How do I improve the soundproofing of my house?
A reader would like to reduce the amount of noise heard through the dividing wall of his semi-detached house. Chartered surveyor John Conlin advises.
A reader wants to know how to improve soundproofing in his semi-detached house, as he can hear the neighbours' noise
Question
We live in a 30-year-old semi-detached house and clearly hear the noise of our neighbours' normal day to day life (music, television, cooking pans etc) through the dividing wall and our neighbours similarly hear us. We are both looking for a co-operative solution. Any suggestion would be welcome.
Answer
Sound is vibration and although it might seem improbable you are hearing your neighbour’s noise because the dividing wall vibrates in response to noise within their house.
Sound proofing is now required in all new houses as part of Building Regulations. Retro soundproofing will never be perfect but can make a significant improvement.
Lining both sides of the dividing wall with acoustic plasterboard mounted on resilience battens and sealed around the outer edges (ceilings, floors and adjacent walls) with resilient gap tape should be a major improvement.
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