Did you know excessive noise can cause severe health issues, including hearing loss, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep disorders and stress? Reducing noise pollution is essential in increasing your home’s comfort and livability. Here are some ways to make your home a quiet place.
What’s noise pollution?
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines noise pollution as anything over 65 decibels (dB). Cities produce many types of noise pollution that can infiltrate your home, including:
Vehicular traffic. Car horns and alarms produce noise levels of 90 dB and a bus of 100 dB.
Air traffic. A single plane can produce noise levels of 130 dB.
Construction. Building construction and road work are constant noise producers. For example, a pneumatic drill produces up to 110 dB.
Hospitality businesses. Bars, restaurants, pubs and clubs, especially with outdoor patios or terraces, can be significant noise polluters.
Animals. Barking dogs can produce chronic noise levels of 80 dB.
Garden equipment. Lawnmowers, trimmers and chainsaws are loud machines that produce noise levels over 90 dB.
4 steps to reduce noise in your home
It’s impossible to eliminate outside noise from entering your home. Still, there are ways you can reduce noise levels and their adverse health effects.
1. Hang heavy curtains. Curtains and drapes made from rich fabrics absorb outside noise before it enters your interior space. For instance, use heavy velvet and velour fabrics to deaden noise and give your room a luxurious look.
2. Use carpets or rugs. Hard surfaces reflect noise. Therefore, fill your home with soft surfaces like area rugs and carpet tiles to dampen noise levels. You could also hang colourful rugs and canvas paintings on your walls.
3. Get some house plants. Plants improve your home’s air quality and refract and deflect sound. Try placing a few potted plants in strategic areas of your home where most of the noise enters.
4. Replace your windows and doors. Windows and doors are the least soundproof parts of your home. They allow noise to pass through the panes and cracks and crevices in the frames. Replacing your windows with high-efficiency, triple-glazed ones can significantly reduce the amount of noise entering your home. Triple-glazed windows can also vastly decrease your energy bills.
Triple-glazed windows in Ottawa
At Canadian Comfort Windows & Doors, we carry triple-glazed windows from North Star, designed with Super Spacer® technology to block unwanted noise. We also have a wide selection of Entryguard doors for maximum security and sound protection. Moreover, from now until July 31, 2022, you can get a free upgrade to triple-glazed windows. Contact Canadian Comfort Windows & Doors in Ottawa today to take advantage of this limited-time offer.