In a world that is only getting busier, louder and more active throughout the day and night, soundproofing has become an ever more important invisible part of our lives.
Many homes, offices and workplaces undergo sound test certification to ensure that they are safe for people to live and work in, as well as ensuring that productivity and quality of life are not disturbed in the long term.
The ability to effectively soundproof is actually surprisingly recent, and developments continue to be made to this day in a continuous race against a world increasing in volume.
The Five Principles Of Soundproofing
Soundproofing is the act or material used to stop sound from passing into and out of it, which depending on the nature of the material can be used for acoustic reasons, privacy concerns or quality of life.
In order to reduce the perceived volume of a sound wave, there are typically five basic principles that each have an effect.
· Distance – the further away a soundwave is to you, the less energy density it has and thus it sounds quieter.
· Damping – This is reducing the sound levels within a room either by using absorbing materials that deaden sounds or using materials that redirect sound waves away from a room.
· Decoupling – Separating a sound source from any connecting mass which stops sound waves from transferring directly from one source to another.
· Absorption – As well as being part of dampening, absorption also uses materials to capture and deaden resonant frequencies in a cavity, which is why a lot of insulation materials also work for soundproofing.
· Adding Mass – Dense, thick materials can help stop sound waves from entering or exiting a wall, ceiling or floor, often using multiple layers.
A Brief History Of Silence
A lot of principles for soundproofing were available in antiquity, but it would take until the middle of the 20th century for soundproofing technologies to truly develop, around the time that noise pollution from cars and aircraft was beginning to pose a serious health concern.
Initially, one of the earliest effective means of soundproofing was using sheet lead to block outside noise from getting into an enclosed space, albeit at considerable expense.
By the 1970s, a lot of early soundproofing systems were starting to be implemented, with thick carpeting providing a limited level of soundproofing, as well as foam padding, egg cartons and beanbags that each could provide some means to soundproof a room.
Another major innovation that significantly improved soundproofing in homes was the rise of double glazing, which through the principle of decoupling the two different panes of the window allowed for a marked reduction in exterior sound to go along with the improved insulation.
A lot of these changes came alongside regulations that enforced a minimal standard for noise control and regulation, both through building construction and through restrictions on noise levels that differ depending on location and time of day.
The earliest was the Noise Abatement Act 1960 in the UK, although until the rise of soundproofing technology its impact was relatively limited and the laws were difficult to enforce.
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