Soundproofing ideas needed (1 Viewer)

[Mark Paquette]

I recently relocated from Michigan to South Carolina. I'm staying in the world's nastiest apartment until my house in Michigan sells. This apartment has really nice metal frame, single pane glass windows straight out of 1972. These pieces of junk are so bad, I contintually think they are open because of the sound they let in from the outside. One of the really nice features of this apartment is that my bedroom is close to the freeway. I haven't gotten a good nights sleep in the 2 1/2 weeks I've been there. So I'm looking for some soundproofing ideas for my bedroom windows. So far I'm thinking either some 1" blue styrafoam panels from Lowes/Home Depot or some fiberglass insulation somehow tacked inside of the window frame. Of those 2 options, which do you think would block the most sound? Any other ideas? I don't really care if I can see outside of the window because there is nothing to look at. Whatever the solution is, it has to be easily removed when I leave and it has to block noise really well.

 

[Jay H]

They do make windows that are double paned and made for sound insulation. I have a friend in Newburgh, NY who lives near a busy county road who replaced his windows with this type. I'll ask him what kind they are and if they're any good... and report back..

Jay

 

[Micah Cohen]

HA! I think I lived in that apartment complex in SC... The couple who lived downstairs would wake me up in the middle of the night, the chick SCREAMING as if being beaten (but they were having sex)! The walls were like tissue paper. Whoever built these complexes should be forced to live in them, the idiot!

I called the police on the couple downstairs once, and the cop showed up, knocked on their door, and then said: "Oh, hey, Mark, how ya' doing?" I was (listening from upstairs) eating my head with anger and frustration.

Earplugs and eye-blinders are a better, more economical solution to the noise at night.

When's your lease up?



MC

 

[Mark Paquette]

Supposed to be 10 months, but I'm terminating it. They want a 60 day notice for a termination. In addition to the noise, it's flooded 3 times in the past 2 1/2 weeks. Basically everytime it rains, it floods. I'm considering getting a lawyer involved to try and get around their 60 requirement. I couldn't have picked a worse apartment if I tried.

I have some earplugs somewhere, I'll give those a try until I can get out of this dump.

 

[Eric_L]

When I moved into the very noisy dorms in college I found that setting my radio to static helped. THen I bought a really noisy window AC unit and I was in bliss!

 

[Grant B]

I would get the thicker 2 inch pink rigid insulation.
Noise is like water a little hole in a boat will sink it.
Same with noise make sure it is tight.
I double paned my using 1/4 inch polycarbonate and it works great but too expensive for a short term apartment
Good Luck!

 

[mylan]

I used a sound absorbing board behind my greatroom wall to prevent sound transmission from the tv into our master bedroom on the other side. It really works, the tv must be at full volume to get any sound in there. I cannot remember the brand, I remember it was grey and it is the same thickness as drywall. Use a sheet of this and when you move, you can always install it in your new home theater!

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

I'd do the earplug thing. Works like a charm.

 

[Mark Paquette]

Great advice on the earplugs. Earplugs and vodka have worked like a charm. We're moving out next weekend, can't wait.