Elderly woman with a modest income needs soundproofing

[OnTerryOh]

How can I find low-cost soundproofing/construction?

I have a friend in her 80's -- call her Linda-- who lives in a high rise condominium and is suffering serious losses of sleep because her upstairs neighbor watches television and plays music from midnight to 4 a.m.

My friend can't function well during the day because she is sleep deprived. Her apartment is a studio, so it's impossible for her to go elsewhere in her unit to escape the noise.

She's tried all of the reasonable solutions such as speaking with the neighbor, building management and legal help. None of these has made a difference, and the noise keeps her awake most every night.

She bought custom-made earplugs, but these don't do much good.

She doesn't want to move because this has been her home for 30 years. It probably will be the last place she'll live in on her own.

I'm thinking the only way to help her is to have her apartment (or a part of it) soundproofed. As some of you know, sound travels too well in older highrise buildings -- noise easily bounces off the steel and concrete walls and floor.

Soundproofing, though, will probably be more expensive than Linda can afford. Do you know of an inexpensive way she might get this done?

Would Habitat for Humanity help in a case like this? Or would it make sense to put out a call for help on craigslist?

Any other ideas about how to get low-cost construction/soundproofing help?

Thanks in advance for all of your ideas.

[redrhodie]

When I was a teenager, I worked in the cafeteria of a hospital. All of the cardboard cartons that the eggs came in like these:https://superiorenterprise.com/store...ed=1&Itemid=53 were saved for one of the doctors, who was soundproofing his media room. He said it was the best soundproofing, and all he had to do was attach the cartons to the walls and ceiling. I'm not sure if he painted them later.

[Biciclista]

I work in the sound/noise business and eggcartons are really NOT the best insulation. No better than other kinds of cardboard.

What i would suggest is a combo of white noise (a fan works great for this) and good earplugs.
another suggestion would be to move her sleeping quarters to a quieter part of the house. even the kitchen if that's what it takes.

The fact that she is powerless to stop the noise is what is really keeping her awake, unfortunately. Also, as we get older, the quality of our sleep diminishes. So sad but true, I can see why she is so miserable.

I can sleep through fireworks with a fan going in my room. If it's cold out, just point the fan down the hall.

good luck to her.

[GulfCoastAmy]

I had a friend with a similar problem who went to bed wearing good quality noise cancelling headphones. It seemed to work for her, but I wonder how comfortable that would be? Anyway, just another option.

[Pedal Wench]

I work in the sound/noise business and eggcartons are really NOT the best insulation.

Me too - and my BF just wrote a book on acoustics. Without major construction, there isn't much to do physically. I would also suggest white noise (many companies sell 'soothers' that are easy to use) and a combination of noise blocking and noise cancelling headphones. I'm terrified of thunder, so I use earplugs and then Bose headphones over them, and two fans in the room creating white noise. Works very well. Blocking the sound and then masking it is the best solution.

[OakLeaf]

My experience with custom earplugs is that they don't block noise as well as OTC ones, because they don't really seal the ear canal; instead they rely on blocking the opening. (Also they're vulnerable to being eaten by your dog, but that's another story. )

As a motorcyclist, I do understand that the pressure from OTC earplugs can become very painful with long term wear. But I've had very good luck with the Hearos Ultimate Softness earplugs. They're widely available, but not necessarily in every drug store (I usually have better luck finding them at Walgreen's than other chains). I've been wearing this brand for about 5 years and have not become sensitized to the pressure as I did with a series of progressively softer brands before.

If the noise is truly loud (rather than your friend being hypersensitive, which isn't a criticism, just a trait that she might have, as I do), then she really ought to be able to get legal recourse. How far did she pursue it? Did she use a decibel meter to establish the noise level?

It can't hurt to put in a call to Habitat, her local senior center and/or any religious organization she may belong to. I read all the time in my local papers how scout troops and similar organizations pitch in to build wheelchair ramps, repair homes, etc., for elderly people. Obviously she'll need permission from her landlord for any improvements, but I wouldn't think they'd object as long as the work is to code and reasonably attractive.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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