You’re wondering: is living in a duplex noisy? Don’t be; there are some things you can do about noise in a duplex. Here are some simple tips. Noise comes from walls and floors, but it shouldn’t be more than the average apartment complex noise. Also, you should avoid placing your television or furniture along the shared wall. If you can’t avoid noise, consider moving into a separate unit.
Noise
Living in a duplex can be a great choice if you don’t mind sharing a wall and a common space with your neighbor. Because you’ll only have to share one wall, there won’t be as much noise between your home and your neighbor’s. Depending on your landlord, you may even be able to get your mortgage paid in rent. But be aware of the noise from living in a duplex.
In order to minimize noise in your duplex, you’ll need to consider the different types of noise. Airborne and impact noise require different solutions, but there are several things you can do to minimize noise. Acoustic panels absorb and dissipate sound when impact hits them, while mass-loaded vinyl traps sound and reduces vibrations. Soundproofing insulation will reduce sound and help you maintain a regular lifestyle.
Soundproofing a duplex wall
When you live in a duplex, you may be wondering how to soundproof a wall. Since there is a common adjoining wall, you can’t completely shut out noise from the other side. You’ll need to take extra steps to prevent sound transmission, however. Insulation in walls and ceilings won’t fully block out noise, because they are made up of air and lack the mass and density needed to block sound.
The main place where sound escapes is through windows and doors. Because most doors don’t cover the space around the doorframe, there is a large gap where sound can escape. Similarly, the bottom part of a door is often a large gap for sound to escape. This means that you may be unpleasantly surprised when you walk through your home and hear loud noises.
Soundproofing a duplex floor
Depending on the noise that is coming into your apartment, soundproofing your duplex floor may be necessary. There are two types of noise that you need to deal with: airborne and impact. Airborne noise can be caused by television or radio broadcasts, and impact noise can come from footsteps, a bouncing ball, or drilling a hole in the wall. While the walls of a duplex may be soundproofed, the floor is not. You will need to take measures to make it soundproofed.
If you want to get rid of the noise, you can do a few simple things to make the floor less noisy. Depending on the size of your duplex, you can add batt insulation between the joists, or install a Soprema Acoustivibe drywall suspension system to decouple the ceiling structure. Make sure to fix the plywood before you install floor coverings.
Soundproofing a duplex ceiling
One of the easiest ways to improve noise in your home is by soundproofing the ceilings. The best way to do this is with mineral wool, which has an open fibrous structure. Sound waves that strike the material will be trapped, dissipating the energy as heat. You can also add mass to the ceilings to reduce vibrations and noise. The next best solution is to use acoustic panels.
Another method is to soundproof the walls. Insulation is a good solution for a noisy ceiling, but fiberglass is better than spray foam. In some cases, drywall is already decoupled from the ceiling. Installing resilient clips can also help you to reduce noise. They will isolate one side of the drywall from the other, and are ideal for homes that have an open ceiling plan.
