For many of us, we have no choice but to sometimes live in a busy environment. That might be a loud and small apartment in the middle of the city, or a house that sits next to a highway. Whatever the case, excess noise can quickly turn into bouts of uncontrollable stress, and stress is one of the biggest causers of health issues.
Sometimes as much as we try, we can’t always get our neighbours to cut down on the amount of noise that they produce, which means we need to try and find alternative methods of cutting down on noise. Fortunately, this is fairly easy to do with the right materials and a bit of elbow grease.
Heavy Curtains
Windows are nothing more than a thin sheet of glass, and glass is not good at insulating the amount of noise that’s coming through it. Many people have blinds, and while blinds do work to a small degree, nothing quite compares to the effectiveness of thick curtains. Curtains make a potent sound blocker, and often serve to “blanket” the noise, making it more bearable. Keep in mind that curtains are not always the answer, and thicker curtains can cost a lot more, so finding a happy medium can be more of a tool in cutting down overall noise.
Acoustic Panels
On the more expensive side, acoustic panels are a sure-fire way of reducing surrounding noise drastically, while also blending in well with the environment around them. It’s important to remember that these kinds of panels are typically quite expensive to both buy and have installed, and are recommended for those that have had no luck in finding an effective method of drowning out loud noises, giving us the chance to catch up on series. These are the very best way of silencing a room or an entire house, and it makes an immediate and remarkable change.
Fill in Spaces
Sound is able to more easily travel around open spaces, which means that filling empty space up can reduce noise moving around the room or house. The easiest way to do this is by getting hold of wooden furniture, such as tables, chairs, and couches, and filling up as much empty space as possible. It’s not nearly as effective as the previous two entries, but it strikes a good medium, as it can be relatively cheap to get a hold of some furniture and fill the house with it.
Seal Any Openings
Sound is very easily able to move through any openings, whether that’s an open window or the crack at the bottom of a closed door. Many are surprised at just how much noise they are able to block out just by sealing up the openings around their doors. Putting down good weather stripping combined with a door sweep at the bottom makes a powerful combination for creating a barrier that sound isn’t able to get through quite as easily.