What’s that Sound? Stopping Common Household Noises
Traffic
If your neighborhood generates too much traffic on a regular basis, you might be hearing the sounds of the road as if you were standing on the street. The whoosh! of cars driving by, the rumbling of diesel engines, the squealing of tires and the blaring of horns are common household noises. Unfortunately, however, you can’t get away from them unless you want to move to the country.
To stop traffic noises from permeating your home, you might want to install a water feature outside. Masking these common household noises is usually the best (and least expensive) option, and can cut the noise by up to 75%. You can also purchase a small indoor fountain that can be plugged into an outlet, or play soft classical music on your stereo system. It sure beats shaking your fist angrily at passerby.
Echoes and Accentuated Noises
An empty home is a loud home, according to SoundProofing.com. If common household noises sound like rocket blasts to your sensitive ears, you might not have sufficient material in your home to absorb the sound. Generally speaking, 25% of all rooms in your house should be occupied by noise-absorbing material to reduce the sound generated by common noises.
Furniture is a great way to do this, especially, large couches and loveseats made of fabric. You’ll find that rooms with ceramic tile and hardwood floors tend to amplify common household noises, so laying down carpet or rugs can reduce it significantly. Covering walls and windows with tapestries and drapes can also help solve this problem.
Squeaky Floors
If hardwood floors are installed in your home, you might start to notice the occasional squeak, which often escalates into continual squeaking as you walk from one room to another. You can cut tiny triangles of cardboard or wood and slip them between the floor and the joists to reduce this noise, which will save you quite a bit of money. The alternative is to rip up your floors and lay extra padding between the wood and the concrete, which is financially prohibitive.
Appliances
If the appliances in your home are outdated, these common household noises can get ridiculous. Washing machines, dryers, dishwashers and even your little old coffee pot can make daily activities a nightmare. Consider upgrading to more energy-efficient and less noisy appliances so you can get more done during the day and sleep better at night.
If you don’t have any money to invest in your quest to stop common household noises, you can instead choose to run these appliances only when you’ll be out of the house. Coordinating your laundry and dishes with trips to the grocery store can get tedious, though, so start saving up.
