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Over the past few weeks we have evaluated how modern design trends, like Dematerialization, Green Buildings and Exposed Systems, can effect your acoustic environment. This week we will conclude our Modern Design Series by looking into the acoustical effects that exposed architectural systems may have on your work environment. We will tell you how to use your HVAC system to create an optimal work place for your employees, and how to acoustically treat exposed ceiling beam and trusses.

HVAC Systems Are No Longer Hidden

Today, HVAC systems have been redesigned to be smaller, quieter and more efficient than ever. So designers are now leaving these smaller systems exposed to highlight the raw aesthetic of the building. Long gone are the days of tacky drop ceiling tiles that hide noisy and bulky HVAC systems, but without these ceiling tiles your acoustic environment can be negatively impacted.

Select the HVAC System with the Right Amount of Noise

In order to remedy these acoustical problems, purchasing an HVAC system that produces the optimal noise level will be the first place to start. HVAC systems that produce too much noise can make speech unintelligible but if the HVAC is too quiet distracting noise will be heard. A quiet, sound-masking HVAC is better than a loud noisy system or no system at all.

Other Exposed Systems that Create Acoustical Problems

Other exposed ceiling elements can cause additional acoustical problems. Sound waves reflect off the ceiling’s exposed beams, trusses and ceiling deck which can result in excessive reverberation. This reverberation can make conversation and concentration difficult. For the acoustical problems caused by exposed ceilings, sound absorption products can be utilized. Sound clouds are an effective acoustical treatment and can serve as the focal point for your space. You can also treat the ceiling beam and trusses of your ceiling by hiding absorptive panels in the in the beams channels, achieving acoustic absorption without interfering with your design.

Rewards for Acoustical Comfort

Selecting a quiet system and adding sound absorption products will help create an ideal work environment for your employees. Today, creating an acoustic environment that fosters productivity is more important than ever. As we mentioned last week, in our Green Building post, designers and contractor are now being rewarded, through LEED certification, for taking acoustic comfort into consideration when redesigning an office environment. If you need assistance with HVAC noise, please feel free to give us a call, 866-505-MUTE, and one of our specialists will be more than happy to assist you.

Audimute’s “Talking Acoustics” video series offers you easy solutions for the noise in your life. Presented by our acoustic specialist, Rick, these videos aim to explain the complexities of sound in an easy to understand way.

In the first video, Drum Booth Setup, Rick discusses 4 inexpensive solutions for controlling drum room noise. Rick, a drummer himself, offers tips from personal experience, years of teaching drum lessons and his vast knowledge of acoustic science.

1. Decouple kit from floor

The first drum room setup tip is to decouple your drum kit from your floor. When your drum kit sits on the floor the sound waves shoot directly through the floor to the people below you. Creating a platform for your drums to sit on will reduce the amount and the intensity of sound that travels to the floor below.

To decouple your drum kit from the floor, take a piece of ply wood, wrap it in carpet padding and carpeting and set your kit up on top of that. This solution won’t reduce noise transfer however; it does make the situation much more livable for you and your neighbors.

For added sound reduction our Peacemaker®, noise barrier product, installed between two pieces of plywood and then wrapped in carpeting will reduce even more noise transfer to the people below you.

2. Set up kit to face room not wall

The second tip is to set your drum kit up so that the bass drum audience side is not facing any given wall. When your kit is too close to the wall the sound waves compress and then intensify in volume. It is best to set your kit up towards one side of the room and then face the audience side outward. This gives the sound time to travel and weaken before hitting the wall again.

3. Seal off air passage ways

The third drum booth setup tip is to seal off air passageways like doors, windows and vents. Air passage ways are vehicles for noise transfer because anywhere air can go sound can go so sealing passage ways is important.

-Start by sealing off the gaps around your doors with Door Seal Kit or weather stripping.

-If you have a vent in your practice space that projects your sound into other rooms, try creating a trap door for your vent with a piece of plywood. When you are done practicing simply remove the trap door.

-Finally create a window plug for any windows in your space. A window plug can be made by taking a piece of plywood and then adding a layer of our Peacemaker®, sound barrier product, to it and then placing it in your window.

4. Practice with Brushes

The last drum room setup tip is to practice with brushes. Brushes will do more then just bring the sound down in your practice space. Brushes allow you to develop more wrist strength because they do not have the natural rebound that sticks do forcing you to maintain better control of your hands.

For more helpful Drum Booth setup tips watch the video below or check out our Drum Room Soundproofing Guide. Tune in for the next Talking Acoustics video, 5 tips to control Dog Barking Noise.

Audimute’s latest “Talking Acoustics” video describes 5 easy solutions for controlling Dog Barking Noise. Most pet owners know how hard it is to leave their animals at home alone for both long and short periods of time. Often times when left alone, our pets tend to be loud and disruptive to the people living around us.

Dog barking specifically is one of the loudest and most common pet noise problems that can be disruptive to our neighbors. In the video below Rick, Audimute’s acoustic specialist gives a few simple solutions to make both your dog and your neighbors happy.

1. Play Soft Classical Music

   Dogs find classical music soothing and playing it can reduce the frequency of your dog’s disruptive barking. Most dog owners under estimate how intelligent their K-9 companions actually are and they are unaware of how much dogs appreciate the complexities of classical music. Keeping classical music on a low volume while you are away may be all you need to cut down on your dog’s troublesome barking.

2. Add a Window Plug

   If you leave your dog in a room with a window adding a simple window plug to the space may be beneficial.  A glass window is usually the weakest structural element in a room and often the source for the most noise transfer.  Layering plywood with a barrier product like our Peacemaker® will help add mass to your window and reduce the amount of sound that transmits out of your space.

3. Seal off Air Gaps

   The air gaps around a door can also transmit sound out of a room. Any place air can go, sound can go so sealing off your doorway with weather stripping or our Door Seal Kit can greatly reduce the noise that transfers out of your space.

4. Add Soft Absorption Materials

   Adding soft materials to your space can also greatly cut down on the intensity of your dog’s barking sound. Absorption products soften the hard reflective surfaces in your dog’s space and can reduce the amount of sound that travels outward to your neighbors.

   Begin by adding blankets, rugs and curtains to the space to cut down on some of the intensity of the Dog Barking Noise. If your dog’s barking is still disruptive, a consistent absorption solution, like our Absorption Sheets or Acoustic Panels, might be necessary.

5. Increase Mass and Density to Your Wall

   If all of the above tips fail, adding mass and density to your walls will block noise transfer out of your space. Mass loaded sound barrier products, like our Peacemaker®, reduce the transference of sound waves into and out of a room. Adding mass to your walls will require some light construction but once installed the results will be consistently effective.

For more information about reducing the amount of Dog Barking Noise in your space give us a call, 866-505-MUTE, and one of our acoustic specialists will be able to help you or check our our resource center for Pet Noise Control. Stay tuned for our next “Talking Acoustics” video about noise control in open concept spaces.

Open Home Floor Plans are the latest modern home design trend. This type of floor plan is ideal for hosting social gatherings; supervising your kids and allowing natural light permeate your home. However, the large reflective surfaces characteristic in an open concept home can create a variety of acoustical problems. These acoustical problems can reduce conversational clarity and intensify the sounds in your home.

In this week’s “Talking Acoustics” video, Rick (Audimute’s acoustic specialist) provides a few easy solutions to help make your open floor plan home a comfortable and inviting place to live.

Break Up Large Reflective Surfaces

The key to ideal acoustics in an open concept home is to break up the large reflective surfaces with soft, breathable materials. Breathable materials (like the ones listed below) absorb excess sound waves and can eliminate troublesome echo and reverberation.

Soft Materials for Successful Sound

• Tapestries
• Drapes and curtains
• Area rugs or carpeting
• Decorative partitions
• Absorption products (like our Acoustic Panels
• Fabric furniture versus leather (leather is a reflective material)

If excess noise and echo is a problem in your open concept home, feel free to give us a call and one of our acoustic specialists will be able to help you! For more information about Open Home Floor Plans, check out our Residential Spaces Resource Center

In this week’s "Talking Acoustics”, Audimute’s acoustic specialist, Rick, discusses 5 inexpensive Tips for Better Sleep. We all know that sleep can be beneficial for many things including:

• Lowering stress
• Promoting a healthy weight
• Improving memory retention
• Living longer

However, for most adults a well rested night of sleep can be difficult to come by especially when trying to sleep in a Noisy Environment.  Sleeping in noise does not have to be something you’re forced to deal with and we want to give you some quick and easy Tips for Better Sleep.

1. Seal Off Any Air Gaps

   Air passage ways, around your doors and windows, allow noise to transfer into your bedroom which can be disruptive to your sleep. Sealing off your doors and windows with weather stripping or our Door Seal Kit can greatly reduce the amount of noise interrupting your rest.

2. Get a White Noise Generator

   A white noise generator will fool your brain into not hearing noise. Also, the low hum from a white noise machine will help sooth your mind to sleep. The best white noise generator to use is your bedroom fan!

3. Block Out Light

   It is also important to block out disruptive light from your sleeping space. Light is so disruptive to sleep that an alarm clock was invented to gradually bring light into your bedroom as a means of waking you up. To ensure a night of restful sleep, make sure you turn off and block out all the lights in your bedroom.

4. Communicate and Set Boundaries

   If you are living in an apartment or condo talking with your neighbors and establishing a time for noise making can be extremely helpful. If you are having a large party or planning to practice your drums ask your neighbors what time works well for their sleep schedule and hopefully they will do the same for you.

5. Try to Relax

   Finally prepare yourself for sleep by concentrating on staying awake. This psychological game actually makes you feel drowsy and helps you fall asleep faster.

For more Tips for Better Sleep in a Noisy Environment watch the video below or give us a call, 866-505-MUTE, and one of our Acoustic Specialists will be happy to assist you. Stay tuned for next week’s Talking Acoustics video.

Rob B. Asks:

We have a barking dog downstairs in our apt that is left outside a lot. Of course, our windows are cheap. The dog has a middle to high-pitched bark. Suggestions on which product? Thanks

Our Advice:

Since the dog is outside of your window you have a couple of different options. Using our Absorption Sheets can help reduce the amount of sounds entering your apartment. However they were not designed to block sound only to absorb sound, so you will likely need multiple layers.

The best option would most likely be Isolé, which is a two-in-one sound solution that offers not just sound absorption but sound barrier as well. This will be more effective at blocking the sounds of barking dogs, allowing you to get a better nights sleep. One thing to be aware of with isolé™ is its size; if you're window is any wider than 36" isolé will be too small to effectively stop the sound from entering your space. You will either need to use two isolé or use the Absorption Sheets layered.

At Audimute, people frequently ask us if there is any way to provide open office noise reduction, and the answer is yes! Take the question from one of our customers below as an example:

Q: I work in a space that has several offices in which people are always talking on the phone and to students in person, causing a lot of open office noise. If doors are open or people are talking in the halls, sound just bounces off all of the parallel walls. There are very few sound absorbing things are in this area. What can we do to keep the noise down other than get a few plants and a few pillows on the couch?

A: Too much noise pollution can be distracting and increase stress levels. Introducing sound masking materials can soften open office noise, create a productive environment, and give individuals more cubicle privacy.

The simplest open office noise reduction solution would be acoustic panels. Acoustic panels placed around your office will help to reduce the reflection of sound off of the wall, in turn lowering the sound pressure levels in the room and stopping loud echoes and reverberations. In other words, these will help to make your space quieter and less chaotic sounding.

The general rule of thumb for an office space is to have 10-20% of your treatable wall surface treated with panels. You also want to have panels placed in areas that are going to be most beneficial, such as close to office doors and around desks. When installing these panels, try to place them about 3-6' off the floor – this is where most of the sound is both generated and heard so it will make the biggest impact on the sound.

For large scale applications such as this, we offer acoustic panel starter kits for both standard and large room sizes and deluxe package options. These bulk kits make purchasing a range of sizes easier and more affordable.

Audimute Acoustic Panels are designed for commercial and residential spaces. Acoustic Art Panels are available in standard and custom color prints, fabrics, and sizes that look great in any application. Call an Audimute Acoustic Specialist today at (866) 505-MUTE to discuss the best acoustic approach for your space.

Got a question for an Acoustic Specialist? Ask us anything!

Office echo can turn a simple conference call into a noisy mess. Find out how solutions such as wall panels and acoustic ceiling products can reduce this noise pollution for better communication in the workplace:

Q:           We have a 12' x 12' conference room that is glass on 3 walls and drywall on one. The ceiling is also drywall and there is carpet on the floor. As you can imagine, this room is an echo chamber and doesn't work very well for conference calls. I'm thinking of installing some acoustic panels on the one wall with drywall on either side of the 60" mounted television. Will this make much difference? How can I cut down on the office echo?

A:            We get questions about offices like this a lot. A room echo makes it hard to focus when you’re in the same room, let alone on a conference call. Whether you’re trying to do business with new clients or open up the lines of communication among a team over a phone call, it can be hard to manage when the room echoes the conversation back over the receiver.>

You are right to think that some Acoustic Panels will help in this room. Having panels on just one wall, however, will most likely not be enough. Panels work to absorb high pitch frequencies and reverberation, but with so many untreatable walls remaining you may want to explore acoustic ceiling products as well.

We offer both ceiling clouds and ceiling baffles specifically for spaces that don’t have enough treatable wall space. Baffles hang vertically from the ceiling and tend to work best in larger rooms with tall ceilings. Ceiling Clouds can be positioned over the table to keep sounds from bouncing off of the hard tabletop, up to the ceiling, and over to the walls. It can also help to absorb sounds that are reflected off of the glass and towards the ceiling.

A combination of fabric sound panels and acoustical clouds should be enough to take the harsh reverb out of the room and reduce office echo to make it much easier to hold a conversation and conference call.

If you’re having echo issues in your home or office, check out our acoustical ceiling solutions and acoustic art panels, or call an Acoustic Specialist at (866) 505-MUTE for personalized advice.

Open windows and balconies on busy streets can cause almost unlivable home, apartment, and condo noise. In this blog, we explain how to reduce traffic noise using acoustic panels.

Q:           My wife and I own a condo on the sixth floor of a building that fronts a busy street. We’re looking to learn how to reduce traffic noise on our balcony, which spans 2/3 of the width of our condo. I believe that the bulk of the noise is reflected from the balcony ceiling. The balcony decks are concrete, and the ceiling of our balcony is the underside of the deck above. Our ceiling is unfinished, and I am reluctant to drill into the concrete, so would prefer an adhesive application. The ceiling is 27' wide and 5'4" deep. The balconies are partially enclosed (Lexan panels on the lower half, screens on the upper) and the ceiling is largely protected from the weather, although in heavy rains some moisture will penetrate a few inches from the outside edge of the ceiling due to runoff from the deck above. Any help quieting our condo noise is appreciated.

A:            How to reduce traffic noise is a common question Audimute is asked. You are correct is assuming that a bulk of the condo noise is being reflected off of the ceiling of your balcony, and using absorption here will definitely help to reduce the amount of sound that is built up within your space.

Since the bottom half of the balcony is Lexan this, too, is helping to hold the reflected sound in and causing the sound pressure levels to build up. Treating the ceiling is most definitely the right way to go.

We would suggest our lightweight AcoustiColor™ flexible design acoustics for a custom color choice or natural sound absorbing wall tiles for a muted appearance. Made from our eco-C-tex recycled material, these lightweight frameless panel options are custom painted instead of fabric wrapped and can be mounted on the ceiling using a heavy duty construction adhesive instead of drilling holes into the concrete. It’s important to note that eco-C-tex is not designed for outdoor applications, but will hold up in situations where it is shielded from the harsher elements.

On a ceiling this size, a 12 pack of the 2'x4' panels would help to reduce the reflection off of the ceiling enough to make a noticeable difference. Keep in mind, though, that absorption materials will not eliminate the sound but help to reduce the build up of sound in the balcony causing your condo noise, resulting in what should be a quieter and more enjoyable space.

If you’re looking for how to reduce traffic noise in your home, check out our natural and custom colored eco-C-tex tiles, or call an Acoustic Specialist at (866) 505-MUTE for personalized advice.

Open floor plan acoustics can determine how well you’re able to enjoy your home or office. Before modifying your social space, consider the importance of soundproofing open floor plan homes.

Q:           We are doing a see-through fireplace in our contemporary home. It will be a prominent feature in the open space. Because of all the hard surfaces and the ceiling height I'm hoping we can come up with some way to incorporate acoustical properties since this is happening in a social space of our home. What type of treatment or product would you suggest?

A:            We love the open floor plan trend, but the exposed hard surfaces can cause a lot of sound issues - especially when you modify it even more with a see-through fireplace. There’s no need to sacrifice your design vision as long as you incorporate open floor plan acoustics.

The key is to break up your large reflective surfaces with soft absorbing materials. If you have carpet or drapes in the space, you’ve already made some improvements, but even if those are in your design they won’t get the whole job done. The best approach to soundproofing open floor plan homes is soft acoustic panels.

Acoustic panels placed throughout your space are designed to break up these surfaces and soak up echo, reverberation, and mid to high range frequencies. This creates a calm atmosphere where clear conversation can happen, perfect for social and entertaining space. We typically recommend starting by treating 10-25% of your total wall space, and building your open floor plan acoustics up from there until you achieve you desired sound.

The core of Audimute acoustic art panels, fabric sound panels, and all of our custom and signature panels are made from our recycled eco-C-tex™ material with an NRC rating of 1.0 for excellent sound absorption. All of our panels include hanging brackets, making soundproofing open floor plan homes as quick as mixing and matching colors, sizes, fabrics, and images to accent your fireplace centerpiece.

We have found that when working with contemporary homes and open floor plan acoustics it is often best to have a couple of photos to help us to get an idea of the space and how the sound might be moving in it. For more information about treating your space, give our Acoustic Specialist team a call at (866) 505-6883 today for personalized advice.

Check out this video from an Audimute Acoustic Specialist for more tips on noise control in open home floor plans: