We’re living in a hullabaloo. Whether it’s barking dogs, road traffic or builders thrashing away next door.
Peace and quiet has never been so hard to find and it’s even affecting our health. A recent study of 65,000 people by the Danish Cancer Society Research Centre in Copenhagen found that couples living close to busy streets took from six months to a year longer to conceive than those living in quiet areas.
Researchers suggested that traffic noise may disturb sleep — a known factor for reducing fertility in both men and women.
Disturbing: Researchers suggested that traffic noise may disturb sleep — a known factor for reducing fertility in both men and women
So how can you soundproof your home without major disruption? One obvious route is double glazing, but it’s worth finding out first if your home is suitable for what’s known as secondary glazing — where a second window is installed on the inside of an existing single-glazed one. It’s more cumbersome than double glazing, but more effective, too.
‘The air gap is larger between the two panes of glass than with standard double glazing, so you almost hear nothing,’ says Andrew Burns, director of Atelier MB Architects in Manchester.
He adds that if you do go for double glazing, choose glass with two different thicknesses because ‘these will vibrate at different rates and be more effective at blocking sound’.
If you live in an older house, it may be that sound is filtering in through timber-framed tiled walls that were often used in houses built in the Thirties and Forties.
‘Unlike masonry, these walls are not as good at blocking out sound. However, putting a secondary, stud wall on the inside of this section of external wall can make all the difference,’ says Burns.
If you’re living in an apartment, you can stop noise travelling by installing what’s known as a floating floor.
‘This is a foam-backed floorboard,’ says Burns, who adds that it should be done in conjunction with putting insulation in the floor joists. In terms of your furnishings, it’s possible to buy sound-blocking acoustic curtains, though any thick fabric will help. ‘Sound insulation is all about layering, so the thicker the curtain, the more effective it will be,’ says Burns.
Noise issues: If you live in an older house, it may be that sound is filtering in through timber-framed tiled walls that were often used in houses built in the Thirties and Forties
You can reduce noise by making changes outside, too. New products such as Forest Garden’s Decibel Noise Reduction Fence Panels are one option.
Conventional fences have gaps through which sound travels when their boards shrink or expand in changing weather.
Panels like the Decibel Noise Reduction ones reduce noise because their interlocking boards and thick frames ensure there are no gaps through which sound can pass.
There are an increasing number of products that help to reduce noise. Many will have the Quiet Mark (a purple Q symbol), which was established in 2012 alongside the UK’s Noise Abatement Society and which is awarded to the quietest technology and noise-quelling products.
These include Enfield Speciality Doors — acoustic doors, which are said to shut out unwanted sound. Poppy Szkiler, founder and managing director of Quiet Mark, says: ‘Acoustic design should be made a priority, so we can all live in a healthy aural environment. If we all choose to buy quieter, high-performing products, we can transform our soundscape.’
Tricks for noise reduction: If you’re living in an apartment, you can stop noise travelling by installing what’s known as a floating floor
If there’s building work or other noise nuisance outside, you can turn to the law.
Work on building sites should take place between 7.30am and 6pm on weekdays, 8.30am and 2pm on Saturdays and not at all on Sundays or bank holidays.
‘The laws regarding noise nuisance are standard and governed by the Environmental Protection Act 1990. You can report noise to your council,’ explains Danielle Clements, specialist in property disputes at Gorvins solicitors in Stockport.
‘With building work, the construction company could apply in advance for consent from the council. However if they don’t, then the council could serve a notice. If the company fails to comply, they can be prosecuted and fined.’
However, you should be aware that statutory noise nuisance laws don’t apply to noise from traffic or planes (though they do apply to model planes) and demonstrations.
For those, you’ll have to stick in ear plugs.