Whether you are carrying out a home renovation as a contractor or commissioning one as a homeowner, it is essential to consider soundproofing and noise control. This aspect of renovation is often overlooked, but neglecting it is a mistake.
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Noise control should be taken into account during the planning stage of any home renovation or improvement project. This applies to all situations, not only to acoustically sensitive spaces such as home theaters or music rooms.
In this article I will list noise issues that should be addressed. Solutions to some of these issues are described in other blog articles. When soundproofing and noise control are incorporated during the planning stage of a project, they can be achieved far more effectively and at a much lower cost than attempting to upgrade soundproofing after the renovation is complete.
Home Renovations:
These types of home renovations should consider noise control issues:
Type of Reno | Noise Control Issue |
|---|---|
Demolition of existing wall partitions | Will your space be compatible with lifestyle, when sound envelops the open space? |
Building new wall partitions or moving wall partitions. | Should the new wall be soundproofed to reduce transfer of noise from one space to another? |
Building new washrooms or renovating washrooms | Will washroom and plumbing noises disturb you? |
Upgrading kitchens | Should you consider how usually noisy activity in new kitchen will affect other occupants in the house? |
Finishing or re-finishing basements | Do you have a need to reduce noise transfer between basement and upstairs? You need to consider not only floor/ceiling, but also walls and ducting. |
Home theatre, home recording studio or music practice room | These are noise sensitive spaces. You need to consider soundproofing from external noises, and from noises inside this space. |
Home office | Do you have a need for privacy in your home office? |
Quiet bedroom | Do you sleep during the day? Are your children noisy at night when you need to sleep? |
Basement apartment | Building code requires minimum sound attenuation between residential units. Do you want to meet or exceed the minimum? |
Problems to be avoided by adequate noise control
Informed acoustical consideration at planning stage of a home renovation project can reduce or eliminate the following noise control problems:
- Mechanical noise - Select quiet equipment: Dishwasher, Refrigerator' Kitchen range hood, Bathroom fans, Furnace noise, A/C unit noise, Central vacuum.
- Plumbing noise
- Ventilation noise
- Noise through wall
- Noise carried by ventilation ducts
- Rain noise on the roof
- Exterior noise through doors or windows
- Noise through interior doors to sleeping areas, office, bathroom
Very few architects and almost no contractors will address all these noise control issues. Some architects will consider some of the issues but will forget many.
How to address noise control issues
Contractors, unless specifically directed by the architect or homeowner, often ignore soundproofing and noise control issues. It is therefore important to include these requirements in the project specifications and contract from the outset. If you are unsure how to address them, seek advice from an acoustical engineer — the consulting cost is negligible compared to the overall cost of the renovation project.
