Last updated August 2019
Your neighbor, June, who loves to use various motorized outdoor tools EVERY DARN DAY. That yipping Yorkie across the street. Constant traffic. Your own sound system that rankles folks in other condos when you wanna jam.
Noise pollution can invade your home from both inside and out. But there’s a lot you can do to tone down the decibels via sound-blocking and sound-absorption. Blocking keeps disturbing noises (traffic, the crying baby next door) out and your own noises (a jumbo TV, your kid practicing the French horn) in. Absorption harnesses a range of materials—insulation, rugs, even paint—to suck up soundwaves and keep things downright Zen-like inside your place. Basically, you’re looking to disrupt or stop soundwaves.
Here are tips that will help you get to a quieter place. Some are suited only for those building new homes or planning big remodels, but others are simple things you can do yourself or by using our ratings to find a pro to help.
