Alleviating Noise Problem

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31236, 7 December 1966, Page 2

Alleviating Noise Problem

(By

STELLA BRUCE)

Noise, according to a recent estimate, is responsible for 20 per cent of the lowered efficiency. ill-health and accidents in every civilised country.

I do not know how accurate the estimate is. But noise is certainly a real problem. And we can do our bit to stop the entire population from going mad by keeping our noise in and other people’s noise out. Most of the sound that enters a house comes through the glass of the windows—double glazing is the only really effective solution to this.

Another major acoustic problem is the increasing of airborne sound by reflecting it from walls and other surfaces. The answer is to stop the walls and floor from reflecting it by covering with a sound absorbing material: carpet on the floor, and heavy curtains and acoustic tiles on the ceiling and walls. Sound travels enormous distances. Expanding plastic strip around windows and doors will keep out the noise as effectively as it repels draughts. If you live in a semidetached house, you can improve the sound-proofing of

common walls by covering them with large pieces of furniture; built-in wardrobes and cupboards are particularly effective. Remember, water or heating pipes can also distribute noise throughout a building.

Recently, people living in a block of flats complained of a mysterious ticking which disturbed their sleep. The culprit was found to be a small travelling clock placed near a central-heating pipe in a topfloor flat.