Peace and Quiet in NYC With Soundproofing Walls
If you live in NYC, then you know how hard it is to keep noise out of your apartment. As one of the busiest cities in the world, NYC boasts some of the highest vehicle traffic and train noise. That isn’t even counting potentially noisy neighbors.
It is important for you to be able to live in an apartment or condo in NYC that is relatively quiet. Not only does this make it easier for you to sleep but can also help attain that feeling of independence from the rest of the world. After all, who wants to hear the outside world 24 hours per day? You need that quiet time to relax and do your own thing.
Like many New Yorkers, youve probably considered soundproofing walls in your home before. Will soundproofing walls in NYC really help to drown out the noise from outside? It can, but there are right and wrong ways to go and peace and quiet can come at a high price. You can hire a contractor who is a specialist in soundproofing walls, floors and even HVAC systems, but this is very expensive and as such is an option which most New Yorkers cant afford.
A common misconception about soundproofing walls is that putting up egg cartons, Styrofoam or carpeting can deaden the noise from the street or from neighbors. As it happens, these materials are largely ineffective and worse still, they look horrible! Heavy fabric and acoustic foam can provide a little more soundproofing, but these are still less than attractive and the small amount of noise they dampen is not worth living with the way they look on your walls.
The problem that many people face when trying to soundproof by themselves is that they simply don’t understand how sound control works and they think that covering the walls is the only way. But owning heavy objects helps. Sound travels in low frequency waves and heavy objects like furniture will absorb sounds from noisy neighbors. Of course, some floor rugs and carpeting will help absorb some of the sound of your noisy neighbors but not entirely.
Soundproofing walls will always be tough. Unless you can get inside your walls and add insulation or other soundproofing materials, your only real solution is to dampen the sound with some sort of professional soundproofing material like soft sound acoustic panels. You can paint or decorate these and it won’t look as bad as carpet or egg crates.
Soundproofing your windows can be done in a few ways. If installing double paned windows or acrylic framed windows isnt an option, then you may want to consider drapes which dampen sound or window plugs. What are window plugs, you ask? These are pieces of soundproofing material cut to the size of your windows; when you want to shut out traffic and other street noise, you can just put them in your windows and enjoy the silence!
These tips can help you to reduce those distracting street noises and the noise from your neighbors. The idea is to use materials which offer a balance of soundproofing and looks. Carpet, egg cartons and Styrofoam are simply not good options. Whether you live in Gramercy Park, Astoria or Park Slope, you really can balance the excitement and convenience of living in NYC with the peace and quiet of home without resorting to unattractive and ineffective soundproofing materials.