Your home is a place where most people usually escape after a day of stressful work and other hectic days in life. Therefore, it needs to have a serene atmosphere where you can recharge from the day. It is supposed to be the best place where you can relax, unwind, and seek refuge from the chaotic world outside. However, a lot of houses today are just as loud and agitated on the inside.
In many places in the world, single-family homes are becoming more expensive as the years pass. With this, a common solution to combat the rising home costs is to build houses on smaller lots. This means that people are packed closer together. Sometimes, even though walls and doors block out any noises from the outside, it is still difficult to should out sound when people live so close to each other.
If this is the case in your home, there are many different things that you can do to make your home seem quieter. If you want to learn more about these, read on as we’re giving you some of the best tips for making your home a more relaxing place to stay in.
Soundproofing Your Home
Sound is created from the energy that is produced by vibrating objects as they create waves in the air around them. When these occur, the sensitive membrane in the ears, which is the eardrum, detects the vibration in the air. The frequencies are then registered as different types of sound. Noise and sound are commonly used interchangeably, but they are not always the same. Noise is an unwanted sound, which includes outside noises, such as cars and neighbors, and as well as inside noises like a loud television in the next room or a child playing the drums.
Many homeowners invest in soundproofing for a lot of reasons. It is especially popular for people who work from home, musicians, and homeowners who live on busy streets. It is quite impossible to block out all noise, but strategically soundproofing some parts of your home may help.
Different Types of Noise
There are various types of noise that you may encounter at home. Here are some of the most common ones:
External Noise
External noises include house and car alarms, traffic, and leaf blowers. Most of the time, these can be solved by installing thicker windows or maybe fitting your curtains with an acoustic interlining.
Neighbors
If you live in an apartment or a terraced or semi-detached home, sound traveling through the walls can be an issue. What you can do with this is add a layer of the soundboard to shared or party walls. Built-in wardrobes in a bedroom and bookshelves can also help as long as they are filled with items to absorb the sound.
Noise in the House
Noises inside your home can come from different factors. It can be noisy kids, people, pets, and as well as appliances. With this, you need to ensure that your internal doors are solid. If you have timber floors on an upper floor, it is a good choice to have an acoustic underlay installed. You can also soundproof your utility space, especially if it is next to an open-plan family area.
If you have issues with noisy appliances, it is better to replace them with quieter options. Today, everything from washing machines to dishwashers to coffee machines has quieter versions.
Other Tips To Make Your Home Seem Quieter
In addition to installing a soundproofing system in your home, there are many other things that you can do to make your home appear quieter. Here are some of them:
Pay attention to the windows and doors in your home.
Your windows are one of the major culprits for noise leaking into the home. They are a thin barrier between the outside world and your home. If you are going to replace your windows, it is better to search for products that are designed specifically to keep noise out and keep your home calm inside. These types of windows are made with many layers of glass to keep the noise. In addition to that, these types of windows can also help you save money on energy efficiency costs.
Main doors that have large gaps under need to have commercial-grade sweeps that have thick rubber strips that can seal against the threshold. In addition to blocking outside noise, this can also help keep out bugs and dust. You also need to upgrade your interior doors if you want to break up the transmission of sound from one room to another. Solid wood doors are a perfect choice for this.
Decorate your home with sound-absorbent items.
Soundproofing does not mean spending a lot of money. Sometimes it is as simple as changing the decorations inside your house. For example, you can lay down thick and big rugs in your home, which can help eliminate some of the noise reverberations that occur on tiles and hardwood floors.
You can also use heavy curtains to block out noise from the outside or cover up interior doors to dampen the sound that enters from a hallway. In addition to that, adding built-in bookcases on interior shared walls can also help as it will absorb a lot of sounds once you fill it with books.
Try to reframe your wood walls.
If you have traditional wood-framed walls in your home, they are not that soundproof on their own. You can deconstruct or modify your existing walls to make the rooms in your home quieter. You can do this by decoupling the two sides of the wall or making double-stud walls. Aside from that, you can also fill the cavities between the studs with a superior form of insulation.
Make sure to fix any squeaky floor.
Did you know that squeaky floors at home contribute to a huge amount of noise? When you fix these, you will be able to enjoy quieter living.
Utilize the space in your home strategically.
There are times when you simply need to think strategically about how you are using the rooms in your home. If you have issues with noise, relocating rooms can help. For example, avoid setting up a home office beside a kid’s playroom or a study area connected to the living room. You need to choose rooms based on how sound travels throughout your home to lessen noise pollution.
Declutter your home.
Having a cluttered home produces physical and unconscious chaos, which can also make your home appear noisy. When you keep everything in your home tidy and organized, it will appear more peaceful and will seem quieter as it really is.
Add some plants to your home.
Homes with lots of plants inside also seem to appear more relaxing and quieter. No wonder people who are looking to destress are going to botanical gardens or hiking trails to immerse themselves in nature. Plants can also help distract you from the noises outdoors.
These are some of the different tips that we can give on how to make a home seem quieter. With these tips, the quality of life in your home can improve, giving you a more peaceful and relaxing time at home with your loved ones.