What is the best way to insulate your house against noise?

Answer

Dear Ramon,

Very noble of you to proactively look for solutions!

Whether you will be a nuisance to your neighbors, of course, depends on the current construction and the sensitivity of your neighbors. You can briefly distinguish between apartments and terraced houses. I outline some possibilities:

• Apartment double wall with continuous floor plates: most of the sound passes horizontally through the continuous floor plates (= flanking sound). If the walls are built from classic fast-build masonry, this is the most disadvantageous (heavier blocks such as sand-lime blocks or concrete masonry are better). A retaining wall for this may be necessary. There can of course also be problems vertically. A lowered ceiling to your upstairs neighbors or to your downstairs neighbors is a solution for improvement.
• Apartment double wall without continuous floor slabs: in the horizontal direction the situation is very good. In the vertical, however, it is less efficient than if you had continuous floor plates. A lowered ceiling to your upstairs neighbors or to your downstairs neighbors is a solution for improvement.
• Terraced houses: in a relatively new house there is thermal insulation in a cavity wall and the wall is therefore also doubled. Horizontally, not many problems are to be expected. If this is the case (for example with classic fast-build masonry): install retaining walls.
• Terraced houses: in an older terraced house, the wall may not be doubled. This is where you have the greatest chance of nuisance. Placing retaining walls is a first necessity. In addition, because the floors are too light, false ceilings may also have to be installed to limit flanking sound transmission via these building elements.

What is a false wall or ceiling? This is a construction of 1 or preferably several plasterboard sheets on a frame of metal profiles (metal studs). The following is important:

• As many and as heavy as possible plasterboard panels. All manufacturers sell weighted records, which will better absorb the low tones, which will be strongly present with you.
• The widest cavity possible. Disadvantage: loss of space. With very low-frequency loud components, this can rise to about 20 cm or higher!
• If possible: decoupled metal-stud frame, which therefore makes no contact with the wall behind. With a ceiling, spring hangers can be used.
• Place mineral wool in the cavity as absorption so that it does not become a sound box.
• Seal leaks (sockets, pipes, …) as well as possible and also use a sealant peripherally to eliminate all leaks.

The current 2008 standard for residential construction aims for normal comfort (sound pressure level difference between two apartments >= 54 dB and between two new terraced houses >= 58 dB) to satisfy 70% of the people. For increased comfort (sound pressure level difference between two apartments >= 58 dB and between two new terraced houses >= 62 dB) this is 90 %. Still 30% or 10% dissatisfied people. In addition, this standard takes into account a maximum noise level of 80 dB, something that you could possibly exceed with a strong sound system. The requirement should therefore be higher.

Also consult with your neighbors. A good conversation beforehand avoids a lot of problems afterwards.

Happy listening,

Kind regards,

dr. ir. Pieter Schevenels