Wherever you live it seems there’s always some level of noise to cope with – planes, traffic and neighbours are but a few. For most of us we’re able to deal with this everyday background noise and to an extent become immune to it, however, for some people it can be as bad as to affect their health.
According to the Telegraph, there are a number of health problems that have been associated with high levels of noise pollution, including increased blood pressure, poor mental health and strokes.
If you’re in a situation where noise levels in your home, either internally or externally, have become unbearable, there are many measures that you can take to reduce them.
Ways to Soundproof Your Home
One of the most common ways that homeowners reduce the effect of external noise levels is by fitting double glazing. There are two main types, standard and secondary. Secondary double glazing is where a separate internal window is fitted on the room side of your current windows. It has additional soundproofing benefits over standard double glazing as the space between the windows is much larger, so it absorbs more sound. You can also opt for having different thicknesses of glass which will further help reduce noise. Of course, double glazing has other benefits too, such as making your home more energy efficient.
If your noise problem is coming from above or below you, try a floating floor. Essentially these are floorboards with a foam backing and coupled with adding additional insulation between your floor joists, can help to reduce noise from a downstairs neighbour or an upstairs teenager.
In some older and newer homes, noise problems can be caused by the internal walls of your house being too thin, in which case adding an extra stud wall against the existing wall will help.
There are also new products coming to market all the time that can also help, such as noise cancelling curtains and even fence panels.
You may not of thought to check right at the top of your house as older houses can get trouble with their roof. Over time holes may start to appear and work may need to be done to repair or replace it. When it comes to your safety and expertise in this field it is always best to consult with a Gloucester Roofer and one link available is gloucester-roofer.co.uk/.
Quiet Mark
If you are buying products to help with noise reduction it’s worth looking out for the Quiet Mark. This award programme is associated with the UK Noise Abatement Society and uses scientific processes and testing to identify the quietest products in a category that still perform to a high standard.