Silence Is Golden and in Your Price Range
The weak links in a home’s defense against noise are typically windows and doors. Here are a few relatively simple ways to help make your home a quiet sanctuary.
* Hang the heaviest solid wood or steel front door you can afford.
* Check door thresholds and jambs for gaps. If you can see light around the edges of a door, it’s not deterring sound. Door shoes or door sweeps--rubber strips that attach to the bottom of the door to form a seal against the threshold--cost less than $10.
* Weatherstrip door and window jambs with thin strips of closed-cell neoprene or urethane. A basic door set runs from $7 to $35. Window weatherstripping (rolls from one-fourth inch to seven-eighths inch wide) is also inexpensive.
* Hang full lined drapes at windows.
* Install dual-glazed windows or attach storm windows to your existing window panes. Although they are not as effective as acoustic windows, they are much less expensive (starting at less than $100 for a 3- by 4-foot window). Dual-glazed windows found at retail hardware stores for as little as $55 for a 3- by 4-foot window are separated by only a quarter-inch of air, and acoustic windows have two to six inches of air space and are laminated with a clear vinyl-like material.
* Seal cavities around windows with an expanding sealant like Touch-n-Foam, which comes in an aerosol can for about $4 at retail hardware outlets. Also, squeeze a no-hardening caulking compound along the outside edge of the window.
* In condos and apartments, attach sound board to common walls, especially in closets that adjoin neighboring closets, to reduce sliding and banging sounds. The compressed fiberboard comes in 4- by 8-foot panels for as little as $10 each and can be glued or nailed to walls.
* Lay carpeting or rugs on floors. There are also specialty products to put under hardwood and tile floors to reduce sound. Enkasonic mats, for example, are made of compressed nylon filaments with polyester heat-fused to one side and cost about $3.50 a square foot.
* Plant large shrubs or trees with thick foliage. They won’t stop sound from reaching your ear, but they can help create a sense of privacy. If your yard is big enough, build soil berms along the street and cover them with plants.
* If you build a wall around your property, use heavy materials like cement blocks to deter sound.
* Buy a machine that plays soothing sounds at an electronics store for about $40. Or play a tape or CD with background music or nature sounds.
