Room treatment ideas for annoying external noises


big challenge is dealing with noises that come from outside the room.

Noisy landscapers from your neighbors, a dog barking, and inside from the refrigerator compressor buzzing all the time.

Anyone try to deal with these noises and how best to do it?? Thanks

emergingsoul

1) This is a structural sound transmission issue (AKA soundproofing, although there really is no such thing, just mitigation) so acoustical blinds, panels, diffusers are all simply wrong. Save those for where they are effective - in room acoustics.

2) Don’t ban leaf blowers, encourage landscapers to go all electric rechargeable. There’s still a whoosh, but no annoying 2-stroke noise.

Structural sound transmission mitigation has three basic rules - air leaks are sound leaks, gaps between vibrating components are a good thing and mass is your friend.

So start with the easy part, plugging any and all air leaks, including flanking noise (over the ceiling through the joist spaces is a good example), next pick your noisiest wall and add a layer (or two) of 5/8" sheetrock on resilient strips leaving a 1/8-1/4" gap all around. Fill the gap with flexible acoustical sealant. Seal all outlets and switches as well. Replace your doors with solid core door and add gaskets and sweeps on the bottom.

Inside, you can also replace an existing simple partition wall between your listening room and the kitchen or a bedroom with a stagger-stud wall (2X4s on a 2X6 plate, with studs on one side offset 8" so there’s no contact between inside and outside) between rooms, and finish with 1/2" sheetrock on one side and 5/8" over OSB sheathing on the other using acoustical adhesive to create a constraining layer, floating the sheetrock on resilient strips and sealing as above. Replace all windows with triple glazing. You could install a third layer of glazing inside the existing windows, but be prepared for fogging and condensation in most climates. As for adding mass, rock cladding, concrete, etc. can help, but are obviously very expensive.

And sometimes, starting over with a dedicated listening space in mind is the only answer.