I'm a light sleeper & have had it with loud exhaust's at 0230 in the morning, loud parties etc.
I want to go all out & get my room soundproofed to a high standard (solid core door, triple glazed window, thick sound proof curtains, acoustic insulation, sound proof GIB etc.
Has anyone had any experience with this? My house has a slab base & wood frame built in 2016. Would $10,000 be enough to cover it? I think I'd need to buy a ducted heatpump (not included in budget) to get fresh airflow into what would be basically an air tight room.
Thanks
oh_hunnihunni,
Jan 13, 8:46am
Wouldn't earplugs be cheaper?
trade4us2,
Jan 13, 8:56am
I found that most noise came in through my window. Someone threw away lots of triple polycarbonate sheeting, so I have put that over the windows in three rooms. I do sleep better. I have a 75mm pipe through my wall with mesh on the outside to stop insects. I have a fan but I almost never need it. Air comes in quite well by itself.
steve198,
Jan 13, 9:00am
I sleep with them often but they are no match for a heavy bass party from the neighbor & also they can get uncomfortable to wear.
The plan for me would be to just go all out with it to guarantee a good result (even if it meant my room would be smaller) for example if the norm is two layers of soundproof GIB I'd go for three.
What a panic room is to intruders I'd want my room to be the sound equivalent from a$$hole neighbours.
gabbysnana,
Jan 13, 9:06am
yes I did this. Noise comes via air, so anywhere air can move in your room noise gets in. I Did this for the bedrooms of my house, cost $25k. I removed the exterior sheathing of the house and started there. If your rooms are large you acoustically rail the gib. If not you take the room/ ceilings back to the studs, noise Batts all walls, double 13mil noise line gib walls and ceilings, gib is staggered. Baffle the ceiling space over the bedroom. Deal with noise that can come via light switches or 3 pins on exterior walls. Fill the weep holes in the aluminium joinery. we got silence, never knew if it rained, been a storm or the like. But all the noise proofing in the world can't get rid of the doof doof bass, but it reduced it down to less than 25%. I understand that railing the gib walls can get the bass lower, bass being a vibration rather than a straight out noise. As an example there was a party that turned into a riot, that turned into full on police, fire etc across the road, we never heard a thing. Researching noise reduction/ abatement is will worth it before spending dollars.
shanreagh,
Jan 13, 9:09am
Move bedroom to a quieter part of house. Try sleeping for a few nights in a different bedroom as sometimes being woken or waking can get to be a habit and you need to switch back to a normal sleep pattern
Go to Dr and see if this is something that Sleep Services can look at. They may have better designed ear plugs.
I have heard that playing white noise can help get to sleep and stay asleep.
Then if none of these options work would start with the thick curtains. Then I would go outside and check the boundary fencing. Make sure there is not a solid wall. Leave gaps between the palings. Plant shrubs near the boundary. Landscape architects can advise on the best plants to baffle noise.
apollo11,
Jan 13, 9:29am
I had a similar issue, neighbours partying and yahooing into the early hours, three or four times a week. Don't laugh at me but the best thing I found was blue tack stuffed in my ear holes. It doesn't put pressure on the inside of your ear like ear buds do. It kept me from losing my mind until I could buy a house with no neighbours for 100 meters.
steve198,
Jan 13, 10:07am
I love my house it suits me perfectly, external noise is the only thing that is a thorn in my side however pretty normal for a residential subdivision. I only have around 3 years left on mortgage, eager to pay it off asap. I will try & hold out till then to soundproof my room. I'm in my 30's now & it wouldn't surprise me if I live here for another 20 years at least so soundproofing room will be a great investment.
wine-o-clock,
Jan 13, 10:10am
they dont eliminate noise totally
oh_hunnihunni,
Jan 13, 10:14am
The only ones I have ever used were American, soft foam, very comfortable, and cut out all the noise from a very busy New York Fifth Avenue.
But hey, if the OP wants to build themself a soundproofed panic room, and has the money, why not.
I'd rather fritter it away on wine. And chocolate. And designer shoes. And plants. And.
❤❤❤
steve198,
Jan 13, 10:22am
I've considered these things & in fact during the day if there is irritating external noise I will play white noise Youtube videos with headphones on while I'm using my laptop.
Thing is these measure's are like driving on a space saver tyre, it helps the problem but is not a long term solution. I see my only option being to hardcore soundproof my room. Moving house (within my city) won't solve the issue because I'll be moving away from one loud knob neighbour to another, they are a dime a dozen. People are obsessed with loud music & loud exhaust cars.
steve198,
Jan 13, 10:38am
What you describe & the process you followed matches up to the research I've done. I gather the aim is to make the room like a fish tank so you could fill it with water (metaphorically speaking) & the room hold that water. It's like the room needs all the best sound proofing materials but also everything sealed up to not allow any leaks in.
Hopefully the end result for me would be the bass is eliminated from entering my room for an average neighbour party but I'd have to accept I'll notice the bass if the party is particularly intense.
gusthe1,
Jan 13, 10:41am
I live not far from a go kart track and a motorway. My house has double glazed windows. The noise doesnt bother me but I have noticed there is a huge difference between when the patio door is open and when its closed. Open-go kart and road noise, Closed-silence. The house is brick which probably helps but I would recommend triple glazing for noise control and the obvious warmth.
I have several fish tanks. I wouldn't want to live in any of them.
But then, I live in a very calm, peaceful place, in this loud city. So quiet here, noise gets noticed fast!
steve198,
Jan 13, 11:58am
You are not wrong. In NZ you can be lying awake with your alarm due to go off in 4 hours for work & your house shaking & vibrating from a neighbours music & there is nothing you can do about it.
"Call noise control" they say pffft yea right that's effective. "Go over & speak to your neighbour about it" they say. you've got to be having a laugh, I don't fancy being told to fcuk off by a group of drunk people at best or taken to hospital in a coma from being knocked out at worst.
steve198,
Jan 13, 12:10pm
Don't get too comfortable. I would have said the same thing about the first two years of living at my house, you could hear a pin drop 24/7 but it only takes a house nearby to sell or new tenants for everything to change in an instant.
Thing is unless you plan to take measures like me or live in the middle of no where annoying neighbours are all over the city from the poorest to the wealthiest suburbs.
rpvr,
Jan 13, 1:29pm
I am similarly affected by noise, and in your situation would probably do the same thing. Problem is, having spent so much money, I would be inclined to get my own back. Like setting up a bluetooth speaker outside and pointed at the neighbors' bedroom, set to start up in the early hours when they have finished their own noisemaking. You would be protected from it yourself in your own little sanctuary. And you could make it interesting by varying the program. hymns at 4am Sunday mornings, for instance.
steve198,
Jan 13, 1:53pm
I could have a lot of fun getting pay back but my conscious wouldn't allow for the collateral damage, my neighbour on one side & the ones at the back are fantastic & don't deserve to be dragged into sound wave warfare.
gunna-1,
Jan 13, 1:58pm
10pm noise curfews need to be enforced with an iron fist, massive fines from councils no exception, when you have your teeth rattled out at 4am by sub woofers, and someones briggs and Stratton engine chopping wood on a sawhorse during council noise hours is investigated something is of.
gunna-1,
Jan 13, 2:00pm
For noise like sub woofers that are a few houses down i find some radio static blocks it out enough to go to sleep, but probably not if it is next door.
oh_hunnihunni,
Jan 13, 4:51pm
I am very lucky. My unit has a solid brick wall between me and my two other property neighbours, both owners, both relatively quiet types, it backs on to a heavily treed reserve, and my other neighbours are like me decrepit oldies whose loudest moments consist of sneezing, snoring, or the odd break out of 70s heavy metal.
Blessed, deeply blessed.
apollo11,
Jan 13, 5:14pm
I don't think you are allowed to use silencer batts on external walls, they are too moisture absorbent. You might want to double layer your gib on walls and ceiling, and if you aren't on a concrete slab you might need to consider the floor too. It's a shame you can't Maxwell Smart a cone of silence.
tweake,
Jan 13, 6:46pm
if there is water in the walls that can be absorbed by anything, then something has gone massively wrong with the wall. what insulation you have won't change that.
tweake,
Jan 13, 6:52pm
fortunately your never ever going to get it air tight as a fish tank.
if your not going to remove cladding i recommend using a smart barrier house wrap before installing the gib. this helps with controlling moisture and of course use it to air seal. the tricky bits is things like electrical flush boxes and ceiling/floor joins.
the room should have its ventilation supply (like any normal room) but unlike most it will need a return vent.
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