Noise pollution within the home can make everyday life increasingly uncomfortable. With many still working from home rather than heading to the office, noise pollution is a frequent complaint we’re finding from our clients.
It can also disrupt sleep, leaving you feeling groggy and unrested as you get up in the morning. These constant disturbances disrupt the peace and quiet you should have control over within your own home – a place where you’d usually find space to relax and unwind.
While noise pollution can have a significant impact on the environment in your home, there are plenty of effective ways to reduce it. Depending on your budget, you can opt for sound dampening furniture and soundproof double glazed windows and doors; or deal with it via complaints procedures and the use of noise-cancelling headphones.
Here’s our guide on how to combat noise pollution outside your home, and how we can help.
Install Double Glazing
When noise penetrates the home, it’s often through your windows and doors. Double glazing has been an adept solution to increasing noise pollution for years, with its two sealed panes of glass limiting the sound waves that can enter the home.
If you already have double glazing but you’re experiencing more external noise inside your home, it’s worth checking whether your windows and doors need resealing. Any tiny gaps in the sealing can result in a significant increase in noise without you noticing the source of the in the first place.
These gaps also allow cold external air to enter your home, invalidating the energy efficiency benefits of your double glazed windows – and leading to an increase in your heating bills.
If you don’t yet have double glazing, it’s the best option for keeping noise out of your home. It will also reduce your energy bills, as the insulating effect keeps warm air inside.
If you’re interested in installing or repairing your double glazing, our experts at Cloudy2Clear can help. Our double glazing professionals offer a variety of services from double glazing replacement and door repairs, to soundproofing and noise reduction. This specialist soundproofing service helps to keep your home free from outside noise, as our talented engineers get to work replacing any faulty double glazing and seals.
Dampen the Sound
There are furniture and fixtures that can help dampen the sound going on outside of your home. You probably already have most of what you need to dampen the sound a little – it’s just a case of rearranging things.
Soft furnishings are a great option that reduce the frequency with which sound waves can penetrate your room. Thick rugs are popular choices to enhance comfort in rooms you relax in, but they can also soften the noise. You can also fit sound insulating curtains for your windows and doors, ensuring any gaps in the frames don’t let so much noise through.
Placing large furnishings along a shared wall with neighbours that the noise is seeping in through can reduce the volume of the sound. Try rearranging your bedroom so the wardrobe fits along the attached wall, or organise your living room so the sofa works to dampen the sound from next door.
Make Your Voice Heard
Noisy neighbours can be the source of the distracting sounds you’re hearing within your own home. Barking dogs, DIY projects, and loud music are just a few of the constant sounds that can disrupt your home life. The first step is to discuss the noise levels with your neighbours. See if you can convince them to keep quieter during the hours you’re working or sleeping.
The government website can help you with what to do if you’d like to report a noise issue to your local council. Just enter your postcode and you’ll be redirected to your local city council website, where you can take further action to report noise nuisances. It’s helpful to record a diary of the noise occurrences, detailing the time, date, duration, and nature of the noise. This will help the council decide whether you have a case.
If they fail to adjust their disruptive behaviour and you have reasonable grounds to do so, you can eventually take disruptive neighbours to court. Doing this provides a formal complaint that demonstrates you’ve made a significant effort to communicate with them in reducing the level of noise they’re making.
Sometimes, the noise pollution you’re experiencing is beyond your control. If you live near congested city areas or lots of traffic, it’s near impossible to fix the issue by complaining. In these cases, try our other noise pollution reduction tips – such as installing double glazing.
Invest in Earplugs
Earplugs are a cheap yet effective way to block out external sound. Despite this, they’re not great for if you’d like to listen to your own music or watch TV without distractions. Another alternative is to purchase noise-cancelling headphones – yet again, these cancel out all the noise you’re surrounded by, not just the noise from outside your home.
The most effective way to reduce noise pollution in your home is to deal with the source of the problem. Earplugs, dampening the sound, and talking to your neighbours can help, but your ineffective windows and doors might be the best problem to fix.
Reduce Noise Pollution with Cloudy2Clear
At Cloudy2Clear, we’re the experts in optimizing your home environment with the use of double glazing solutions. If you’re experiencing noise pollution within the home, double glazing helps to insulate the home from sound with dual layered glass.
There are further options that can reduce noise, such as acoustic glass – specially engineered to block sound waves. Whichever option you choose, our double glazing installation services provide the perfect noise pollution reduction results at competitive prices.
To find out about how we can help soundproof your home, get in touch with our team on 0800 61 21 119. We’ll discuss your free quote and answer any questions you may have about our services. You can also fill out our online contact us form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
