The main sources of noise in the apartment
In order to protect your home from annoying noise that interferes with a good rest, you need to know where it comes from, otherwise you simply cannot completely get rid of it. For example, by eliminating noise from neighbors, you will continue to hear street noise, which will still create discomfort. So, extraneous sounds entering the apartment can be classified into the following types of noise:
- Street sounds. Life in a big city is accompanied by constant noise both during the day and at night. Often it is impossible to hide from him even in his own home, as the sounds of honking cars, the rumble of the crowd, the screams of children playing on the playground and other hearing irritants penetrate into it, interfering with a quiet pastime or concentration on household chores.
- Noise from neighbors. Loud music, the sound of moving furniture, the creaking of neighbors' floors or the barking of their pets - all this can turn being in your cozy nest into a real test that only those with steely patience can endure.
- Noise coming from the entrance. Often, residents of high-rise buildings hear the sound of opening doors, the conversations of people in the stairwell, the noise of the elevator, and much more. All this also has a negative impact on the home environment, preventing the household from relaxing and resting.
So, as it turned out, there are various sources of penetration of extraneous sounds into the apartment, which means that the ways to eliminate them should be different. Read more about this below.
Noise in the apartment 6 ways to reduce
Home is a place where we rest and restore our inner balance. If you are constantly distracted by the noise of cars, you are disturbed by the screams of your neighbors or the clatter in the stairwell, you can safely state problems with soundproofing. Reliable protection against extraneous external stimuli must be considered at the repair stage. For these purposes, all surfaces are finished with soundproof materials. However, due to many factors, not everyone can do this (for example, when the apartment is rented or bought on the secondary market).
We will share with you tips and tricks on how to significantly reduce the negative impact of noise without undertaking complex and costly repairs.
Tip #1: Arrange furniture along the wall.
Proper placement of furniture significantly affects the sound insulation in the room. A tall wooden cabinet, for example, is an excellent noise barrier if placed as close to a wall as possible. When your bedroom borders on the neighboring living room, the bed must be placed on the opposite side or provided with a massive headboard made of wood or dense material.
Tip number 2. Choose plastic windows wisely.
Outdated or low-quality window structures can safely let in noise from a nearby highway or animal walking area. Their replacement with high-quality certified double-glazed windows and profiles from well-known manufacturers will make you feel a tangible difference. For the best effect, it is necessary to choose designs with thick external glasses and increased soundproofing properties. Reduces sound resonance also combinations of glasses of different thicknesses and at different distances from each other.
Tip #3: Use blackout curtains.
Double curtains or thick curtains will be an additional tool in the fight against noise. This is a great option for the bedroom, because such a decorative element will not only make the room quieter, but also save you from drafts, heat and bright sunlight. Curtains can be made from velveteen, jacquard, linen, velvet or brocade.
Tip #4: Check all outlets.
In panel houses, ordinary sockets often become a source of extraneous sounds, since the openings for them are made through. You can remove this drawback with the help of asbestos fabric or mineral wool, which should be put into the socket socket. The remaining gaps are sealed with cement and treated with silicone sealant. Polyurethane foam for this operation is not suitable due to its flammability.
Tip #5: Choose a nice fluffy rug.
Hardwood floors are more effective than thin flooring at preventing noise from below. A carpet with a long pile laid on top will not only make the room cozy, but will also allow your baby to “painlessly” play without annoying the neighbors below.
Tip number 6. Take care of the gardening of the room.
Any plant absorbs sound perfectly. Placing them near windows or external doorways, you will make the interior much more spectacular, bringing peace and tranquility to it.
Also read:
The rule of the "golden section" in the development of interior design High-tech interior: features, guidelines for implementation Anti-slip porcelain tiles: advantages, scope
The impact of noise on the human body
The human body reacts differently to different levels of noise. The longer a person is exposed to noise, the more negatively it affects physical and mental health.
✘ Prolonged exposure to noise, the level of which is 68 - 92 dB, causes certain diseases of the nervous system. The fact is that sounds that are undesirable and unpleasant for the human ear negatively affect the autonomic and central nervous systems. Getting through the fibers of the auditory nerves, noise irritation is transmitted to these nervous systems. Then it begins to actively influence the internal organs, which negatively affects the functional state of the human body and leads to significant adverse changes. The mental state of a person worsens, he becomes restless and lost.
✘ A person who is systematically exposed to the negative effects of noise has to spend 15-25% more mental and physical effort to maintain the level of output that was achieved with noise of 65-70 dB and below.
✘ Noise negatively affects the autonomic nervous system, regardless of how it is subjectively perceived by the person himself. The most common vegetative reaction of the body to the constant influence of noise is the narrowing of the capillaries of the mucous membranes and skin, which leads to a violation of the peripheral circulation.
✘ If the noise level exceeds 84 - 88 dB, then a person's blood pressure may increase.
✘ Affecting the central nervous system, noise causes biochemical changes in brain structures.
✘ If a person is constantly exposed to the negative influence of noise, then his visual-motor reactions slow down, the mobility of nervous processes and the bioelectrical activity of the brain are disturbed, the electroencephalographic parameters and biopotentials of the brain change for the worse.
✘ Noise activates the production of adrenaline, cortisone, norepinephrine, which are stress hormones. This process does not stop during the night rest. The higher the level of these hormones in the body and the longer they circulate through the circulatory system, the more serious physiological problems a person may experience in the near future.
✘ Noise levels of 110 dB or more cause hearing loss and can cause total deafness.
✘ Noise of 85dB and above negatively affects hearing sensitivity, resulting in a reduction at high frequencies. In the ear, changes occur that are irreversible.The longer a person is exposed to this level of noise, the more they begin to complain of malaise. A person has severe headaches, excessive irritability, dizziness, nausea. If the noise level is high and very high, then the hearing sensitivity of a person noticeably decreases after one or two years. If a person is affected by average-level noise, then hearing loss occurs almost imperceptibly. The fact that auditory sensitivity has decreased, a person learns only after 7 - 12 years.
✘ Night noise, the volume of which is 50 dB or more, causes many cardiovascular diseases. A street where traffic is not too intense at night produces exactly this level of noise.
✘ Noise of 40 - 44 dB can cause chronic sleep deprivation and insomnia.
✘ 34 - 38 dB (whisper sound) - it is this noise level that can cause a person to feel irritable and aggressive.
If a high noise level affects a person for a long time, then he may develop noise sickness. This disease is a complex of specific and non-specific symptoms that can be divided into subjective and objective.
Objective symptoms of noise disease are:
- decrease in acidity and negative changes in the functions of the digestive system;
- decreased hearing sensitivity;
- cardiovascular insufficiency;
- various disorders of the endocrine system.
Subjective symptoms of noise disease are:
- ear pain;
- ringing, squeaking, tinnitus;
- increased irritability;
- stomach pain;
- decrease and partial loss of memory;
- frequent dizziness;
- severe headaches;
- increased fatigue;
- lack of appetite.
Noise disease is not always treatable. Hearing cannot be completely restored, it can only be partially improved. To do this, you need to systematically treat yourself and stop staying in too aggressive noise conditions.
