Living in an apartment building, condominium, or basement apartment, you might find the most common noise complaint to be the one caused by your neighbours living above your apartment. The sound of footsteps, dropped objects, chair shuffling, children running, or bouncing balls can be incredibly disruptive due to its frequency and unpredictability, and we understand how frustrating this can be for you.
More...
Impact noise is transmitted to your apartment by the structure of the ceiling and walls, so-called structure-borne noise. This type of noise can travel within the building structure far and wide. The noise often originates in the apartment above you, but it can also be caused by people in apartments not directedly above. The noise can originate in adjacent apartment, two levels above or even from apartment across the hall.
Questions about the impact noise
Clients call me with questions like:
Answering these questions is not simple; the answer is often what the questioner does not want to hear.
Can I test the noise?
Yes, I can test the noise created by the resident above the complainant. The more important question is if the test result is useful to the complainant.
First of all, it is impossible to reliably distinguish in the tested noise between the noise from upstairs and the noise normally occurring in the complainant’s apartment. This makes the interpretation of the test result difficult and subject to a challenge.
Only the ceiling partition's impact insulation class (IIC) can be reliably tested. This is an expensive test, and the results are limited in usefulness. The video below illustrates how is this test done.
There is no mandated minimum value for IIC. The Ontario Building Code recommends a minimum IIC of 55. This value is often not met in buildings, particularly in wood-frame buildings. Many people are unsatisfied with impact noise even if the IIC exceeds 55.
How much noise is acceptable?
There is no regulatory requirement or standard for how much noise from neighbours is acceptable, so the test results are not useful.
Can the management identify the noise source?
Condo management is often not receptive to noise complaints. When the manager visits the apartment, often there is no noise, or the manager says it is normal. This is frustrating to the complainant. As explained above, recording the noise by me is not useful. It would be more impactful if the resident recorded the noise and played the recording for the manager.
Due to the nature of the structure borne noise propagation in the building, it is difficult for the management to find the real source of the noise and to prove that a specific resident is causing unreasonable noise. There is no acoustic test equipment that can identify a source of this type of noise. Locating the noise is a matter of trial and error. The manager needs to walk around the building in hallways and listening for unusual noises. It may require gaining access to the suspected apartments and observe the lifestyle of the residents. There is no foolproof method of identifying the culprit.
Can I soundproof for impact noise?
To clarify, I am a consultant. I do not do soundproofing, but I advise you on how to do it correctly. I can refer a contractor to implement my recommendations.
Soundproofing the ceiling can reduce (not eliminate) the noise from above. This requires removing the existing drywall (if present) and installing a new resiliently attached ceiling surface. In most cases, this lowers the ceiling by at least 50 mm.
The impact noise transmits to your apartment through the ceiling and walls. It is difficult to quantify the soundproofing's effectiveness by improving the ceiling. People's responses to noise are highly individual. Some clients will be satisfied with the amount of reduction, others not so much. If you undertake the soundproofing project, you must accept this fact.
If you would like to request a no-obligation quote for my advice specific to your situation, click on the button below.
