Nothing is more frustrating than having a home filled with unnecessary and unwanted noises. They can drive a family crazy if they are continually dealing with these noises that simply won’t go away. One of the ways to deal with all those sounds is to soundproof the entire home. At the very least, soundproofing a few rooms will make a difference as well.
As easy as it might sound, it does cost money to soundproof any area. The larger the area, the more it will cost. Is soundproofing a house worth the money? Thanks to the lower cost of material and additional solutions available now, many people believe that it is.
What Makes a Home so Noisy?
One of the reasons why so many people will research how to soundproof a home is that noise levels can get out of control in a hurry. There are just so many different sources of sound out there, and each of them brings something different to the table.
Everyday noises that require soundproofing include neighbors, nearby traffic, noisy appliances in the home, shared walls, and more. With so many different things to consider, many people ultimately decide to soundproof much of if not the entire house, instead of focusing on just one area.
Properly Treating Windows, Doors, and More
Soundproofing walls is a pretty straightforward process, but the biggest culprit when it comes to unneeded sound is glass and doors. These are just not as dense as standard walls, so it is much easier for sound to escape and enter.
Different steps can help add some thickness to these areas. For doors, adding soundproofing around the door is the best way to go about it. Essentially, all you need to do is create a seal around the door by using weatherstripping around the inside of the door frame and a rubber sweep at the bottom of the door.
With glass, some solutions will add a film in between two pieces of glass to help control sound. There are different thicknesses available, depending on how much soundproofing needs doing.
Getting windows soundproof does cost a decent amount of money, but it’s essential to complete the job. (Source)
When is the Best Time to Soundproof a Home?
Ideally, people should look into soundproofing a home or specific rooms early on in the process. If it is a brand new home, focusing on soundproofing material before moving furniture in is the best way to go. All the furniture and other materials in a room need moved around anyway, so why not do it with a completely clear room?
The same goes for moving into a new location. It might be frustrating to put everything on hold for a day or two, but it makes the most sense to get it done quickly.
There will be some people who put off soundproofing until it seems like it is needed. This might work for some people, but others will start to feel hurried and overwhelmed when the time comes. When that happens, a rushed job might not yield the best results.
Is it Vital to Soundproof the Entire Home?
Soundproofing an entire home might seem like overkill some people, but it does provide a lot of benefits. When doing it the right way, it really won’t cost as much as many people think. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks, and that will keep people continuing this type of work.
When a person decides to only soundproof one specific wall or just a single room, it leaves the rest of the home pretty vulnerable. Sound will travel in different ways all the time, and even if the room is not currently in use now, it could change later on.
Taking care of the entire home at once will make everything as uniform as possible. If additional soundproofing needs to be done in a specific room, that is fine. Just make sure to examine every area first to make the entire home a little quieter.
Why Soundproofing Ceilings and Floors Are Just as Important as Walls
The standard part for a lot of people when it comes to soundproofing a home is to think about the walls instantly.
The walls are essential from a sound perspective, but it is not the only reason a place is a little too loud. In fact, since they are overlooked so much, a lot of unwanted sounds coming from the floors and ceilings. It is crucial to soundproof them as well, as it makes a huge difference.
Think of an entirely soundproof room as a way to properly enclose everything. Sound does not escape the room, and it does not leak in. If only the walls are covered, that still leaves two major flat areas that could negatively affect the sound.
Certain ceilings and floors also do a terrible job of absorbing sound. That means something as simple as footsteps or furniture moving can start to make very loud noises. Instead of dealing with that, some simple soundproofing solutions for the ceiling and the floor makes sense.
Sometimes, soundproofing a floor is as simple as laying some material down and maybe some carpeting as well. It might not be as aesthetically pleasing as some people would like, but if soundproofing is the biggest focus, it is worth considering.
Do-it-yourself (DIY) or Hire a Professional Team?
This is one of the most challenging decisions when choosing to soundproof and addressing the entire home. If it is just one room, people feel like they have that under control.
Entire home is something entirely different, and it could lead to people going with a professional instead of attempting to pull it off without help.
Prepare to spend a decent amount of money to soundproof an entire home. It depends on how big the place is if there are any unique circumstances or other reasons why there might be additional charges.
For the most part, spending around $1500 or more in the United States will allow a person to have their home soundproofed professionally. The number drops quite a bit for people who want to do it themselves, but it might take additional time to get everything done.
When choosing a do-it-yourself method, people can pick something a bit more expensive from a material standpoint. This means a better soundproofing job is possible for the same price. There is also the opportunity to use the same type of material, only save quite a bit in the end.
Just How Much of a Difference Does Typical Soundproofing Make?
Stepping into a soundproof home will allow people to enjoy the silence a lot more than in the past. While there will still be some sounds picked up here and there, it is much more controllable than ever before. Instead of hearing distractions, only sounds meant to be there are audible.
At night is where people can usually tell a massive difference in a soundproof home. Things are generally quieter at night anyway, and with fewer distractions, people can take a listen and pick up on how much of a difference it makes. Right before falling asleep, try to take in the differences.
Most people are looking at dropping the typical sounds by 5 or 10 decibels on average. Depending on the type of material used, some additional changes might be noticeable. The goal in soundproofing a home with typical solutions isn’t to make it completely silent, but to put distracting sounds at a level that is not disruptive.
Soundproofing For a Specific Purpose
Most of the soundproofing covered in this article has to do with reducing sounds to make living conditions as comfortable as possible. However, having more specific needs means that a person might need to go through greater Lanks to soundproof an area.
Most people will soundproof one specific room exceptionally well if they need it for a particular purpose. It just costs too much money and takes too much time to see results in the entire home.
Here is a closer look at the reasons why a person will go through as many measures as possible to get a completely soundproof room and why it is worth it.
Music and Audio Recording
To appreciate music and any type of audio recording, it needs to take place in the right environment. Many people will go through great lengths to make sure that they practice in a soundproof room. Not only will there be fewer distractions, but the sound will be better bouncing off the walls the right way.
A soundproof room for music will make such a big difference that people will notice right away. It is especially important if there will be a lot of recording in the room.
Some people feel like it is impossible in today’s world to record without a soundproofed room. It just becomes too loud and too distracting, and instruments do not sound as pure.
Soundproofing is so crucial that people do this for recording audiobooks or a podcast. Having that extra bit of isolation makes everything sound more professional. Without a professional sounding setup, it becomes hard for people to gain credibility in an industry.
Home Theater
Investing in a specific area to consume entertainment? It is worth making sure that the room is as soundproof as possible. Being able to hear everything coming from speakers can prove to be very beneficial.
There are so many people who will spend thousands of dollars on the latest technology. What they don’t understand is that the big difference-maker, in the end, could be a soundproof room.
Isolation From Noisy Activities
A lot is going on in a typical household, and having a noise leak from one room to the next could be problematic.
Most clashes happen between parents and children, as one room could be meant for sleeping, while the room next door wants to play games.
A perfect solution for a loud hangout room is to completely soundproof it. This helps to allow more freedom for people to do what they want in that room without distracting everyone else too much.
Shared Walls
For people who live in an apartment, condo, duplex, or some other shared building, there is bound to be at least one shared wall. In order to keep privacy, it is worth soundproofing that wall in that area as much as possible.
Final Thoughts
With realistic expectations, soundproofing a home is without question worth the money. It helps with better sleep, fewer distractions, increase property value, and so many more hidden benefits.
Doing it early on in the building process is the best way, but do not be afraid to invest in an older home as well to tell the difference.
Whether a home is in the middle of a major city or on a massive piece of farmland, sounds will become distracting at some point. Do not put up with unneeded sounds if there is an affordable solution to treat the entire home.