Acoustic Insulation – Why Do You Need It?
In a building, acoustic insulation helps to reduce and stop the sound transfer. This may be from one floor to another, one room to another, or from one hotel room or apartment to another. Sound is of two types. Sound produced due to impact is impact sound. It is felt and also heard like a door shutting, the spinning of a washing machine on a kitchen floor, or footsteps on a staircase. The sound that is heard is airborne sound like music, a conversation, or the TV. Sound passage through walls and floors is flanking transmission. It is needed to identify and eliminate these sound paths before fitting the suitable insulation system. Often flanking transmission is a problem in new buildings, and particularly in refurbishments, where it may not be possible in altering the building structure for reducing flanking transmission.
Acoustic Insulation and Sound Control
Different ways and means are there for the effects of impact and airborne sounds to be reduced. For separating floors, acoustic flooring can be used. It provides more sound control. Depending on the extent of usage of the room and how noisy it is, different kinds of acoustic flooring are there. A landing or staircase will require various kinds of acoustic flooring compared to a dining room or a living room. Resilient panels and bars can be used for improving sound isolation of ceilings and walls. There can be a difference to the kind of sound control needed depending on whether the room is in an office, a flat, or a hotel.
For any building work it is important to consider acoustic insulation and sound control. Government legislations state the levels of permitted noise, and the ways and means to control the noise. It has been stated by UK Building Regulations that noise is a safety and health issue, and it is the right of people to be at home without noise being a threat to their health. This includes resting and sleeping. Different regulations are there that govern new refurbishments and buildings in terms of controlling sound. For refurbishing an old building, or changes made to your own home, hotel, or office, different kinds of sound reduction products may need to be used than if you were building a new office, home, or hotel.
Testing your Building
Your building needs to be tested depending on what kind of sound control products you use. Pre Completion Testing (PCT) applies to many refurbishments and buildings, and is needed that the refurbishment or building is tested for compliance with the local government building regulations. If the products exceed or meet the standards that PCT require, then PCT is not needed.