Sound Insulation for New Homes
What is Sound Insulation?
Sound insulation is the same as thermal insulation. However, it is installed with a different intention: as a sound barrier instead of a thermal barrier. In the same way that thermal insulation can slow the transmission of heat between indoor and outdoor spaces, sound insulation can reduce the amount of sound transmission between rooms and floors inside of a home.
Why is Sound Insulation Important?
Too much sound transmission between floors and rooms can cause discomfort and annoyance in a home. If the laundry room is butted up against the bedroom of your light-sleeping child, that child may have difficulties sleeping through the night when the laundry machines are running. If you have a group of rambunctious children who love to play with their dog in the basement playroom- which just happens to be underneath the master bedroom- then having an insulated floor system could be the difference between a relaxing bedroom sanctuary and forcing your kids to play outside so you can take a nap.
The Different Types of Sounds and How to Deaden Them
But first, a disclaimer: This is not a deeply scientific article. Rather, this article outlines a few good “rules of thumb” to capture and speak to most scenarios. With that in mind: There are two main types of sound, generally speaking:
-Sound that travels through air, like loud music or people talking in the room next to you.
-Sound that travels through structures, like boots on the floor above you, or someone knocking at your door.
Sound that Travels through Air
There are many options when it comes to deadening sound that travels through air. For wall systems, we recommend one of the best sound insulation materials for interior walls- fiberglass. Specifically, a 3.5” fiberglass batt- this is where you get the most ROI and diminishing returns have yet to set in. For floor systems, we recommend a 6” fiberglass batt. The Cadillac version of both of these systems is to install either blown-in fiberglass or mineral wool batts.
Sound that Travels through Structures
Structural sounds between floors are a little trickier to manage. In addition to a layer of insulation or something similar installed as explained above, you might consider adding metal furring (which are thin metal channels) that run perpendicular to the joists. Installing furring forces the sound to pass through several layers- the furring itself, the joists, the insulation (if installed), and the drywall- before it gets to you. This application deadens the sound. Another option is to install two layers of drywall on ceilings or walls. This has a similar effect to the furring- it complicates a sound's path to you.
Keep in mind that it is nearly impossible to “soundproof” a home. Our goal is to make the path that sound has to travel to get to you so difficult that by the time it does reach you, the sound either doesn’t bother you or you can’t hear it.
How much does Sound Insulation Cost?
The beautiful thing about sound insulation is that you can cherry-pick exactly which walls and floors get insulated and which type of insulation to use. Being specific about your needs will ensure that you get the most effective system for the lowest cost. Here are some great questions to kickstart this process:
Which areas of the house will naturally generate the most noise?
Which areas of the house do I wish to keep quiet?
Do I, or do members of my household, have particular noise sensitivities that need to be insulated for (like the laundry room scenario above) or against (your father-in-law in the next bedroom who snores every night)?
How important is sound privacy to me? Where do I want sound privacy?
Am I more concerned about sounds that travel through air or structures?
Sound-insulating a wall in your home could cost as little as $100. Keep in mind that while it is cheap to consider sound insulation before drywall goes up, it is significantly more difficult and expensive to install after the fact. Our estimate assumes that sound insulation is installed at the same time as exterior wall insulation during the build of a new house. Long story short: Invest in your comfortability now.
Thermal Shop
Thermal Shop has ample experience designing sound insulation systems and installing them. For example, Jacob Heffernen- Thermal Shop’s founder and President- installed an extensive sound insulation system in his personal residence. He decided on a mix of mineral wool batts in all interior walls and blown fiberglass between floors.
To see this sound insulation for yourself, check out this youtube video.
Thermal Shop is here to help you with any and all sound-insulation projects. To get your questions answered and your individualized bid started, reach out to projects@thermalshop.com today.
Mineral Wool batts dampen sound transmission between living room (pictured) and master suite (behind).
Mineral Wool batts (left wall) dampen sound transmission between the main basement area (pictured) and bedroom. Blown fiberglass (ceiling) deadens sound transmission between living room (above, where hard vinyl plan flooring will be installed) and basement.
