Noise Pollution

Often overlooked the environmental impact is an important consideration when choosing insulation.

20
Jul
2016

Should I Buy A New House If I Want Good Sound Insulation?

If the predicted fall in house prices becomes a reality following Britain’s exit from the EU, it may soon be a good time to go out looking for property at reduced prices. However before you do have you considered how good the sound insulation is?

Few people think about noise until it becomes an irritation after moving in. By this time it is usually too late too late to change your mind and you will be left with two options, move house or install sound insulation.

There are many factors of course which can cause excessive levels of noise entering your home. Age of the property can be a big factor in this. Older houses will usually lack the modern sound insulation you get in new houses unless someone thought to install it beforehand.

So if noise could be a problem for you, then buying a new house could be a better option in this regard. The problem is new houses generally cost more than the equivalent older property so you will be paying an extra premium anyway.

One way to solve the dilemma of buying new or old is to weigh up how much you will need to invest in sound insulation and other alterations to bring a house up to today’s standards.

Posted by admin in Home Insulation, Metropolitan Insulation, Soundproofing
11
Jul
2016

How Can I Reduce Noise Using Environmentally Friendly Materials?

This is a question that is often asked about sound insulation when people are concerned about the types of materials used.
The good news is technology has come a long way in recent years towards making materials that are kinder to the environment and less expensive to produce. There is also a growing movement towards using wholly natural materials, though their potential when compared to the equivalent man-made products are questionable when they can end up costing more.

One of the best ways to reduce noise in larger properties is to fit a green roof. It is no coincidence that we are starting to see more and more green roofs when there are some obvious advantages.

From a sound insulation point of a view, a green roof can reduce interior sound levels by as much as 40 decibels, which makes it ideal for buildings where peace and quiet is important such as university buildings.

A green roof also provides excellent thermal insulation which saves on heating costs as well as a home for wildlife. A green roof can be installed on most buildings and it can be combined with other sound insulation materials to create a greener environment.

Posted by admin in Environmentally Friendly Materials, Home Insulation, Noisy Neighbours, Soundproofing, Soundproofing Commercial Property
29
Jun
2016

Survivors UK Commercial Property Soundproofing

We have successfully completed the design, build and installation of soundproofing at Survivors UK in Wapping.

This project involved taking down a side of external walls and dividing walls for the purpose of improving acoustic integrity and privacy in a highly sensitive environment. We also sealed existing fire doors without having to replace these, with acoustic/ smoke seals.

The system we used was the MetroSoundGuard system for the walls. This combines reduction for airborne and impact noise aswell as giving it high thermal conductivity. The result has been another outstanding bespoke solution in the City.

Airborne conversation has been reduced to a whisper and the clients are delighted with the results. Once again Metropolitan demonstrate they can deliver ‘sound’ solutions for your commercial and domestic needs/property.

Posted by admin in Commercial Property, Metropolitan Insulation, Soundproofing, Soundproofing Commercial Property
25
Jun
2016

How To Reduce Noise From Upstairs Flats

Living in flats often means putting up with noise from neighbours above if you happen to live on lower floors. There are times however when noise such as footsteps, and the sound of TVs can become unbearable. At this point you may be wondering what can I do about it?

First of all, if you flat or apartment is part of a block, then the first thing to do if your property is leasehold is to check that there is any provision for quiet enjoyment. If it is mentioned in the terms of the lease that flat owners fit carpet and underlay, then this will usually be enough to win any case which goes to court.

Before things get that far, it will need the involvement of either the freeholder or management company in any legal action which may not always be as easy as it sounds.

If there is no provision for noise from people walking above you or having their TV too loud then you can go to the local authority, however this can be particularly slow and time consuming.

If there appears to be no prospect of fighting your case without big legal bills, then acoustic insulation slabs fitted inside your ceiling cavities could be the answer. This option will require professional installation but at least it will reduce those annoying sounds to a minimum.

Posted by admin in Home Insulation, Metropolitan Insulation, Noisy Neighbours, Soundproofing
15
Jun
2016

How To Combat Noise From Within

When people talk about sound insulation they often refer to noise from the outside like street noise, cars and noisy neighbours but in the modern world there is likely to be just as much if not more noise coming from within the home.

So here are some practical solutions to making your home quieter.

Open plan living and hard flooring are just two aspects of the modern home that have conspired to create noisy environments in the very places we go to get away from noise. Of course noise in the home isn’t avoidable altogether but there are a lot of ways to balance out the extra light and space with good sound insulation techniques.

Flooring is one area to start particularly if you are planning to open up a space by knocking out a wall. Opt for flooring that helps reduce noise such as vinyl. Higher quality brands are particularly effective at helping to reduce noise compared to hard wooden floors or stone tiles.

Introducing a rugs or textured wallpaper can help reduce noise to a small degree in the home and even a painting or two can add to the insulating effect. One of the most effective changes you can make is fitting acoustic panelling which is often included in office designs but can just as readily be used in the home.

Posted by admin in Home Insulation, Metropolitan Insulation, Noisy Neighbours, Soundproofing
10
May
2016

Reasons Not To Ignore Soundproofing In Your Hotel

One of the big priorities for guests staying in hotels is peace and quiet but how many large hotels pay attention to all aspects of their comfort?

Comfy mattresses, supportive pillows and corridor acoustics are one thing but when it comes to true peace and quiet, it is important to make sure outside noise is kept to a bare minimum or removed altogether.

The main areas of a room where noise can be reduced are the walls ceilings and floors. While most hotels pay some attention to soundproofing walls, many don’t consider their floors. If it’s a period hotel the problem of sound coming through creaky floorboards can be even worse.

Staying in this type of hotel can soon result in the charm of that old building wearing off when you are forced to endure the sound of noisy guests arriving late in the night.

Hardwood flooring can be much more attractive and easier to clean than carpet but unfortunately it isn’t great for soundproofing. Carpet with good quality underlay can be an important part of overall soundproofing in hotel rooms because they reduce noise from foot steps and things being moved around.

Customers are only to happy to complain about noisy hotel experiences online today. So make sure you do all you can to at least give them a quiet room.

Posted by admin in Construction, Metropolitan Insulation, Soundproofing
21
Apr
2016

Soundproofing For Musicians – Advice From A Rock Legend

A teenage heavy metal band from Cornwall had a letter of support from rock legend and former member of Nirvana Dave Grohl who supported their pleas to be allowed to practice their music in their garage.

The involvement of such a high profile figure in the music industry should make the local council think again about allowing the band to continue to make music. If it doesn’t, the issue does at least highlight how difficult it can be to insulate your home in a way that prevents noise from escaping and bothering your neighbours.

Aspiring musicians can often be the cause of noise complaints and lack of any space to practice can put people off if they are unable to get in some regular practice. Finding that space is increasingly difficult these days, as houses are built closer together but there is plenty you can do to minimise noise as advice on the Foo Fighters website suggests.

However some of the advice sounds like it could make matters worse for the people trying to play music inside. Fulling walls with sand and stacking mattresses against the door may not be the best solutions.

Why not ask about our affordable sound insulation solutions? At least you can be confident that we will fit soundproofing of the highest standard to help clear your path towards music stardom.

Posted by admin in Home Insulation, Metropolitan Insulation, Noisy Neighbours, Soundproofing, Soundproofing for musicians
20
Apr
2016

Installation at a property in Finchley

Meticulous preparation prior to sound insulation install at property in Finchley. The airborne noise being the issue in this instance.

The job was carried out in one day with no mess whatsoever and the client was happy.

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Posted by admin in Construction, Home Insulation, Metropolitan Insulation, Noisy Neighbours, Soundproofing
12
Apr
2016

Practical Advice To Combat Noisy Neighbours

It’s no fun living next door or underneath noisy neighbours but there is a lot you can do to reduce noise from people walking around above you or walking up and down stairs.

If you want your home to be a calm oasis, then you have got to seize the initiative and tackle noise before it spoils your quality of life.

To combat noise, first you need to understand it. The sounds you hear coming from next door are vibrations that are able to pass through walls and ceilings into your home. So the first thing to do is add materials that will help reduce vibrations such as carpet.

This alone won’t eliminate noise of course, you will also need to soundproof your walls and this is where it gets more complicated. Fortunately there are plenty of products available that can be added to your walls to help with insulation and lead to a reduction in the transfer of noise.

A more radical solutions will involve removing the connection between the wall or ceiling on your neighbour’s side and your wall. This will help create a barrier that will further reduce the transfer of sound.

There is even the possibility of adding your own white noise, which will help drown out more annoying noise coming from next door.

If you are keen to reduce noise from neighbours why not give us a call to see how we can help?

Posted by admin in Home Insulation, Metropolitan Insulation, Noisy Neighbours, Soundproofing
08
Mar
2016

How To Avoid Buying A Noisy Home

One of the best ways to reduce the cost of insulating against noise is not to buy a noisy home in the first place. This might sound obvious but many of the signs of a noisy house or flat can be missed, particularly if you are distracted by how nice it looks.

If it’s an apartment you are looking for, try and go for the top floor in a development because living at the top means you don’t have any noisy neighbours above you. The problem is the top floor is usually a penthouse and this will probably be double the price of those apartments on lower floors.

If it’s a house you are looking for, avoid living next to schools, universities and colleges. Not only will you have noisy children on the playground to contend with in the case of the former, but also the twice daily rush of parents in 4x4s desperately trying to park as close to the school gates as possible. You should also avoid buying a house on a flight path, next to a bus depot or a busy railway line.

It might also be a good idea to visit the area of the home you intend to buy at different times of the day and on weekends. The noise levels could be very different depending on when you see the most activity in a given area.

Posted by admin in Construction, Home Insulation, Soundproofing