Adding insulation to your Tulsa home can help lower energy bills by reducing the escape of cooled or heated air. But can insulation soundproof your home, too? It can help!
If your home or building is located in a noisy area, proper insulation can help reduce noise from outside to some extent. The bigger impacts, though, might be inside the home. Proper insulation can help dampen noise from flowing water and HVAC ducts. Air sealing can also help reduce noise transmission from inside and outside the home.
Do All Types of Insulation Reduce Noise?
Insulation reduces the transmission of sound from one area by creating a barrier that absorbs vibrations between the sources of the noise and surrounding areas. However, not all types of insulation reduce outside noise. Blown-in fiberglass and spray foam insulation are great choices if you are interested in the soundproofing benefits of insulation. These types of insulation reduce outside sounds as well as sounds between different levels of your home. Fiberglass can be installed in walls, floors and ceilings.
On the other hand, reflective insulation such as radiant barrier works by reflecting radiant heat from the sun. It’s installed in the attic, right under the roof, which keeps your home comfortable (but doesn’t act as a sound barrier at all).
Insulation and Sealing Checklist for Noise Reduction
Here’s a handy checklist of steps your home building, general contractor, or insulation and air sealing contractor can take to reduce noise transmission and improve noise absorption:
- Install acoustic ceiling panels.
- Insulate HVAC ducts with fiberglass flex ducts or by wrapping ducts with fiberglass insulation.
- Insulate walls that contain drainpipes.
- Ask your home builder to seal under all wall bottom plates.
- Seal openings around ceiling fixtures so they are airtight.
- Reduce impact sounds by installing thick carpeting and padding.
- Caulk around windows and use weather-stripping at the bottom of your exterior doors to reduce noise from outside.
- Install solid wood or mineral core doors.
- Install double-pane or triple-pane windows to reduce sound transmission from outside.
- Use draperies and wall hangings to absorb sound from within the house.
- Replace old, outdated appliances with new, quieter appliances.
- Caulk holes made by electrical wiring.
- Avoid installing large windows facing noisy areas.
Insulation Installation in Tulsa, OK
Adding insulation to your house or building can not only help improve overall comfort while reducing energy bills, but it can help reduce surrounding noises, too.
At Installed Building Products Tulsa, we can help you choose the perfect insulation material for your budget and needs.
If you have questions, call 918-518-0750918-518-0750 or fill out a contact form today!
