Soundproofing A Home: Tips For Building Quiet Into New And Existing Homes

(HIT) - Many of us lead busy, hectic lives during the work week, and we often seek quiet solace in our homes on evenings and weekends. Others are working at home and need more privacy, peace and quiet to work effectively. So, how do you soundproof a home—especially if you have noisy children around? Well, there are several things you can do to shield yourself from noise.

First, consider installing acoustical insulation materials in your home. An insulation contractor can give you an estimate for blowing soundproofing insulation into your home's walls and floors to make your home quieter, especially around master bedroom suites, bathrooms and in-home offices. One common material is InsulSafe III® Fiber Glass Blown-In Insulation, which is not only good at soundproofing, but is thermally efficient as well.

Other soundproofing options include:

• Installing thick carpeting and padding throughout your home to reduce impact sound.
• Caulking around windows and using weatherstripping at the bottoms of doors.
• Replacing hollow core doors with solid wood models.
• Using thick glass, insulating glass and storm windows to help reduce sound transmission through windows.
• Selecting quiet, high-quality appliances.
• Installing telephone hook-ups, doorbells, intercoms or audio built-ins on interior walls.
• Caulking holes made by wiring, which penetrate connecting structures, with elastic nonhardening caulk or dry packing.
• Sealing openings around ceiling fixtures.
• Adding decorative, sound deadening materials like styrofoam, cork board or tapestries to walls.

If you're planning a major renovation or an addition to your home, this is also the perfect time to consider an interior soundproofing program like CertainTeed's Quiet Home Package, which remodeling contractors can build into that addition.

CertainTeed’s Quite Home Package is a soundproofing insulation system using standard fiber glass insulation, extra drywall and resilient channels designed to help isolate areas for greater peace and quiet. The soundproofing insulation system can be built into the wall as part of the addition or renovation.

Soundproofing A New Home With Insulation

The decision to build a home requires important planning with your builder to ensure that the home—most likely your largest investment ever—is constructed exactly the way you want it, with all of today's modern "extras." For instance, if you work at home, as more and more people are today, a quiet atmosphere for your in-home office becomes a top priority so soundproofing is something you'll want to speak with your builder about.

One of the most economical ways to accomplish soundproofing is with basic home insulation. It can be relatively simple and inexpensive, and can add greatly to the comfort and the value of your home.

How Soundproofing With Insulation Works

Soundproofing insulation materials placed in the walls and ceilings of a home provide a barrier to sound from the outside and from room to room. Some materials, like lead, are excellent sound absorbers but aren't practical for wrapping rooms. Other alternatives exist, but experts say fiber glass insulation is best because it absorbs sound and is very inexpensive.

When most people think about insulation, they think about insulating the exterior walls. This is important for controlling sound from the outside. But ask your builder to insulate the interior walls as well with CertainTeed Fiber Glass Insulation. This will help reduce noise between rooms inside. Ceilings and floors are also vital areas to reduce noise from overhead or below.

For added sound control, ask your builder to insulate your heating and air conditioning ducts. If you have metal ducts, have them lined with fiber glass insulation, or consider a high-efficiency system made from rigid fiber glass duct board.

To find a qualified soundproofing insulation contractor, look in your local Yellow Pages, call the local contractor's association, or visit the CertainTeed website at www.CertainTeed.com.

Courtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center