I recently received a call from a client seeking a solution to a noise problem. She lives in a condominium apartment, and her neighbour has been complaining about piano playing in her unit. Although she has already implemented some soundproofing measures, the complaints have continued.
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Situations involving complaints about piano playing are common but not easy to resolve. The challenge lies in the fact that the neighbour is lodging complaints, and the Condo Board of Directors is obligated to address them.
How is objectionable noise defined:
As per the City of Toronto bylaw, different types of noises are defined in a new Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 591 enacted in September 2019. The bylaw specifies maximum permitted levels for certain defined types of noise. Piano playing is not included among these defined noise types and may therefore be considered under the “unreasonable and persistent noise” provision. This section of the bylaw states: “No person shall make, cause, or permit noise, at any time, that is unreasonable and persistent.
As this demonstrates, the bylaw applies to any noise at any time, not just after 11 p.m., as some tenants may assume. Moreover, the phrase “shall make, cause, or permit noise” is very broad, effectively covering almost anything a neighbour can hear. The responsibility rests with the person generating the noise to satisfy the complainant. It is therefore unsurprising that disputes over noise between neighbours often lead to litigation.
If you play the piano, adding more soundproofing to your apartment can be costly and may still fail to resolve complaints. Perfect soundproofing in a typical apartment is virtually impossible, and neighbour complaints may persist despite your efforts.
The piano-playing condo owner asked me to test the soundproofing to determine whether it was adequate. However, testing can be fairly expensive and is not always informative. Such a test would likely measure a transmission loss in the STC 45–55 range. In buildings constructed before 2012, there is no STC requirement, while newer buildings must meet a minimum STC of 50. Even so, an STC of 50 does not guarantee that complaints will be avoided. Before investing in testing, it may be prudent to consult a Toronto bylaw officer or seek legal advice regarding your specific situation.
So if you play piano, what can you do?
You may experience small improvement in noise transfer to adjacent apartments, if you place vibration absorbing pads under your piano legs. You can get the pads for example in Home Depot. There are also specialized pads for piano available. However, it is unlikely to be sufficient to stop the complaints.
To eliminate noise complaints, I recommend using an electronic piano with headphones for practice. In teaching or student situations, two sets of headphones can be used. This solution is significantly less expensive than additional soundproofing and is guaranteed to be effective. Here is an example of a digital piano, but other piano models are available:
If you believe testing the sound transmission loss of your party wall would be helpful, you can contact the author of this article.
Note: You may find the following article relevant to your situation, and also this blog article.
