Elderly woman with a modest income needs soundproofing

[Biciclista]

the point is, this woman isn't going to spend hundreds of dollars on ceiling treatment or sound canceling devices. That's why PedalWench and I both suggested the earplugs + white noise device. She probably already owns a fan in her home, the only outlay would be the earplugs. I don't know about you guys, but I've found people in their 80's to generally be VERY tight fisted with money, for good reasons, they're living on teensy pensions and they can remember when you could feed a family with a dollar, etc, etc, etc. So fancy wall treatments are not going to happen. I hope she does call the police, although it sounds like she already has. OP let us know what happens, we're all curious now.

[Selkie]

I think people are just trying to be helpful.

I agree that the white sound machine is a life saver. I've used one at night for years. I even brought one to work when I had the unfortunate luck of having a cubicle that abutted the Office Drama Queen's (she played Sarah McLachlin's "I Believe" incessantly and the phone conversations, I didn't want to overhear...)

[papaver]

well, I think a lot of elderly people are very stubborn too. So if they got it in their minds to put something on their ceiling, they will do so. No matter what people advise them.

That's why I thought of those sheets. They can help.

[Pedal Wench]

These sheets are here rather inexpensive.

http://tinyurl.com/l3jugk

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.

BF's latest book: http://www.amazon.com/Master-Handboo...9592578&sr=8-2

[papaver]

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.

BF's latest book: http://www.amazon.com/Master-Handboo...9592578&sr=8-2

Thanks for the info!

[papaver]

Here newly build apartments have to achieve certain dB quota. A new building has to avoid contact noises to a maximum. Every apartment entity has to be separated. They also have to use a special kind of noise insulation. I don't really know how it works, but it does work.

But that's all a bit off topic.

[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.

[OnTerryOh]

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.

Got it. Thanks again.

[papaver]

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.

And sleeping in a less noisy room if possible.

[withm]

Usually condo buildings have rules about quiet hours - say maybe 11pm to 7am. So a carefully worded letter to the condo assn would be in order.

We once had a problem like this where we ended up gluing acoustical ceiling tiles right on to the wall adjoining the unit next to ours. Wasn't so attractive but it did seem to muffle the noise considerablly. Putting it on the ceiling "where it belongs" might not be so ugly. Lowes has 2x4' panels at about $41. for 80sf. How big is your room? You'd need the adhesive too and a trowel but that should not be so expensive.

[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