Elderly woman with a modest income needs soundproofing

[PamNY]

I agree that she should try white noise. A fan can work wonders. I also have a small, cheap air filter that makes enough noise to work well. White noise helps me cope with jackhammers, building demolition and sirens.

Pam

[indigoiis]

When I lived in Newport, we always had drunk stupid loud people walking up our street and through our back alley. I had such a tough time sleeping and it was mostly because I was laying there wondering what they were saying. (Are they yelling at that girl? Should I call the police? Are they just being drunk and stupid?)
So I got a white noise a/m f/m alarm clock radio - end of problem.

Egg cartons - can be a fire hazard as well. Sound absorbing furniture and carpeting is always a good idea, though. And drapes!

[redrhodie]

Okay, sorry for recommending the egg cartons. Obviously a bad idea.

[Pedal Wench]

Okay, sorry for recommending the egg cartons. Obviously a bad idea.

Good for reducing sound reflections once inside a room (that's probably the intention of the guy who used them in his home theater) but not good for keeping sound out.

Asked my acoustics-expert BF - earplugs and white noise.

[spazzdog]

Call the police... it's "disturbing the peace" even though it's indoors. Most towns/cities have noise ordinances that prohibit this sort of thing.

We have some rockers living 4 houses down... they used to play heavy metal so loud that it shook the windows in my house and all the neighbors. And they played it into the wee hours of the morning. After a month of this, we all started calling the police (non-emergency line).

After 2-3 visits from the police, they got their act together. They still play the music but, even on the weekend, by 10:30 pm the noise stops.

Any law officers and/or lawyers want to chime in here?

[OakLeaf]

Odds are a downstairs apartment isn't far enough away for noise ordinances to apply. Besides, we don't know how loud the music is. If it were loud enough for a noise ordinance to apply, more than likely someone else would've complained.

But if it really is objectively loud, rather than just too loud for your friend to sleep through, a decibel meter would go a long way in being able to get relief in housing court.

[SadieKate]

Odds are a downstairs apartment isn't far enough away for noise ordinances to apply.

It would be in Davis, CA. It depends on the local ordinances.

a decibel meter would go a long way in being able to get relief in housing court.

I agree.

Frequently, others don't complain for many reasons even though they are disturbed also. Some are just cowards and won't make the first move. Some have been taught not to "rock the boat." Some are just lazy. You can hear them now "someone should call the police." Someone is always someone else (as in, "someone will be along to pick up that trash I just threw out my car window.)

[cylegoddess]

A local Mall, may have some 'foamcore' batts( as in large pieces of foamcore - light and stiff) they used as signs. Maybe call you r local dept stores, and ask if they can give a note to their Visual merchandising that you would pay a modest fee for it.(ten bucks?)
Id get you heaps, but Im in Australia!

[papaver]

These sheets are here rather inexpensive.

http://tinyurl.com/l3jugk

[kenyonchris]

Call the police... it's "disturbing the peace" even though it's indoors. Most towns/cities have noise ordinances that prohibit this sort of thing.

We have some rockers living 4 houses down... they used to play heavy metal so loud that it shook the windows in my house and all the neighbors. And they played it into the wee hours of the morning. After a month of this, we all started calling the police (non-emergency line).

After 2-3 visits from the police, they got their act together. They still play the music but, even on the weekend, by 10:30 pm the noise stops.

Any law officers and/or lawyers want to chime in here?

Well, it depends on your city ordinances. MOST, though set a decibel level that is equal to a rock concert level...far above most garage bands. However, if I get called out to a noise call, I ask the guys to turn it down. I am seldom questioned about it. I advise the caller that all I can do is ask them unless it is above a certain level. You would be amazed at how many times I go to apartments because someone is "walking loudly".

I work nights half the year. I live in a city where there is NOISE during the day, and I am a light sleeper. I use the white noise machine and LOVE it. I also have a fan, and I wear soft foam earplugs. It pretty much does the trick.

[OnTerryOh]

Thanks to all for your concern and helpful suggestions. It amazes me that TE members can provide useful information about so many subjects. I am grateful.

I saw my friend Linda yesterday and she offered some clarification about the noise level -- loud enough that she hears voices on the TV, but not blasting. If she did test the decibel level, I doubt it would help her case.

The suggestion to pursue help through her church, the Boy Scouts or some other community organization seems possible. She is an active member of a Unitarian church, and we might find some help there.

We also took a good look at her space yesterday and I asked her about areas that are quieter during the times her neighbor makes noise. She said the bathroom is most quiet, but since it is rather small, sleeping there would not work.

Even so, she has a walk-in closet adjoining the space between the bathroom and living room which is just large enough to fit a twin bed. It also has louvered wooden doors separating it from the living room area. Yesterday she was very open to the possibility of using this area on the nights when noise prevents her from sleeping in her usual space.

We also talked about putting insulating material on the louvered doors. She might pay a couple hundred dollars at most for the insulating material, but yes, she would rather take an even less expensive alternative.

She would try the egg cartons on the doors if it would work. But, do I understand correctly that this wouldn't really help?

Linda does own a white noise machine, but I don't know whether she uses it in combination with her earplugs. I'll ask her about that and suggest she use both simultaneously.

I'll also suggest the brand name earplugs one of you mentioned -- thanks. I'll tell her about your experience with custom-made plugs being less effective.

As it happens, yesterday Linda asked me to write a letter to the owner of the apartment where the renters are making noise. Apparently she'd spoken to building management and the renters before about this problem, but not to the unit owner.

(To give you some perspective, her apartment is in one of two buildings -- I'm guessing 20 stories high -- with hundreds of residents, some who own and others who rent. Linda owns her apartment.)

Anyway, I wrote the letter asking the unit owner to get the tenants to quiet down, sticking to the facts and keeping the tone polite and businesslike. We'll see if it helps.

Again, thanks to all for your ideas. I also appreciate your links to the earplugs and soundproofing materials.

[OnTerryOh]

Looking at the replies again, I understand that heavy fabrics and soundproofing sheets will work better than egg cartons.

Those, and the egg-cartons are both great at reducing echo/reverb/reflection of sound waves within a room - they don't reduce the transfer of sound into a room from an adjoining wall.

Thanks, Pedal Wrench.

I can easily replace Linda's louvered closet doors with wooden ones, and/or drape the doors in heavy foam fabrics or soundproofing sheets.

[Pedal Wench]

Looking at the replies again, I understand that heavy fabrics and soundproofing sheets will work better than egg cartons.



Thanks, Pedal Wrench.

I can easily replace Linda's louvered closet doors with wooden ones, and/or drape the doors in heavy foam fabrics or soundproofing sheets.

Unless you create a completely sealed, airtight door, it's not going to help significantly. Please, please, please, re-read our comments - the only thing that will help are earplugs designed to block out the frequencies that bother her and then white noise to mask it. Make sure that noise is loud too.

[Zen]

Again, thanks to all for your ideas.

Thank you for being so helpful and concerned about your neighbor. You're a good friend to have.

[Loraura]

White noise makers marketted to parents of infants work rather well for drowning out other noises.

I use this one, and it absolutely works for me. My teenage son can be in the next room with the TV on, and I hear absolutely none of it. My husband can come home and I don't hear the garage door opener or the dog barking.

This is the one I have:

http://www.amazon.com/Marpac-SleepMa...9937472&sr=8-2