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December 15, 2023
Busy street noise is one of the most obvious and most frustrating forms of noise pollution. From honking cars to construction, road noise can be absolutely maddening. If you live in an urban area, street noise can even interfere with your sleep and ability to concentrate. Keep reading for the best ways to block out traffic noise.
Quick, Temporary Ways to Reduce Road Noise
Figuring out how to stop road noise may seem like a hopeless endeavor, but it doesn’t have to be. Fortunately, there are several ways to reduce traffic noise and other noises from the street. When living in a rental accommodation that doesn’t allow permanent changes, you may need to get creative with soundproofing your home. The following are a few quick, temporary ways you can reduce road noise in your home, whether that’s a house you own or a rental apartment:
1. Hang Curtains
A simple way to help reduce traffic noise in your home or business is to install curtains. Curtains will absorb and dampen noise that may come through your windows. Curtains made of dense, tightly woven material offer the greatest soundproofing. You could also hang a noise-dampening curtain over the door to create an even quieter environment.
2. Place Bookshelves Against Walls
If you have a lot of books, collectibles or knickknacks that you like to display, setting up some bookcases along the room’s outside walls can serve multiple purposes. Shelves give you an excellent way to proudly organize your items while also serving as a sound barrier that dampens noises from outside. This solution is temporary because you can move the bookshelves whenever you need to, making it ideal for people in apartments.
3. Use a Draft Stopper
Another way to reduce road noise without making a permanent change is by adding a draft stopper to the bottom of your doors. Blocking the gap at the bottom of a door prevents additional air from coming through, which means sounds outside the room won’t be as loud.
4. Spread a Carpet or Area Rug
You can help block out traffic noise in a bedroom or living room by putting down large carpets or area rugs. You could also place runners in hallways for more soundproofing throughout your home. The soft flooring components muffle the sound of foot traffic and noises from each room. Consider putting a thick rug over a thin one if necessary to increase the soundproofing — doing so adds more padding to the room, making it easier for the carpets to absorb more noise.
5. Decorate Walls With Tapestries, Canvas Art or Fabric
Even when you’re renting, you still have some freedom to decorate the apartment in your style. A fun way to soundproof your home while adding beautiful decorations is by hanging tapestries, canvas art or pieces of fabric on the walls. These additions will help absorb the sound from outside your place, making the inside of your apartment quieter.
Permanent, Reliable Solutions for Road Noise Reduction
If you’re the owner or have permission, you can make your home soundproof by permanently changing its features. With long-term solutions in place, you’ll enjoy continual noise reduction that takes up minimal space and requires little maintenance.
If you’re looking at ways to reduce traffic noise in bedrooms and other areas of your home on a more permanent basis, consider the following:
1. Change Your Windows
There are soundproof windows you can install to significantly reduce the amount of sound getting into your home from the street. These are essentially double-paned windows that are too difficult for most sound waves to get through.
2. Upgrade to Solid Doors
Much like windows, sound can also creep in through your doors. Worn-out seals or hollow doors provide very little soundproofing. Replacing your exterior and interior doors with solid wood or composite will help block out traffic noise. If new doors are outside of your budget, you can soundproof your existing doors instead.
3. Seal the Gaps
Most of the noise from the street that is plaguing you is airborne noise. Since airborne noise needs to travel through air, it stands to reason that if you block as many entry points as possible though which air enters your home, you will encounter less sound. Try filling any cracks or gaps in your walls with an acoustic sealant. We recommend ISO® Pro-Series® SC-175 Acoustical Sound Sealant. You can also use this sealant under the molding of your door to stop air from escaping that way.
For additional soundproofing protection as well as energy efficiency, add weather-stripping to your doors and windows.
4. Add Acoustical Panels
You can add sound blocking and sound dampening acoustical panels anywhere you feel that outside noise is penetrating to too great an extent. Soundproof Cow even has art acoustic panels that allow you to block sound with the art of your choice. Guests will not even realize the true function of the art hanging on your wall is to block noise from the outside!
How to Block Traffic Noise From Outside Homes
Your soundproofing efforts don’t have to end inside the house. There are several steps you can take to reduce road noise outside and make spending time on your patio or in the yard more enjoyable:
1. Use Nature
One way to block noise from the street is to get nature back on your side. There are many natural phenomena that block or blend sound. You just have to bring some of those to your home. Plant trees and shrubs around your home to isolate you from some of the noise, or you might even add a water feature to cover unwanted noise with the pleasant sound of running water.
2. Install a Fence
Installing a wood fence or stone barrier around your home is another option to help soundproof your property. While it won’t block all noise, fencing can help reflect and absorb sound waves. A solid fence with no gaps will provide the greatest noise reduction. Fencing that is tall and thick will also provide better soundproofing.
3. Landscape Downward With a Low Outdoor Living Space
If you have the means to renovate your home’s outdoor space, you might consider reestablishing it at a lower level than the nearby street. A sunken patio and a low-lying outdoor area will provide considerably more quiet for your home, as the surrounding ground and house will help block noise from the road while you’re in your backyard. Plus, you’ll benefit from even greater soundproofing with any furniture, plants and decorations you put on the patio.
Get in Touch With Soundproof Cow and Block That Street Noise Today
Allowing your days and nights to be tortured by the unending noise pollution of the street in an urban environment or near any busy road isn’t just unpleasant. It is unhealthy, too. Get your focus and concentration back and start enjoying a good night’s sleep again by contacting Soundproof Cow for street noise control solutions today.
AuthorAbout Kellen Beaver
