When I moved into my apartment I the noticed the noise immediately. So did my dog. Coming from a house on a suburban street I heard noises from outside and inside the building. Outside was traffic, pedestrian crossing and people talking. Also, inside there were noises from foot steps to doors banging shut. Here are some tips on how to deal with noise in an apartment.
Internal noises in an apartment
In my own apartment and in my client’s apartments typical internal noises include, footsteps from the apartment above. The sound of loud TV and music. Dogs barking.
People talking in the hallways. Sometimes you can also hear mobile phones ringing, babies crying. In general noise is something you need to accept if you choose to live in an apartment building.
One solution for dealing with some noise is acoustic wall panels. These can be aesthetically interesting as there are many options to suit a range of options. There are also acoustic ceiling panels.
I used acoustic wall panels in a residential project I completed recently, below.
Other ways to deal with noise internally include rugs. Rugs are great for muffling sound from the apartment below and ensures your footsteps aren’t annoying for the person downstairs.
External noises in an apartment
The key to dealing with either internal or external noises in apartment buildings is in the planning, design phase.
It’s in the materials used, quality insulation in the walls and floors including double glazing the windows.
So if your apartment windows are not double glazed consider getting them retro fitted with double glazing.
Another way to reduce external noise is with curtains. Generally we see blinds in newer apartment. But actually blinds aren’t ideal window treatments for various reasons such as insulation.
That is temperature control, mostly in keeping the space warm. They’re ok in keep the space cool, if you have black out blinds. But black out blinds during the day reducing daylight. So not ideal for a number of reasons.
But curtains, even though more expensive can tick a few boxes for your apartment. From privacy, light control, temperature control and important noise control. Definitely worth the investment.
It’s also been recommended to me to consider a white noise machine. I’ve done some research and while there are a few options on the market, they seem to rate well.
White noise machines seems to actually work in reducing external noise in an apartment. So well worth doing some research. Finally, ear plugs. Now that my apartment is an Airbnb, I supply ear plugs.
A few guests have left feedback about the noise, as the apartment is on a busy street. But very few guest have actually used the ear plugs. Either way, it’s a nice touch and can be effective in reducing external sounds for a good night’s sleep.
To deal with noise in an apartment building, both internal and external sounds requires some consideration. For example, an investment in effective solutions such as double glazing and surface acoustic panels.
Cover Photo by Elyas Pasban on Unsplash
