Sound Insulation refers to the process or processes of minimizing or reducing sound pressure with respect to the specified receptor and sound source. There are many different ways to apply sound insulation to help cut down extraneous or unwanted noise.
One very effective and simple way to cut down noise is to increase the distance from the sound source to the receptor, or for example the distance between a residential area and an industrial area. If the residential area is built at a comfortable distance from the noisy industrial area, then the process of sound insulation or sound proofing becomes very straightforward.
The reason distance works so effectively is because the energy sound waves diminish as they spread out, so increasing the distance between receptor and the sound source results in lessening the intensity of the sound.
Another excellent way to absorb or block sound waves is to use structures such as noise barriers. These are simply constructed or placed between the sound source and the receiver.
There are many ways to apply sound insulation and soundproofing and some of these may include
· Noise barriers
· Damping
· Residential soundproofing
· Noise cancellation
· Room within a room
Noise damping may be applied or achieved in various different ways, and one effective way is to place a soft layer of heavy material between the receiver and the source of the sound. This type of application is ideal for placing into a wall or ceiling and is often best applied at the time of the buildings construction, although sometimes the material can be simply laid between floorboards walls and ceilings after construction as well.
This may require disassembling of these particular structures, or alternatively a false wall or ceiling constructed over the existing structures and the sound insulation placed between the existing and newly built wall. This latter type of application is very effective; however the size of the room is slightly reduced.
The soundproofing of residential areas is usually applied to reduce or decrease external noise. This may be because the residence is to near a busy road, motorway, railway track or even an airport. The best type of sound insulation for this purpose is generally considered to be double or even triple glazing. The soundproofing of windows is very effective as they are considered to be the main route by which external noise or sound waves penetrate a buildings exterior.
Another way to insulate a building from noise entering the windows is to use thick curtains as this will help damp down sound waves coming through the window. As mentioned before double glazing or triple glazing is very effective sound insulation. This may be even further improved if noise is particularly bad by adding yet another secondary glazed window inside of the double glazed unit. This type of glazing is separate from the double or triple glazed unit and works independently on a sliding mechanism, thus allowing access to the installed glazed units.
Other materials used for sound insulation include: foam sprays, acoustic foam, soundproof fibre boards and soundproof building materials such as damping blocks.