Sound insulation on my lil bungalow

[MK_Anthony]

Salutations!

 

Here's my story, it's sad but true...

 

I live in the little bungalow you see here on a busy urban street. There is a narrow footpath that runs past my bedroom window and is all that separates it from a busy road.

 

There is constant noise from pedestrians, school children (there is a school at the end of the road) passing traffic, and cars that constantly use the area outside my front door as the neighbourhood parking lot.

 

I can hear every car engine that drives past, I can hear it every time a car door slams shut, and can even hear every word as people walk past conversing with each other or on their phones. Further, the property is literally built in the neighbours' back garden, where their dog runs around barking frenziedly at every passer-by. So, I am experiencing a constant flow of noise for 15+ hours every day.

 

I brought up the noise issue with my landlord and he replied with the following;

"When the property was constructed it was built in solid brick with extra cavity wall insulation and then breeze block. We had this built to a high specification with extra installation to make it energy efficient. When we had this property air tested it was one of the highest passes the company had ever done. So it is built to the highest specification and very well insulated."

 

Also, the windows are double-glazed.

So, I wonder, why is the insulation so demonstrably ineffective at blocking out sound transmission??

 

[ProDave]

So you rent the bungalow?  there's not a lot you can do to change it is there?

[elite]

Identify weak points - probably windows and doors

 

Add mass - double layer of plasterboard or acoustic plasterboard

 

Renting will limit what you can do, so ultimately you might better looking to move if it is unbareable. You could possibly look at sound deadening curtains - heavier and more layers better, but obviously not as effective as adding mass

 

[Andehh]

Very few options I'm afraid. Thick curtains, ensure trickle vents are well sealed inside and outside (adhesive foam tape). 

 

Then something like the below, sleep with music or a good podcast on! 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/soft-headphones-sleeping/s?k=soft+headphones+for+sleeping

[SteamyTea]

I fitted secondary glazing (home made).  Made a big difference to sound levels.

Any small airhole will let a lot of sound in.  Much more than you would intuitively think.  There are different types of thermal insulation, and more importantly, different methods of fitting them.  Full Fill insulation is not always the best acoustically. 

 

Being 

10 hours ago, MK_Anthony said:

air tested it was one of the highest passes the company had ever done.

means absolutely nothing, what was the actual figure. Building regs seems to think that anything under 5 ACH@50Pa is exceptional, some on here have bettered that by a factor of 10 (almost).

Builders do not understand airtightness one bit.

 

Practical solutions is probably down to thick curtains to the floor (which will probably cover a radiator), thick carpets, and lots soft furnishings.

I used to go down your road some mornings, I don't remember the area being particularly busy but it was over 20 years ago and I ha usually left by 5AM (I was one of those annoying neighbours that left really early).