Noise pollution in the home is not only a nuisance, but it could hurt your health too. Traffic noise, airplanes, garbage trucks, leaf blowers, noisy neighbours and barking dogs can create a cacophony of annoying sounds that could interrupt your sleep or disturb your peace of mind. Noise pollution has been linked to fatigue, hearing loss, and in some cases, psychological problems. You can’t always change your environment to eliminate noise, but the good news is you can reduce sound pollution in your home by trying some simple tips.
Use rugs and carpets to absorb sounds
Hard floors may look good, but they also cause sounds to reverberate throughout your home. If you have hardwood, linoleum, concrete or tile floors, consider adding rugs to dampen sound. Carpet does a lot to muffle noise in your home, and cut-pile carpeting with its fuzzy top is particularly great for absorbing sound. A rug with foam-rubber backing can go a long way towards reducing noise pollution in the home, without requiring you to spend a lot of money.
Hang coverings on your walls
Bare walls can make sounds echo around a room. So if you have large empty walls, consider hanging wall coverings such as blankets or canvas paintings to soften and absorb some of the noise. If you share a wall with a noisy neighbour, you might suffer from their music or TV blaring through the wall. As well as wall coverings, you can also use furniture to block the noise. For example, a heavy bookcase filled with books will reduce the amount of sound audible through the wall.
Make sure your windows are sealed
Double glazed glass and properly sealed window frames are both reliable long-term solutions to help reduce noise pollution. Not only will double glazed windows keep out noise, but they’ll also reduce your energy costs as they’ll better insulate your home. However, home alterations like this can be costly if done after the construction of your home, so if you’re working with a smaller budget you may want to consider an external window covering such as aluminium roller shutters.
Mask the noise
It sounds counterintuitive to deal with noise by creating more noise. But if you can’t eliminate unpleasant sounds, you can cover them up with something more peaceful and calming. Try hanging wind chimes on your veranda or install a water feature in your garden to create tranquil noises throughout your home. If you need something more immediate (perhaps to cover up noises so you can sleep undisturbed), a fan or a white noise machine can help mask unpleasant sounds.
Install roller shutters
Roller shutters are a proven way to reduce noise levels from outside the home, because they create a barrier between your house’s windows and external noise sources. They also allow you to control the light and ventilation at the same time, whilst increasing security giving you maximum value for money. If you’re a shift worker or you have little ones who need to sleep during the day, roller shutters will help create a quiet, calm environment for the whole family to rest. The Polyurethane insulation inside each slat helps dampen noise from the external of the home, while the pocket of air between the slats and your window frame creates a sound absorption barrier,
Nu-Style Shutters is a Perth-based company specialising in professionally installed roller shutters and outdoor blinds. With over 20 years’ experience, Nu-Style Shutters can provide and install high-quality roller shutters that have been custom designed for the Australian climate. To find out more about how roller shutters can help reduce noise pollution in your home, call the Nu-Style team on 1300 798 776 or visit www.nustyleshutters.com.au
