Soundproofing Mistakes You Don"t Want to Make
The decision to soundproof your home, apartment, condo, office, or personal space isn't always easy. There's a bit of work involved and if the sound problems you are having aren't severe you may be questioning whether or not taking the time to soundproof is worth the effort. Fortunately, with the right techniques and soundproofing materials you'll quickly find that a simple sound control job will significantly enhance the quality of your life.
Sadly, there's a lot of misinformation on the web when it comes to soundproofing. You'll find terrible tips, bad advice, and advertisements for subpar materials. Here are a few soundproofing mistakes you'll want to avoid if you want to achieve the best results.
Hiring a Consultant
You really don't need a soundproofing consultant to tell you that you have a noise problem. You do already recognize the situation, don't you? The only time you should hire a sound consultant is if you are attempting to create a professional sound or music studio. Otherwise, you're just going to waste your time and money on someone who is going to inspect your home (in manners you could learn to do yourself) and tell you which methods to use to solve your problem. They're expensive and will not tell you anything you couldn't have figured out on your own.
Do You Really Need to Soundproof?
Before you jump to conclusions, consider where the bothersome sound is coming from. Is your neighbor's teenage son blasting his radio every night? If so, maybe you simply need to have a conversation with your neighbor - he may not even realize what is going on. If the problem isn't something you can solve in a civil manner than - yes - you should move on to consider soundproofing.
Soundproofing Myths and Bad Advice
While it's always a great idea to get some advice from those around you who have done similar projects, you'll need to learn how to sort through the good advice and the bad. If it doesn't make sense, it's probably not good advice. Therefore, you should NOT nail mattresses to your walls, nail carpets to your walls, pump your walls with cellulose, paint your walls black, or do anything else that doesn't involve the use of proper soundproofing materials.
Involving the Police
It may seem like a great idea to simply call the police when your neighbors get rowdy but is that really the right solution? The police are going to come out, investigate your complain, and make your neighbors angry (and probably louder). You're better off simply soundproofing your home than you are making enemies with your neighbors.
Choosing a Random Soundproofing Technique
Don't choose a soundproofing technique at random and don't choose the first one you look at. You'll need to identify the source of your noise problem before you can choose a technique or materials. You may need Green Glue, acoustical caulk, gasket tape, or any number of special soundproofing materials.
The best way to complete a great soundproofing project is to take some time to do some research, learn about soundproofing, and then buy the best materials available. You won't regret taking your time to get the job done right!
Sadly, there's a lot of misinformation on the web when it comes to soundproofing. You'll find terrible tips, bad advice, and advertisements for subpar materials. Here are a few soundproofing mistakes you'll want to avoid if you want to achieve the best results.
Hiring a Consultant
You really don't need a soundproofing consultant to tell you that you have a noise problem. You do already recognize the situation, don't you? The only time you should hire a sound consultant is if you are attempting to create a professional sound or music studio. Otherwise, you're just going to waste your time and money on someone who is going to inspect your home (in manners you could learn to do yourself) and tell you which methods to use to solve your problem. They're expensive and will not tell you anything you couldn't have figured out on your own.
Do You Really Need to Soundproof?
Before you jump to conclusions, consider where the bothersome sound is coming from. Is your neighbor's teenage son blasting his radio every night? If so, maybe you simply need to have a conversation with your neighbor - he may not even realize what is going on. If the problem isn't something you can solve in a civil manner than - yes - you should move on to consider soundproofing.
Soundproofing Myths and Bad Advice
While it's always a great idea to get some advice from those around you who have done similar projects, you'll need to learn how to sort through the good advice and the bad. If it doesn't make sense, it's probably not good advice. Therefore, you should NOT nail mattresses to your walls, nail carpets to your walls, pump your walls with cellulose, paint your walls black, or do anything else that doesn't involve the use of proper soundproofing materials.
Involving the Police
It may seem like a great idea to simply call the police when your neighbors get rowdy but is that really the right solution? The police are going to come out, investigate your complain, and make your neighbors angry (and probably louder). You're better off simply soundproofing your home than you are making enemies with your neighbors.
Choosing a Random Soundproofing Technique
Don't choose a soundproofing technique at random and don't choose the first one you look at. You'll need to identify the source of your noise problem before you can choose a technique or materials. You may need Green Glue, acoustical caulk, gasket tape, or any number of special soundproofing materials.
The best way to complete a great soundproofing project is to take some time to do some research, learn about soundproofing, and then buy the best materials available. You won't regret taking your time to get the job done right!