5 DIY Soundproofing Techniques for Your Rental Home

Dealing with noise whether from neighbours or the environment has its challenges, especially while living in a rental home. Any unwanted noise such as loud music, the sounds of your neighbour drilling holes in the walls, barking dogs, bursting exhaust pipes and screeching tires from passing cars, and construction noise can disrupt your peace and affect your day-to-day wellbeing. Fortunately, there are soundproofing techniques that you can DIY to help cancel out the noise and create a quieter living space for you!

Assess the Noise Issue

Before you get started, you ought to assess your noise issue so you can apply the right solutions. Identify the sources of noise – loud music, loud conversations, noise from nearby traffic, thunder, as well as any structural vibrations. Getting to know your noise, where it comes from and how it affects you enables you to know which solutions to apply. 

5 DIY Soundproofing Techniques

Sealing Gaps and Cracks 

The first DIY soundproofing technique is to start sealing gaps and cracks in your rental home. Seal those gaps and cracks around doors, windows, and walls using weather stripping and caulking. Doing this helps to prevent sound from travelling through any openings thus preventing noise transmission. 

Adding Soft Furnishings

The second DIY soundproofing technique is to add soft furnishings around your rental home. You will do well to incorporate soft furnishings such as rugs, curtains, and upholstered furniture – like soft cushioned sofas – into your living space. Furnishings with soft materials are primed to absorb sound waves, which minimises echo and reverberation within a room. In a sense, it helps pad out the noise even more. 

Installing Soundproofing Materials

The third DIY soundproofing technique is to install soundproofing materials in your rental home. You ought to consider installing materials such as foam panels, acoustic tiles, or thick soundproof curtains. These products usually work to block noise from entering or leaving your home, ultimately creating a quieter environment. 

Rearranging Furniture

The fourth DIY soundproofing technique is to rearrange your furniture. Having gotten to know where the noise comes from helps you gain a better understanding of how to rearrange your furniture strategically. Arrange heavy furniture such as sofas, bookshelves, or storage units against walls closest to the noise source to act as sound buffers. This leads to the next technique.

Creating a Buffer Zone 

The fifth DIY soundproofing technique is to create a buffer zone in your living space. Much like the last technique, this technique involves strategic placement of your furniture to absorb and buffer out the noise. To do this, use bookshelves, storage units, and potted plants to create a buffer zone between your living space and the source of noise. This can look like putting potted plants by the balcony facing passing traffic and having bookshelves inside the room by the balcony’s entrance to reduce traffic noise. Having a buffer zone creates distance between yourself and the noise, reducing its impact.

Additional Tips for Noise Management

Here are some additional tips to manage noise in your environment:

1. Talk to your neighbours respectfully about any noise issues and cooperate to find solutions that benefit everyone. 
2. Establish quiet hours and avoid doing activities that may cause noise during those hours such as vacuuming or loud music. 
3. Use white noise machines or earplugs while sleeping to block out noise and get better quality of rest.

Safety Considerations and Landlord Approval

As a tenant, you ought to ensure that any DIY soundproofing techniques adhere to safety standards and do not violate building regulations. Check in with your landlord before making any permanent changes to the rental property. This is to avoid any potential disputes or violations to your tenancy agreement. 

Conclusion

When it comes to dealing with a noisy neighbourhood, it can definitely be a challenge. However, implementing these DIY soundproofing techniques can help create a quieter and peaceful living environment for yourself as a tenant. Looking to rent a property in a peaceful and quiet neighbourhood? Rent your home through SPEEDHOME today!