There’s hardly a need to mention what a nuisance unwanted noise can be, especially when you are trying to concentrate, studying for exams or doing something important. The problem can either be inconsiderate neighbors playing loud music or simply your own family members watching television or listening to the radio. Asking people to stop doing whatever has been causing the noise is not a good idea, and not always a fruitful one. So what to do in order to make sure that you are not disturbed by unwanted sounds when you do not want to? The most basic thing which you can do is that during building (or even after) your house; make use of construction material that naturally dampens sound. But people who live in rented accommodations or those who had not pre-planned earlier do not have this option. Instead, what can be done is to find methods to buffer noise if the walls have been built already.
The least expensive and quickest method to reduce noise is to lay carpets and hang curtains. They might not dampen the noise entirely, but offer a significant quick fix in reducing the loudness. If money or time is a concern, then this is the best option to avail. If you put the carpets and the curtains in place and are still not satisfied with the result, then you need to take the measures a notch higher. Furnish rooms with absorptive surface furniture. They absorb sound waves and dampen them, unlike smooth surfaces which reflect them and allow sound to travel back and forth. Applying acoustic spray texture or rough material to the ceiling, or using them to install a false ceiling can also go a long way in reducing noise.
Treating walls helps greatly in soundproofing a room. Manufactured paneling can be applied to walls, along with placing carpets or blankets. They block sound waves and dampen noise to a great extent. Many times, doors and windows can also be sources of unwanted sounds. A slight draft of air can pass through leaks around the frames of windows and doors, allowing sound waves to enter with it. Installing a solid door or applying weather strips over the gaps can fix the problem. Windows with double panes or vinyl frames can work for the noise from windows and the inexpensive method of hanging curtains in front of them always works, in case the sound is not too loud.
If you own the house, contact a qualified architect or contractor to assess your house’s layout. It might be so that your sound problem is basically due to gaps in the insulation or inadequate insulation, and the contractor will provide you the best solutions to reduce the sound. New insulation might not be very cheap, but getting it done can help you reduce noise. Soundproofing a room is not difficult, but you must ensure that you choose the best option of doing so, after properly considering your budget, necessity and time.
