution. Chris Knuffman, reciprocating business line manager at Quincy Compressor, explains how you can be efficient while keeping home improvement noise to a minimum.
“Pneumatic tools powered by compressed air help complete tough and noisy jobs faster and more efficiently than manual options,” explains Knuffman. “Robust air compressors properly sized for such tools offer quicker recovery and are quieter work site solutions, delivering lower decibels and less fatigue than misapplied models.”
External noise has more of an effect on your quality of life than you think, and taking these simple steps will surely make a considerable difference to your comfort and sense of security in your own home.
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