Browse Forums Windows & Doors Re: Noise from busy street, best/cost effective options? 3Jan 03, 2010 7:54 pm Heavy drapes will definitely help some, and sealing around the front door is easy - you just buy a roll of foam tape from Bunnings. Double glazing for your windows would be well worth investigating, if you can afford it. External roller shutters would be an alternative, if you can get past the ugly factor. Ear plugs for sleeping are actually a really good (and cheap) idea. I use them to block out my husband's snoring (which is much louder and closer than road traffic ) and the noise my eldest son makes coming home at 4:00am.... The hum or an air conditioner can be an effective way of disguising traffic and other noises, but there are other types of white noise that cost a lot less. A radio tuned between stations on low volume or a fan are just a couple of ideas I've read about. You can even download white noise MP3 files. If it's mainly sleeping that's the issue, is it possible to rearrange the way you use your rooms so you can have your bedroom at the back of the house? It might mean you end up with a smaller living room, but at least your sanity will be intact. Re: Noise from busy street, best/cost effective options? 4Jan 03, 2010 9:22 pm Cheers for the replies. Am strongly considering double glazing/secondary windows or just replacing 2mm glass with thicker (7mm or so) laminated glass. Roller shutters are out as I cannot get over their ugliness. Have been using a fan for white noise and works OK but not ideal. Not really considering ear plugs but then again noise is not that loud in bedroom. I am already using a smaller room in middle of house away from road, but noise is still traveling (and through side window of this room). Have realised that road out front is concrete and not asphalt and am researching if this makes things worse but if it does, probably not much to be done about it. Will seal the doors once I convert to solid doors and look into sourcing drapes. Thanks for the input. Re: Noise from busy street, best/cost effective options? 5Jan 03, 2010 10:33 pm kek Ear plugs for sleeping are actually a really good (and cheap) idea. I use them to block out my husband's snoring (which is much louder and closer than road traffic ) and the noise my eldest son makes coming home at 4:00am.... Except if you tinnitus....eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.... mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Noise from busy street, best/cost effective options? 6Jan 04, 2010 7:27 am miloolimm Have realised that road out front is concrete and not asphalt and am researching if this makes things worse but if it does, probably not much to be done about it. I remember driving on some old concrete roads some years back and the difference in road noise level as you crossed from one surface to the other was remarkable. I didn't know concrete roads still existed. Maybe you can complain to the council...or get a petition organised amongst your neighbours. to_do_list kek Ear plugs for sleeping are actually a really good (and cheap) idea. I use them to block out my husband's snoring (which is much louder and closer than road traffic ) and the noise my eldest son makes coming home at 4:00am.... Except if you tinnitus....eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.... /quote] Now, that would be nasty.... Re: Noise from busy street, best/cost effective options? 7Jan 06, 2010 11:33 am Planting a hedge out the front might help and it should be cheaper than a 1.8m brick wall. Double glazing should certainly help as will heavy drapes. Andy Re: Noise from busy street, best/cost effective options? 8Jan 06, 2010 11:51 am The first thing I would concentrate on would be the hollow doors and the windows. Just the ones facing the noise. See if that helps, then if you have any money left try some other options. I work in a very noisy office, it is adjoined by a steel workshop. Core filled besser blocks, double glazed insulated windows. Great! But Hollow door!!!! The door literally acts as a speaker noise comes from it and fills the room. We really need to spend a couple hundred and get a proper one. Re: Noise from busy street, best/cost effective options? 9Jan 06, 2010 6:23 pm I actually think roller shutters look fine Anyway, I guess that is a personal call - however, they are VERY effective for blocking out noise - we are shift workers and we have them on our front windows, including master bedroom, and makes it very quiet and dark (admittedly we are not on a main city road ) Re: Noise from busy street, best/cost effective options? 10Jan 07, 2010 12:04 am Have already bought some solid doors to replace the hollow ones. Not just the front door but some of the internal doors as well so if I am up late watching Tv, noise will not travel as much to bedrooms. Also there is a gap under the doors from removing the carpet and going with polished floor boards. Interesting comment about the hollow door acting as a speaker, the noise really does seem to boom through the front door into the hallway. And although I too am a shiftworker, I really would like to think I could avoid the roller shutter route. Horse for courses I guess. Re: Noise from busy street, best/cost effective options? 11Jan 07, 2010 10:12 pm Some fast growing shrubs on the fence line may also help to absorb noise, before it reaches the house. Edited to say, sorry just realised Andy suggested this in a previous post Recently moved to a 60's home in need of some improvement! http://s797.photobucket.com/user/leenii ... ch%20House Old house: http://s797.photobucket.com/albums/yy25 ... loo/House/ Re: Noise from busy street, best/cost effective options? 12Jan 11, 2010 11:14 pm Thanks for the suggestion of trees, however from research I have conducted on the web, trees are not very effective at blocking out noise. Apparently it is all about the density of whatever material you are putting up and making it a solid barrier so noise cannot bleed through. At least that is what the interweb is saying. We need to pave over the front yard anyway as the road is a clearway twice a day and we need somewhere to park and turn around to drive out (can be too busy to reverse car out onto), so a fenc as part of that may be feasible. I am starting to get a lot more used to it though after only three or four weeks now. Re: Noise from busy street, best/cost effective options? 13Jan 12, 2010 12:12 pm I used to live across the road from a busy railway station interchange. I too got used to the noise. The large cattle and coal haulers actually shook the block of units that I was in. The last home I lived in didn't have a pool and when i went to sell it the agents were not happy, even telling me to put one in to sell the place. The agents weren't happy… 2 4721 Hi all. I'm thinking of installing an electric gate in front of this street front villa (link below). The gate would be between the bush on the left and the letter box on… 0 3057 Thanks! I'm spoke to the builder I'm not sure if this is all true but basically went along the lines of they considered all options and if I was to compact and fill it… 2 7592 |