The city and urban areas can be one of the most stressful places to live. It is true that the countryside and rural areas have their own set of problems. However, there is just a lot going on in most cities that it can be overwhelming at times. Those who grew up or got accustomed to living in this kind of environment have already gotten used to it, but there are so many things to deal with that it can really stress you out. Prices of most commodities and utilities are rising to the skyscrapers, and most jobs (though abundant) have a lower pay than average. According to this page, your typical American has multiple jobs even while they are still single.
However, if there is one thing that people really deal with every day, it is the noise. The cars, the shouting, the animals, all of it crammed into spaces. When these spaces coalesce, it can be akin to a sonic boom. With many things happening, it is inevitable that all of the sounds can really just get into you. You might end up wishing that you don’t have to deal with the noise once you go home. Unfortunately, it will follow you around, even if you are living in an apartment or a stone house. This is why soundproofing has been one of the most important aspects that any city-dwelling homeowner would want.
Soundproofing Needs Effort
There are a lot of ways that this can be achieved. If you are a new tenant or owner, you can always ask the previous inhabitants or the landlord if the place has some soundproofing done. For most rentable spaces, this might not be the case unless you are willing and able to spend thousands for your rent. In fact, this particular aspect can drive up the price of a simple studio type apartment for example. Nothing beats a good night sleep though, so there are some that would opt for this choice. On the other hand, not all of us are privileged to have that kind of finance.
If you are living smack in the middle of the city, the noise can be understandably unbearable. This is why it is important to invest in some soundproofing items so that you can have a good rest. Earplugs, muffs and noise-cancelling headphones are some of the more common ones especially for singles. These are perfect for them since they only need to worry about themselves. Once they use it, they can have the quiet that they need provided that it doesn’t fall off while sleeping. Some of these devices can be so good that there are people who cannot hear their alarm in the morning anymore even if it right in their face. Read more about them here: https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/audio-music/noise-canceling-headphone3.htm.
On the other hand, if you are living with your family, this can be quite tricky. Short of renovating the entire place, this can be really costly still. However, we might have something that can help you without the astronomical costs. Before all of that though, you need to identify the places where sound can enter. If you have thin walls, then you might need to have them changed and use some soundproofing foam or something similar. On the other hand, the sound can also travel through holes around the house. Most of the culprits would usually be the windows and doors, as these have gaps for them to be easily used.
For the doors, you need to seal them as much as you can without locking yourself in. You can always change the doors and use a fitting one as well. The windows can be covered with curtains. These are not just simple curtains to make your windows look beautiful, as these are noise-cancelling curtains. Here are some tips and tricks in finding the right ones for your windows. Some of these might just be lying right in your home. To find the best soundproof curtains for your home that you can use, just follow some of these tips below.
What to Look for In Soundproof Curtains
- Thickness Matters
One of the aspects that you should look into when buying curtains is their thickness. Most of the common ones are too thin to even block sunlight. It should be rather thick and made up of many layers of the same material. A cushion can work, and some people even use egg trays because the sound bounces off of its grooves and curves. However, you can always buy of these noise-cancelling curtains in any home improvement stores. Also, it must be wider that your window so that it can cover most of the holes.
- Material also Matters
If you are just going to string a lot of curtains with many kinds of fabric, it can work. However, there are some materials that just couldn’t handle any kind of noise. Lace and cotton are the easy ones to point out, but there are other kinds of fabric as well. If you are really looking for the best, try out suedes and velvets. These are rather thick and opaque, which blocks out any kind of light and sound as well.
- Insulating Curtains Can Work
It is also worth mentioning that some curtains for insulation are also thick enough to cancel noise. If you have an HVAC installed in your home, then you already have these curtains. However, if the problem still persists, you can always investigate first and identify where the noise is coming from. Otherwise, you can change your curtains and find one that can soundproof your entire home while keeping the temperature in check.
