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How can we solve the problem of noise pollution from neighbors?
Who should give way to whom?
Who should take soundproofing measures?
This has almost become an age-old problem.
Like a fishbone stuck in my throat, like a thorn in my back, like sitting on pins and needles
Of all the methods, soundproofing seems to be the least favored.
Because of soundproofing renovation
Many people have doubts
The biggest question remains: does it actually work?
That's also the reason.
This has led to millions of victims being disturbed by neighborhood noise.
I never dared to truly commit to building a soundproof room.
Next
This is a very rare example of proactively creating a soundproof room for a home:
Case
*Case Name: Soundproof Room in a Residential Residence in Hangzhou
*Area: 12.87 square meters
*Room dimensions (length x width x height): 3.9m x 3.3m x 2.6m
*Work hours: 5 days
*Solution: All six sides are soundproofed, including ceiling vibration damping and sound insulation + four walls sound insulation + floor vibration damping and sound insulation.
Next, we will analyze this case study from three main aspects: user feedback, results presentation, and solution implementation.
User Reviews
Because background noise still interferes with the sound level, the effectiveness of a soundproof room cannot be fully demonstrated. The most direct evaluation undoubtedly comes from the user's own experience. The following interview information represents the most authentic customer feedback: (Interviews were conducted one month after the customer moved in).
It's 6 minutes long, please watch it patiently.
Regarding the noise effect from upstairs:
Many people are very anxious about noise from upstairs neighbors. This case study features a well-designed soundproof room, with soundproofing on all six sides and vibration dampers added to the ceiling. We consulted Ms. Shen separately about this issue:
Q: How's the noise from upstairs? Can you hear it?
A: No, I really can't hear it. In our other rooms, for example, we can hear the vacuum cleaner upstairs, the sound of someone pulling out a chair, or the sound of a door closing. But in my son's soundproof room, we can't hear anything at all. Once it was really noisy, so we went to ask him, and he said he couldn't hear anything. And even then, he hadn't closed the door to that room, and the window was closed, yet he still couldn't hear anything from upstairs.
Effect presentation
Soundproof rooms have limited visual perception and require auditory perception, making it generally difficult to accurately represent their effectiveness, especially for low-frequency noise. Below is a video recording provided by the client, primarily showing their auditory experience within their own residence (we did not visit them at their request):
Sound contrast in a normal indoor acoustic environment
*Due to the unprofessional nature of the testing equipment and interference from environmental noise, the decibel data is for reference only. (The threshold of this testing equipment is 30-120dB)
30 decibels is considered a quiet level in a sound environment, allowing you to fall asleep peacefully.
Implementation of the plan
The soundproof room in this case was designed as a music practice room. The client's son (a music major) needed to practice at home for his studies, but over time, he found that the normally elegant and beautiful piano music had become noise pollution in the residential area. This interference gradually deteriorated relations with his neighbors. The client had tried various methods, including soundproof windows and doors, but none were effective. Therefore, they contacted us, and we built a soundproof room for them. This allows their son to practice piano in peace while also ensuring the neighbors' quiet needs are met. It's a proactive soundproofing measure that fosters harmonious neighborly relations.
Note: Sound insulation is bidirectional. Whether the interior of a house needs quiet or there is a noise source, the principle of sound insulation is the same. It is suitable for bedrooms that need quiet and noisy music rooms.
Main noise issues
1. Neighborhood Noise Issue : Ms. Shen lives on the ninth floor. Her son's piano practice, whether on weekdays or weekends, disturbs residents on the eighth and tenth floors, and even the second floor. Neighbors from upstairs and downstairs have knocked on her door to complain, hoping that Ms. Shen's son could be more considerate and limit his piano practice time-not too early, not during lunch breaks, and not after 8 PM. Ms. Shen only learned that the second-floor residents could hear the noise after she actively inquired with them.
2. Internal family conflicts : Because Ms. Shen's son is studying music, the difficulty of learning piano is increasing, requiring constant practice to achieve mastery. However, limited practice time also affects his mood, making family conflicts easily erupt.
3. Reverberation issue: Ms. Shen reported that initially, when only soundproof windows and doors were installed, the indoor listening experience was extremely poor. Sound waves reflected multiple times within the room, resulting in a long reverberation time, which was unbearable for both the practitioner and the listener. This was detrimental to the child's professional practice in the long run.
Overall design renderings
Ceiling sound insulation
According to the client, there was significant noise from upstairs, so we implemented soundproofing and vibration reduction measures on the ceiling. These measures served two purposes: firstly, to block noise from upstairs walks and dragging chairs from affecting the client's home, and secondly, to prevent sound from the music room from spreading outwards.
Construction method: Ceiling vibration damper + keel + sound insulation cotton + sound insulation board + plasterboard
Ceiling area: 13㎡
Ceiling length: 20cm
Product quantity: 42 ceiling vibration dampers; 14.88 square meters of Bayer acoustic cotton; 3 tubes of damping sealant.
*Install ceiling shock absorbers and add light steel keel
*Fill the interior with sound-absorbing cotton, seal with sound-absorbing panels, and seal the joints with sealant.
Wall sound insulation
The soundproofing measures on the walls meet the purpose and requirements of the music room, blocking the interference between internal and external sounds.
Two exterior walls: base wall + double-sided sound insulation felt + keel + sound insulation cotton + sound insulation board + gypsum board
Two interior walls: basic wall + keel + sound insulation cotton + sound insulation board + plasterboard
Wall area: 34㎡
Product quantities: Bayer acoustic cotton 34 sq m; double-sided sound insulation felt 18 sq m; sound insulation board 34.56 sq m; damping sealant 12 tubes.
*Light steel keel filled with Bayer acoustic cotton
Ground vibration reduction
To prevent the low-frequency vibrations from the piano from affecting the downstairs neighbors, ground vibration reduction measures are also essential.
Method: Base floor + shock-absorbing pad + cement mortar leveling + tile floor.
Area: 12㎡
Product quantity: 14 square meters of 12mm shock-absorbing pads.
Some stories about this residential soundproofing renovation
Customer: I've put a lot of effort into solving the noise problem.
During my conversation with Ms. Shen, I learned that she is a person who dislikes trouble and is kind to others. After the neighbors first came to communicate with them, they immediately stopped the noise from their home, but this did not resolve the conflict between her and her child. To solve the piano noise problem, she searched for many methods online, such as carpets, covering the piano with a cover, soundproof windows, and soundproof doors, but none of them could effectively balance her son's piano practice with the neighbors' rest. Finally, she thought of soundproofing the entire house, but even after finding a solution, she encountered various problems.
Customer: We have a hard time finding people to do this?
During the interview, Ms. Shen expressed her frustration with soundproofing her home. She explained that since she only needed soundproofing one room (approximately 15 square meters), she contacted many renovation companies, but none were willing to take on the task. The main reasons were that renovation companies were either unprofitable or charged exorbitant prices that Ms. Shen couldn't afford; there weren't many professionals capable of soundproofing, and ordinary renovation workers lacked the necessary skills; the room was too small, making the renovation difficult, with issues arising from material storage and cement mixing. Finally, she learned that our company was also located in Hangzhou and had familiar renovation workers, which enabled us to complete the final soundproofing of the room.
Customer: If you can afford a piano, why not get it soundproofed?
Ms. Shen has her own perspective on "neighborhood noise disputes." She put herself in her neighbors' shoes, thinking, "They've already paid so much for training courses and bought a piano. Would they rather be noisy than build a soundproof room? I know they must have their complaints. When the downstairs neighbors come to you, even though they're polite, you can tell they're already angry. We'll be living together for a long time; there's no need for this. I'll just go through the trouble." It was this empathy that led Ms. Shen to spend a fortune and a lot of time and energy to build this soundproof room. Now, a month after moving in, Ms. Shen's neighbors haven't bothered her again, and her son is very satisfied with the soundproof room. Harmony and happiness have returned to their small home.
This concludes our sharing of this case. We hope that more and more people, like Ms. Shen, will be able to consider things from their neighbors' perspectives, which will lead to fewer and fewer conflicts.