Street Traffic Noise

Excessive traffic noise is one of the most common complaints among American residents. Millions of people are affected by constant traffic noise in their own home. In fact, traffic noise impacts more people than any other environmental noise source. Traffic noise can affect the ability to work, learn, rest, relax, sleep, etc. Excessive noise can lead to mental and physical health problems. If your home is near a major road or you are experiencing problems with traffic noise, you may be able to limit the impact on yourself and your family.

The proper way to combat a sound problem is not to treat the recipient of the noise, but to treat the source of the noise. In this case to contain the noise, enclosing the automobile, airplane, barking dog or rail car, is ideal but impossible. The best you can do is control the amount of exposure that is bleeding in and even then, you will never be able to completely soundproof your living quarters from this noise unless you move.

How does street noise enter the house? The noise enters both through structure borne and airborne energy paths. By adding density to your walls and disconnecting the inner surface from the exterior or your home, you can force much of the structure borne noise attempting to vibrate through to collapse inside your walls. This will control you exposure to loud trains, noisy street traffic and airplane noise.

To combat the airborne noise, there is less you can do to guard against noise bleeding in through vents, outlets, pipes, exhaust fans, chimneys, and other "flanking paths" that noise can take. For windows, apply Soundproof Windows atop your existing windows for greater sound insulation.

To combat noise through walls, the use of a product such as dB-Bloc will help tremendously. dB-Bloc is a thin mass loaded vinyl sound barrier material designed to layer behind drywall and other finished wall or ceiling surfaces to help combat against the bleed of noise transmitting through a common surface. This sound deadening material is designed as sound insulation for blocking noise transmitting through common walls. dB-Bloc measures just 1/8" thick, but weighs more than 1 pound per square foot to produce the density required for a soundproof wall. dB-Bloc will impair a wall's ability to vibrate to reduce sound transmission.

Such soundproofing techniques for your home can be applied to new build or existing homes. With the use of various applications, just a simple drop of3 dB in your sound exposure levels is equivalent to a 50% drop in perceived street traffic noise. Results will vary greatly in attempting to treat external noise from entering into a residential home. Much of it has to do with the quality of the home, the exterior surfaces, the windows and doors, the flanking paths, the extent of the soundproofing treatments you apply, and the proximity to the sound source.

The primary goal in soundproofing your home from traffic noise is to impair the wall's ability to conduct vibration. By combining density and disconnection, you can force collapse sound waves inside your wall, and can trigger up to a 90% drop in sound transmission. While you may not get rid of all the outside street traffic noise, reducing it significantly will certainly prove to be worthy for your nerves and sense of peace on a daily basis.

Mark Rustad is President of NetWell Noise Control, based in Minneapolis, MN. Founded in 1991, NetWell is a leading supplier of ceiling tiles, acoustic products, soundproofing treatments, and online acoustical consulting services. NetWell’s sound management skills are packaged into the industry’s premier website. For more information, please visit www.eSoundproof.com. Discover first hand why so much of NetWell’s business stems from the referrals and repeat orders they receive from satisfied clients around the world.