Until a few months back I was very happy with my old neighbors but when the new neighbors share the department, their annoying sound from subwoofers is exploding my anxiety. I feel irritated with the sound. So have you ever come across these kinds of people who disturb you with their subwoofer bass?
If yes, how to deal with the neighbors from the subwoofer sound? The easiest way to stop this sound is soundproofing the walls and windows. Any space or even an obstacle allows sound. In some cases, your household items can help but cannot soundproof the home. Soundproofing your home with the proper stuff within the budget is now possible.
In this article, I have covered how to stop the exasperated loud noise from the neighbor’s subwoofers and you will love the fact it just takes a single day to finish it. But before that let’s learn what are different sound waves that can pass through the walls and if you are living with the kids, you must know the technique.
[Related Article: How To Keep Bass In A Room: A Soundproofing Guide]How to deal with neighbors with subwoofers?
Every day will be a hectic day so if you are also living with the neighbors like I am living. It would be terrible if we went to imagine the actual noise that makes me angry. There could be some methods that I can crack up to stop these sounds from my neighbors. While I was searching for this on the internet I found the soundproofing stuff.
I was so curious and went deeper into the strategic plans the Internet page has. I was quite impressed with the explanation.
You can either tell them not to disturb you (of course, they won’t listen to you) and the second thing is to soundproof the room you want to block the sound from coming in.
Effect of Noise from Subwoofers
Generally, sound waves like to reflect. And that’s why we hear Echo sounds when you speak in an empty room. But not all sounds reflect some travels into the wall. If you hear the sound from another side through your wall, there could be some reasons like the wall material.
Sound is a mechanical vibration even though it’s invisible. It can vibrate your home products so far. A wall without fiberglass insulation and soundproofing stuff won’t stop the sound from traveling through the wall. The wall with these will transmit less sound.
Subwoofers make a lot of bass in the sound waves, and bass is a sort of physical vibration of sound. Bass is something that can make even a deaf man feel the vibration.
Getting rid of a normal sound and the sound that has vibrations are different than we think. Regular soundproofing stuff can block the average sound but it has to meet some techniques to block the bass sound. High fabric isolation can block the sound at a good level.
More than the sound from Subwoofer, it’s about low and high-level frequencies that pass through the wall, ceiling, and floor. Low-level frequencies can pass through brick and concrete. Here is the detailed guide on low-frequency sound transmission through walls (more technical).
Even if you drill several holes with 10mm diameter and cover them with metal pieces, you could expect the same blocking effect as there were no holes. I have even tested this placing mic in a room and speaker in another room and there is a wall in between.
Now it’s time to take action to block the annoying subwoofer sounds from neighbors.
Soundproofing the wall
First, study the wall you have in your room. If the wall is a stud wall, it needs soundproofing more than anything. Even brick walls also pass low-level frequencies. Drywalls could be an option for better sound blocking.
Before soundproofing the walls, here are some quick things you can do to cover the maximum space that can reduce the overall cost of soundproofing.
- Arrange the furniture that can block the sound from outside. People just drill some holes on walls but the wires that pass through holes leave some space that cannot be covered with concrete. In that case, moving furniture or placing bookshelves, closets, or other furniture helps you.
- If you are looking for a better solution, then you can try soundproof panels. You may think soundproof panels are expensive but they aren’t. Here is the best Soundproof panel I’ve found on Amazon that is cheaper than I thought.
Another cheap way to soundproof a wall is to cover the wall cracks and the gaps in the wall. You do not need any plumber to call on, you just need some materials like this Acoustic Caulk and you are good to go.
You can fix those cracks permanently using this acoustic caulk and can expect a long life. Below are some quick points to be noted before getting started:
- Clean the wall and double clean near the cracks and holes (that needs sealing).
- Consider buying a water-based material and choose the appropriate size before cutting.
- After applying the sealant, do not touch it for 48 hours. And now you are good to go.
Soundproofing Windows and door
When it comes to soundproofing windows, you can choose anyone between laminated and tempered glasses. But study the difference between these two glasses. Laminated glass is specially designed to block unwanted sounds from outside which is good for office uses.
If you need a soundproof environment in your home or in your room for better productivity, you could definitely try a laminated glass. Laminated glass consists of an extra layer as a barrier between the two thick glass sheets.
On the other hand, Tempered glasses are made for extra durability and life. Engineers designed tempered glass for better protection. However, tempered glasses are not that great as laminated glass in reflecting the sound.
When you look closer at the windows, you can find some tiny holes and gaps. Those gaps are the best entrance to travel the noise from the outside. As we said above, Acoustic caulk can be the best solution to fill out these gaps. Corners need extra attention and when to look closer, you may point out some thin cracks. In that case, this beautiful Weatherstripping tape can help you that is a thick foam tape.
Another option to soundproof your window is to use soundproofing curtains in front of the windows and doors too. These soundproofing curtains will separate any noise coming from outside.
Sometimes, people just don’t care about their door that needs soundproofing. Yes, doors play a major role allowing the sound inside even though the door is closed. So, adding solid core doors absorb sound better than hollow core doors. There is a difference of only $50 roughly per door in solid core and hollow core doors.
Also, you can soundproof your door by following ways:
- Use a door sweep
- Place a thick rug near your door
- Seal tiny holes and gaps of your door by using acoustic caulk
- Apply weatherstripping tape on your door
Blocking the gaps
Along with walls and windows, you must look at your floor too. As we said already, low-level frequencies can pass through the floor as well. Even though it isn’t a big deal, when a truck or heavy machine sound vehicle passes in front of your home, you can feel the vibration.
Cover as much as the floor you can with solid and thick carpets that absorb sound and noise. I got this beautiful and affordable Premium wood flooring underlayment from Amazon that helped a lot in figuring the sound through the floor. This could be a great barrier between you and the sound.
How much does it cost overall?
The cost depends on the materials and numbers of rooms you want to soundproof. Also, It may vary from place to place and the type of work.
Some soundproofing materials are so affordable if you follow some DIY steps that can reduce the overall cost. Soundproofing doors and windows can vary from $150 to $250 on an average for a single room without Labours (DIY). And If all factors are considered, it would go up to $350 to $500 with professional laborers.
