Arthur Naum

Noise Protection

In the article you would find simple methods to reduce the noise in your dwelling place.

It is quite natural for big-city inhabitants to be keen on creating good rest conditions. Being outside, citizens happen to be in a stressful environment virtually all the time, due to a whole range of powerful external irritants, with a so-called noise pollution as an absolute leader.

To compensate for its effect on the nervous system, medics recommend spending as much time in silence as possible. Consequently, consumers today increasingly consider silent home appliances. Availability of such solutions in the product mix of a trading firm growingly becomes its solid competitive advantage.

No Excess Noise
Noise protection is widely implied, whilst speaking about installation of double-glass window units or sound-proof walls. However, household devices often produce no fewer decibels than cars outside the window or certain noisy neighbors. Therefore nowadays, a great many of leading manufacturers of household appliances offer products, which ensure, if not a complete escape from the intrusive noise, than a significant decrease of its level.

A washing machine is a major peace-breaker in the house. It can sometimes create noise of 75 dB, beating a big office busy environment. The bigger the family, the more intense is the use of this essential device, often operating in mornings, at nights or over weekends, when all family members gather at home. Also, it is not always possible to install a washing machine in the bathroom, with both hallways and kitchens becoming frequently used options for its placement. With such a background, it becomes a challenge to have a quiet family dinner. However, a lot depends on the design of the washing machine in use.

A switched-on air conditioner can bring no less discomfort into a peaceful home environment. The noise produced can wind down all the amenities of a controlled microclimate. Here again, a lot depends on the design and model selected. Monoblock window and mobile conditioners are the noisiest, while split air conditioning systems, with its compressor located outside, are much quieter in use. On average, units of this type produce no more than 32-36 dB. It is not quite tangible in day hours, but it may disrupt night’s sleep. The best choice is models with a so-called “Night Mode”, where the noise level drops to 27-28 dB, being a recommended threshold for sleeping rooms.

Noise produced by “a bad running” conditioner or a washing machine can disturb the rest, but it is not comparable to the vacuum cleaner roar. Perhaps, this is the “loudest” household device. The sound produced can reach 80-85 dB, which is comparable to a busy highway howl. In such a situation, house cleaning turns into a persistence test of the nervous system, especially if there are kids in the house.  Therefore nowadays, manufacturers of vacuum cleaners have launched a real large-scale contest. To reduce noise, designers apply special soundproofing materials; they install an electric motor on the amortized suspension, and optimize air flows. These advancements have entailed impressive results.

Water All Around

Water noise may be as troubling as electric motor roar of household appliances. Quite often, when the entire family gather at home, its sounds produce the effect of an aqua park. It would seem impossible to escape, but it is better not to make hasty conclusions here. A water closet waste holding tank is one of the noisiest sanitary ware items. However today, certain design solutions, enabling a practically noiseless operation of this device, have been developed.  

Louder Is Not Better
Varied multimedia electronic units rank among indispensable attributes of home-based rest, such as: television sets, radio sets, home theatres, music audio systems, etc.

All these devices are sound generators. Of course, here we have a “useful” sound, too. Very often, though, its volume far much exceeds the level required for complete perception of the information transmitted, creating discomfort for others. The issue is not always about addiction towards loud music. Sound produces vibration, which further passes on surrounding objects, house walls and the floor. Resonating, they emit fluctuations, which distort a primary signal and hamper its perception. Sound quality is lost; to make out separate words and notes, you have to increase the volume, creating an even greater discordance.

By acoustic laws, the best quality and clear perception of sound is provided when its source is isolated from surrounding objects, as if it is hanging in the air. To achieve this in practice, special attachments, enable to reduce the contact area between the source and surrounding surfaces, are required. Thus, special stands will become a good complement to a new big television or a music system. Besides being distinct in peculiar design, they also differ in a special structure, which ensures suppression of vibration by a stand frame. For big speakers, robust stands with spines, instead of legs, can be recommended, whereas for small speakers, which seemingly “beg” to be put on the bookshelf, special dampening pads will be good enough. 

Of course, price of various household devices and of different accessories to them, becomes a crucial criterion for many buyers, when it comes to making a choice. Often, however, a consumer’s choice is limited to mere ignorance or misunderstanding of the core of the problem. Competent answers of a sales assistant can help, whereas availability of relevant solutions in stock ensures a possibility of informed choices.

Article Tags: Noise Protection, Washing Machine

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