It is not uncommon for many of us to hear occasional noises through our neighbours walls, such as raised voices or perhaps music every now and again, and by and large the odd bit of noise does not cause too much of a problem or affect our quality of life. It is unusual however, to be disturbed by everyday household noises, such as those from televisions or other appliances, or perhaps even conversations at normal levels. This sort of noise pollution is particularly prevalent in terraced housing, many of which were constructed before more modern soundproofing techniques were available on the market, and can affect our quality of life – whether it’s causing us lack of sleep or simply disturbing the peace and quiet we expect to be able to experience in our homes after a hard day. Thankfully, there are a number of solutions available that make the soundproofing of properties quick and easy, with solutions for all manner of requirements, whether it's soundproofing walls or floors. Noise from terraced housing can often travel through the floor, particularly if houses share the same foundations and have a lot of under-floor space. Noise pollution through flooring is often prevalent in buildings which have been converted into flats and apartments also. The simplest solution to prevent noise from travelling through the floor is to install some acoustic underlay. Acoustic underlay can be laid down underneath carpet, laminate or wooden flooring, in much that same way that standard underlay would, and is easy to cut into the shapes and sizes required. In order to prevent unwanted noise coming through terraced walls, acoustic foam can often be installed in wall cavities. Acoustic foam is lightweight, and usually manufactured out of polyurethane, which allows it to be flexible. This foam attenuates sound waves, reducing the amplitude of any sound waves which come into contact with it. Acoustic foam is commonly supplied in sheet form, and can be purchased in a range of shapes and sizes to suit most structural requirements. There are a number of other areas around the home which also need to be looked at in order to successfully sound proof a building. It is possible for sound in terraced houses to travel through chimney cavities, fireplaces, attics and doors, although a desirable effect can often be achieved simply by insulating the alcoves either side of a fireplace or chimney stack. For doors allowing noise to bleed in, tailor-made soundproofed solutions are available.
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