Sounds like a Home Reno Project: Soundproofing Your Home

Living in a soundproof home is well worth a little time and effort as homeowner. Do a little research and diversify your DIY skills to dampen the sounds both inside and outside of your home. It’s amazing when you’re in control of the amount of sound you experience and when you do it. You can enjoy visitors or listen to music late into the night without disturbing your neighbors. One of life’s best luxuries is being able to sleep undisturbed through the noisiest of storms. Noise pollution can hinder your life in ways you never realized. Knowing a little about how sound passes through surfaces will help you make beautiful, meaningful changes to your home that absorb sound waves, making you a calmer, happier person.

Soundproofing is a huge part of making your home family friendly

Your home is your castle. Your safe space. Adding things like acoustic treatments, soundproof doors, soundproof walls, and specifically chosen decor delivers another level of privacy, letting you and your family feel fully comfortable. The kids can play and the parents can watch a movie, all without disturbing one another. You can have friends and family over without shouting and straining to hear. Space creates a great buffer, but when you run short on it, you need to consider the alternatives. Sound reduction for your home is a great option. Even simple soundproofing materials like foam gaskets for your outlets will add sound-absorbing, soft surfaces that fill gaps.

Method 1 — Use your decor creatively!

Decorating your home can serve a much more valuable purpose than simply presenting a pretty place for you to live. It can improve the flow of energy, bring a sense of calm to your busy day, and it can be used for sound insulation. The more items sound waves have to pass through, the less likely they will. Not only will softer materials absorb sound waves and prevent inside sounds from becoming amplified, but they will also add levels of texture which provide a richer detail to your decor. If you prefer simplicity in your home design, affordable fabric acoustic panels look great and don’t require a full home renovation to achieve fantastic results.

Method 2 — Soundproof your doors and seals

Anything that is capable of leaking air and water is capable of leaking sound. In fact, sealing cracks and gaps is one of the best ways of reducing noise pollution in your home. Old door jambs and windows are classic culprits when it comes to unwanted sound transmission. Many doors are hollow, and many of them have gaps and cracks between the door and the frame. An easy sweep of green glue along the bottom of the door helps. Spend the money on solid exterior doors, and be sure to seal any gaps in the frame. Also, solid interior doors can keep sound from the bedroom of a light sleeper or from escaping a home theater. The noise reduction capabilities of a double door set up is remarkable.

Method 3 — Windows can be just as bad as doors

Like doors, windows can leak like a sieve. If your house has newer windows, chances are they were made to keep the elements out, and therefore will probably block some sound transmission. You can add window inserts for an affordable way to block more sound, if needed. If your windows are older, they might simply be slats of low-density wood and thin panes of glass. If you can feel a draft, you are probably allowing sound to pass through as well. If you think it may be time to replace your old windows, you may want to consider soundproof or acoustical windows.

Method 4 — Are your walls paper thin?

We’ve all been places with thin walls. It’s amazing how much sound passes through them. If you don’t want to listen to your neighbors argue, do something about it! Decorating exterior walls with heavy furniture and art can go a long way toward keeping unwanted waves out. If you don’t have anything heavy or dense to put along the wall, anything will add some level of insulation. This is another good reason to add acoustic panels to your home. Of course, existing walls in your real estate may or may not have been made with dense materials — the important thing to assess is the quality of your walls and starting to mitigate noise pollution due to thin/thick walls one way or the other.

DIY? D-I-Try.

With all the simple things you can do to bring a little quiet to your day, there’s no reason not to give a few of them a try. Make sure to seal any gaps or cracks. If you live in the middle of a hectic city, find affordable acoustic panels and install them on your walls. It’s a home reno that you’ll feel really good about, even if you can’t put your finger on the reason why. The quiet space you’ve created will allow you to focus more clearly on the things that matter to you, and be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.