346-773-1625
The Best Way to Block Road Noise Is Soundproofing Your Home
Your Home Is Under Siege
Outside road noise can invade your home. Glass doors and windows that leak allow road noise to disturb your peace and quiet. They not only inflate your energy bills but the noise invasion can also harm your health including raising risks of heart disease.
How Road Noise Can Be Hazardous to Your Hearing
Most municipalities like Houston, Austin, Dallas and Fort Worth have sound and noise ordinances. However, our society has become more urbanized. Emergency vehicles and road repairs have become constant background noise, frequently exceeding the noise levels permitted in sound ordinances.
So, city dwellers need to be aware of what they are up against. The culprit is the sound amplitude or decibel. A decibel in layperson’s language is basically a degree of loudness. Anyone living on a busy city street will typically be exposed to a decibel level of around 50 to 70 dB, which is considered a safe zone. Levels above 85 dB are beyond that safe zone, and, as previously mentioned, common occurrences on city streets.
Just How Loud Is Street Noise?
85-100 dB street noise levels: This level can cause permanent hearing loss when a person is continually exposed over a period of time:
- Barking dogs
- Neighbors operating power mowers, leaf or snow blowers
- Garbage trucks collecting trash in the neighborhood
- Bars and nightclubs
- Motorcycle engines
110-140 dB street noise levels: This level can cause permanent hearing loss after about one minute of exposure without adequate hearing protection:
- Automobile horns
- Motorcycle engines
- Police, ambulance and fire truck sirens
- Low-flying aircraft
- Construction sounds—nail guns, concrete chippers, chainsaws, welders, and grinders
- Speakers from autos or neighbors playing music at the maximum volume
There Are Other Health Hazards from Exposure to Excessive Noise
According to the World Health Organization, excessive noise “is considered not only an environmental nuisance but also a threat to public health.” In addition to hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ears), the WHO has linked excessive noise to the following health risks:
- Heart disease: Loud or persistent noise causes stress and the release of cortisol and adrenaline. Those hormones raise the heart rate and blood pressure. The resulting hypertension causes thousands of premature deaths worldwide each year.
- Anxiety and depression: People living in areas with more road traffic noise are more likely to suffer depression. The same holds true for people who live near a major airport with a 10-dB increase in aircraft noise.
- Problems with sleeping: Sleepers’ ears pick up sounds, and the brain attempts to process those interruptions. Loss of sleep can cause depression, anxiety and diabetes. There are other studies that indicate sleep deprivation can cause cognitive impairment, poor concentration and developmental delays in language acquisition and educational achievement in children.
Soundproofing Your Home Is the Best Way to Block Road Noise
Again, even with city ordinances, heavy road traffic can reach volumes higher than permitted by ordinances. Glass soundproofing your doors and windows with Sun & Sound’s window inserts can block road noise as well as prevent energy-robbing drafts and leaks.
Learn more about the Sun & Sound tailored solutions to soundproof your glass windows and doors. We have a team standing by and can create the glass inserts that will fit perfectly in your home or apartment. We install them professionally so you keep the look of your home while effectively stopping road noise.
Contact us and get a free estimate or purchasing assistance. Don’t lose another night’s sleep because of loud music, traffic or alarms.