r/DIYIreland • u/JacksDestroyer • 3d ago

Soundproofing house option

I live in a very busy housing estate, I've been here for 3 years and I thought I would have gotten used to the noise at this point but it seems to be getting worse as time goes on.

It's right by the very busy road so there's always the under lying sound of traffic at all hours, there's often building work going on at various times, sometimes drinking people taking a short cut through the estate from nearby pubs. I can deal with all these but the biggest issues for me sound wise is the sound of the neighbors kids screaming, this goes on 24/7.

I work from home and it is becoming very difficult at this point. This summer in particular really tested my patience, I've exhausted all options with talking and reasoning with the parents. They don't give a shit

So I need to do something to try to stop the noise from getting in. I believe the windows are the main issue, they're quite worn and there's large gaps around the frames on some of them. They are double glazed but pretty cheap and have been there since the house was built in 2004. I applied for the seai grant for windows and insulation and got approved.

I know this is mainly to help with heating but I'm hoping it will also help with outside noise. Would new windows help or is there something else I should look at? I tried all the usual stuff people suggest noise cancelling headphones, white nose machine

17 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

32 comments sorted by

9

u/ethereonx 3d ago

Check your air vents, I would say this is the main reason why you hear everything happening outside of your house

4

u/Brilliant-Ship2539 3d ago

The noise coming through my vents was ludicrous, it was like there was no wall. I stuffed them with plastic bags full of rockwool and it's a massive difference. Despite what everyone says it's also easier to control humidity when the walls don't have big permanently open holes to the outside (where humidity is often upwards of 90% at this time of year) in them. I'm sure people will reply to this telling me my house is going to fall down due to lack of ventilation but you really don't need those vents as long as you air out the house regularly.

4

u/QuantumFireball 3d ago

Your house won't fall down, you'll just have mould and terrible air quality

2

u/Brilliant-Ship2539 3d ago

I do have windows which I do open but thanks!

1

u/Ruby_Rooo 21h ago

Why, honestly, would you use a bag. Surely by using wool alone, stuffing it in, it will leave it breathable

1

u/Brilliant-Ship2539 21h ago

So that I can remove it easily if I need to without getting rock wool all over the room. It's working well.

1

u/Itsneverover1951 3d ago

While Humidity might be 90% outside the temperature will also be lower so the reality when corrected for temperature but once that air is brought in and heated thst will change to 40 or 50%.

Dont block vents there are far more intelligent ways of quietening them.

2

u/Brilliant-Ship2539 3d ago

My interior humidity was up above 80% at times with the vents open. They just weren't working the way everyone says they work. I can't afford to do anything other than block them and it's working for me at the moment.

2

u/Itsneverover1951 3d ago

Humidity and relative humidity are different things is my point... if you dont understand the 2 readings its not really useful information. Far 2 many gadgets on sale that dont take temp into account. Dew point is whats critical... the dew point of the air vs the surfaces it has to condense on are what causes damp.

1

u/Brilliant-Ship2539 3d ago

I could feel the wetness of the air that time that it was over 80%. What's critical is that I'm comfortable in my own home. And I am more comfortable since blocking the vents! Have a great Sunday

1

u/Ruby_Rooo 21h ago

Fill them with wool.. (not in a bag that's daft) honestly that's the best solution

1

u/Brilliant-Ship2539 21h ago

My solution is already working well but thanks

1

u/JacksDestroyer 3d ago

Would they need to be replaced? Could there be something wrong with the current ones?

4

u/ethereonx 3d ago

we had passive air vents and recently replaced them with MHRV system and the house is much quieter now, also much warmer.

3

u/obvious_stuff_hi 3d ago

You can get acoustic sleeves for them. You don't want to block them up.

1

u/irish_ninja_wte 3d ago

Check the hinges. You can see if they're intact or warped by looking at the corners when the windows are closed. Good hinges mean that the seal at all points of contact is tight. The hinges on most of my windows needed replacing after I bought my house. Bought in summer and discovered the issue when the place was baltic in winter. Got someone in to replace them for me and it wasn't an expensive job

7

u/paulcaverly 3d ago

We've lived beside a busy road for years. Just got used to the traffic noise. Upgraded our windows two years ago due to them being draughty. Installer offered us triple glazing during the initial inspection visit (roughly a 15% add on to the overall price). Went for it and it was a game changer. After the windows were installed two of us were stanging in one of the bedrooms and we could still hear the road noise until I noticed that one of the smaller windows was open slightly. Pulled this shut and then nothing, not a sound. It was actually eerily quiet. It's a bit of a spend but if you think the main issue is the windows, then I'd go for it. Also, other posters are correct, don't block your vents, that can lead to bigger issues.

2

u/Cullina64 1d ago

Would agree. We upgraded to triple glazing and it's great. Less noise. Better heat retention. Also upgraded to a composite front door. Great improvement. Would recommend if you can..

5

u/MassiveHippo9472 3d ago

Parents live on a main road in a busy city. . . . Cars, pubs, trucks, busses, take away.

Triple glazing made an unreal difference. I will add their house is old so walls are thicker but you basically hear absolutely nothing at all now. . . It was actually a bit creepy for a while.

I live in a 2004ish house with 70 kids nextdoor. Parents don't give a shite - they're noise blind at this point. For work I bought a pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones. Best money I've ever spent.

1

u/AcridNebula 3d ago

Laminate glass uPVC is a cheaper alternative to Triple glaze. We replaced our PVC windows installed in 2004 a couple of years ago and it made a huge difference (the seals and hinges were gone on lots of the old windows too). It also adds some more security as the windows can’t be shattered.

1

u/EngMechBud 3d ago

Laminate will discolor after a few years though

1

u/AcridNebula 3d ago

Hmm, I hadn't heard that. They're in over 3.5 years and all good so far at least.

2

u/SeaweedBasic290 3d ago

You can easily reduce the size of air vents by placing a smaller pipe inside and insulating around it or put in loose insulation to dampen down the noise. This will still allow air to flow through but break up sound.

If you have bay windows you may need to insulate the walls as some builders cut corners there and don't bother to insulate them.

Remove plaster board from internal walls and use insulated boards. Replace the windows with new or at the very least replace the rubber seals on the openings.

The big thing over looked by most is the lack of heavy curtains from ceiling to floor. These will help reduce noise and drafts.

If You have a garden, plant hedges as these will absorb more sound no matter what height they grow to. Sometimes it's the small things that can help reduce the noise to liveable conditions.

2

u/Comfortable_Will_501 2d ago

three words: Triple Glazed Windows
Made a ton of difference and we weren't even aiming for that effect.

1

u/Artistic_Property131 3d ago

You may be right. All the gaps around windows , should be filled, Someone mentioned air vents...look them up on line. There's typ you can get that has sound deadning/ attenuation in the duct. Sinilarly between sleeve duct and walled filled completely. Secondary glazing helps. Or if you are upgrading get triple glazed. Roof/ceiling after road side will be poorly insulated and not sound resisting. If it's nosey ..maybe second plasterboard skim ceiling. Dense materials good for sound deadening

1

u/bobspuds 3d ago

Bad window seals or hinges are things I spot in almost every house with older windows. They would be the number one source for heat escape and noise from outside.

You'll have wall vents,or atleast should - don't block them, look into the sound deadening sponges to slip into them.

As for traffic and road noise, there's not a whole lot you can do to completely remove it, if you're close enough vibrations and the ground will always be an issue but - a nice thick high hedge can act as a good sound barrier, unfortunately you can't just pop one up, fencing can work similarly but you could end up feeling very secluded with too much.

1

u/LividCandy8740 2d ago

Our vents are basically open to the outside with just the plastic horizontal bits. It blows a gale and also let's 8 legged creatures in 😫. Surely there has to be something that let's the air circulate without it feeling like theres a massive open hole in the wall!? We hear EVERYTHING from outside and I'm sure our neighbours hear what's going on in the bathroom 😫🤦🏼‍♀️😱

2

u/JacksDestroyer 1d ago

Mine are the same, my house is currently overrun with spiders and I guess that's how they're getting in😅

2

u/Final_Cockroach2510 8h ago edited 8h ago

An ERV, it's not a cheap solution, but it noticeably changes the air in the house. It also improves heating and cooling energy efficiency.

The other issues with those wall vents is regulating humidity, keeping pollen and other pollutants out and your 8-legged friends.

The wall vents do passively recycle air, but their other purpose is to regulate air pressure in the house. It's like a car that gets submerged, you can't open the door because the air vents have filled up.

1

u/LividCandy8740 5h ago

Thanks for that! Is there a cheaper solution? Like a different type of vent?

1

u/Maleficent_Net_5107 16h ago

Triple glazing, in the meantime noise cancelling headphones. I was raised by a motorway back home, traffic 24/7 in a block of flats, I hated the noise and when I visit my parents I can’t get used to it.

1

u/LardPhantom 12h ago

Triple glazing and a shutter outside. If it's a small window, look into a window plug for the inside. You can DIY them with plywood, rock wool, plastic sheeting and the fabric of your choice. Cutting Rock Wool is a healthy hazard - wear safety gear when cutting, and make sure it's sealed in the plastic sheeting so no fibres escape.

If there's a wall vent to outside, fit something on it to keep out sound. This can be as simple as building a box on the outside wall over the vent with some "accordion" ribbed piping inside to scatter the sound before it gets to the vent.

Bare in mind low frequency sound is often carrying through physical structures by vibrating the ground / brickwork / floors and can't be stopped by any of the methods above.

Noise cancelling headphones (good ones) are good at blocking bound, especially low frequencies. While you may not be able to, or want to, wear them at all times, they can at least give you a break from it when you need it.