In this blog post, we cover the topics of, “How to quiet road noise in the house?”, what is road-noise, and why we need to soundproof the house. This blog will also discuss the phenomenon of white noise and pink noise and provides a 7-step guide to quiet road noise in the house.
How to Quiet Road Noise in the House?
Following is a 7-step guide to quiet road noise in the house;
- Install Noise Walls or Acoustic Fencing
- Soundproof Walls and Ceiling
- Seal Empty Gaps and Hollow Spaces
- Insulate Doors and Windows
- Install Thicker and Heavier Doors
- Place Wooden Furniture
- Use Soundproof Carpets and Rugs
What is Road Noise?
Road noise is the pressure wave that travels from the buzzing road to your house and disrupts your peace. It is annoying, irritating, and disturbing but it is nothing more than airborne noise.
So, if you know a thing or two about soundproofing you can successfully block these sounds from entering your house. All you need is a thick-enough, high-density layer of wall, door, and roof to stop these external sounds from causing a nuisance.
From honking cars to maddening sounds of construction, road noises are arguably the most frustrating type of noise pollution. This problem gets aggravated particularly if your house is near a busy street or a freeway.
Why Do We Need to Soundproof a House?
The logic behind soundproofing is simple and you do so only for one of two reasons. Either to stop sounds from penetrating your house or to restrict sounds from escaping out of your house.
Soundproofing a house is not just about enhancing the comfort level and it’s an excellent way to increase the value of your property. Let’s talk more about the two reasons to soundproof your house.
To Reduce the Road Noise Getting Into the House
The first reason is obvious, you do soundproofing to stop the noise from getting into your house. From the disturbing noise of a busy road to the annoying sounds from your neighbors’ house, you need to soundproof your home to live in peace. The need to insulate often gets amplified if you live in a locality where noise pollution is a major concern. Homes in metropolitan areas, near freeways, and terraced houses are all the main victims of noise pollution.
So, if you desire to live in peace, you need to insulate your home with the right materials and in the right way. From walls, floorings, and ceilings to doors, windows, and air ducts, there are many ways to insulate each unique element of your home to help achieve the level of insulation you desire.
To Reduce the House Noise From Escaping the House
The first reason was obvious, yet this one is unique and applicable to only a special few. These people are the ones who care about causing little to no nuisance to their neighbors and surrounding and they do so by soundproofing their home.
Many musicians and vloggers who are passionate about their jobs, yet wholeheartedly care about the peace of the community and neighbors, insulate their homes to stop the noises from escaping out of the house.
The Phenomenon of White Noise and Pink Noise
Before we go into the ways of reducing the road noise in your house, let’s talk about something truly exceptional. To insulate your home from the disturbing road-noise, you need to insulate your walls, avoid hollow spaces, and do things we will discuss in the heading below.
However, there is one more thing you can try and that is to leverage the power of white noise and pink noise. Once you have achieved the desired level of insulation, these noises can help you transcend into a whole new place of serenity and peace.
White noise is an amalgamation of sounds of different frequencies and human ears are capable of comprehending only a defined set of frequencies at a time. The idea behind white noise is to direct our focus to static-like white noise and distract our attention from disturbing sounds of our surroundings. White noise machines are used widely in nurseries and office spaces.
Similarly, there is another thing called pink noise with an even more low frequency. This noise resembles the sound of nature and uses the same phenomenon to bring peace to our lives. These natural sounds help alleviate stress and boost our level of happiness by giving us a feeling of living in a secluded space surrounded by awe-inspiring nature.
7 Steps to Quiet Road Noise in House
To soundproof your house from the outside road-noise, you need to insulate all the possible pathways of sound. Luckily, it is possible to perfectly insulate your house with the right use of materials and techniques. Let’s explore this 7-step guide to soundproofing your house:
- Install Noise Walls or Acoustic Fencing
- Soundproof Walls and Ceiling
- Seal Empty Gaps and Hollow Spaces
- Insulate Doors and Windows
- Install Thicker and Heavier Doors
- Place Wooden Furniture
- Use Soundproof Carpets and Rugs
Install Noise Walls or Acoustic Fencing
Noise walls or acoustic fences are highly efficient in reflecting the outside noises to their source. Their soundproofing efficiency can be augmented if they are placed correctly on the pathways of sound.
It is best to build the noise walls close to the roads or source of noise perhaps within 10 meters range. Other than this, the density of the noise barrier, height, and proper insulation also play an important role.
- Density – Bricks, modular walls, and blocks are the ideal material for noise walls as they have the perfect density. While steel and timber aren’t the best as their density is inadequate to restrict the airborne road noises.
- Height – Ideally, a line of sight is a good measure to determine the best height of the noise wall. Placing a low wall will nullify its true purpose as sound waves can easily travel over the top.
- Zero Gaps – Noise is no different from water and can easily trickle through gaps, cracks, and holes. For best results, it is advisable to build a noise wall that’s solid with zero gaps and is perfectly placed on the ground.
Soundproof Walls and Ceilings
There are a couple of things you can do with your walls and ceiling to make them soundproof. You can either build them to deflect sounds or you can insulate them with the materials needed to absorb sounds. You can even use both ways in conjunction to achieve the perfect insulation. Here are five common ways to soundproof walls and ceilings;
- Install acoustic panels or tiles
- Use gypsum boards to clad the ceiling
- Use Green Glue sound damping compound
- Add an extra layer of drywall
- Use mass-loaded vinyl insulation
- Install fiberglass or plasterboards
Seal Empty Gaps and Hollow Spaces
Long windowless hallways, high ceilings, and staircases surely look amazing yet complicate the process of soundproofing. For sounds, these places are nothing but hollow spaces from where sound waves can echo and amplify with ease.
So, if you desire to achieve better sound insulation, it is best to have lower ceilings and minimal hollow spaces. You can even try to add a false-ceiling to lessen the ceiling height and make your home more insulated.
However, if you aren’t interested in lessening your ceiling heights then the only way to reduce sound echo is by adding a window or two. Windows will act as an outlet for sound waves to dissipate outside rather than diffusing indoors.
Soundproof Doors and Windows
The majority of unwanted road noise travels to your home through doors and windows. That’s why soundproofing doors and windows are pivotal if you aim to achieve better sound insulation.
Double glazing or triple glazing the windows can help you easily block the outdoor noise. However, you can also try using weatherstripping tapes and acoustic forms to insulate them.
In terms of doors, the idea is to make them thicker, heavier, and denser. So, replacing hollow-core doors with solid-core doors is what you need to do to soundproof them.
Install Thicker and Heavier Doors
As discussed above, replacing your lightweight doors and getting heavier ones can help you soundproof your home effectively. Heavy doors block sounds by using the method of mass addition. The high mass and density of solid core doors restrict waves from penetrating and ultimately make your home soundproof.
Place Wooden Furniture
Another thing you can do is use wooden furniture and place it strategically around the house. Placing wooden furniture around the walls restrict noise seepage and a shared wall is perhaps the perfect place for wooden furniture.
You can use anything from a bookshelf, sofa, and drawer to add another layer of sound barricade on your walls.
Use Soundproof Carpets and Rugs
Even little things make a big difference when soundproofing homes. Placing wool carpets and rugs to absorb sounds can help you achieve the insulation you desire. Normally, our homes are built with hardwood floorings and they are the worst in terms of soundproofing as they reverberate sounds.
Conclusion
In this blog post, we covered the topics of, “How to quiet road noise in a house?”, what is road-noise, and why we need to soundproof the house. This blog also discussed the phenomenon of white noise and pink noise and provided a 7-step guide to quiet road noise in the house.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): How to Quiet Road Noise in House?
How do I stop road noise in my house?
Insulating different elements of the house is the best way to stop road noise from entering your home. You can insulate your walls, doors, windows, and ceiling to block road noise. Adding a noise wall or fence is also an excellent way to block road noise.
How can I make my road noise quieter?
There are tricks and techniques to dampen road noise before it reaches your home. Adding noise walls, glazing windows, hanging curtains, and using heavier doors are a few common ways to quiet road noise.
How do I block traffic noise in my bedroom?
Sound deadening curtains can help you achieve the privacy and seclusion you desire. Built with multiple layers of good quality fabric, they effectively absorb sound waves. You can also try carpeting your bedroom or using rugs to achieve better sound absorption and insulation.
Can you soundproof a fence?
Yes, soundproofing a fence is possible! You can even find soundproof fences that are built as sound barriers to block road noises.
What materials can block sound?
- Fiberglass
- Acoustic Wool
- Plasterboard
- Mass Loaded Vinyl
- Acoustic Foam
- Plywood or Fireboard
References
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/carlisle-house/21015370/yard-noise-reduction
https://www.sonic-shield.com/highway-and-road-noise/
https://www.urbancompany.com/blog/interiors/how-to-make-your-home-quieter-a-guide-to-reducing-noise/
https://modularwalls.com.au/blog/blocking-road-noise/
https://www.soundproofcow.com/blocking-traffic-noise-from-busy-roads/
