As much as the idea of throwing a party in your house sounds fun, organizing such an event might result in having arguments with your neighbors. Although controlling the music volume seems like a feasible task, keeping your guests quiet might turn out to be a nightmare.
Nevertheless, there is a myriad of possible ways to soundproof your house for a party, such as insulating the windows, doors, and walls of the house as well as using thick carpets and bass traps. Organizing such a project is a rather affordable alternative, which provides temporary noise reduction.
The following tips will help you soundproof your house to prevent neighbors’ complaints.
Take care of window insulation
The primary step towards temporarily soundproofing your house is taking care of window insulation, as windows are infamous for letting noise escape the room. Although a complete window replacement would be the most effective solution, there is no logic in splurging money on brand new windows for the purpose of throwing a party.
Therefore, you could start by inspecting the windows for gaps, which in spite of their small size are responsible for allowing noise exit and enter the house. Fortunately, these tiny gaps can be sealed with a weather-stripping tape by surrounding the entire window frame. As a result, the likelihood of noise passing through the gaps will be considerably reduced.
Additionally, a more effective way of window insulation is placing heavy curtains, whose role is diminishing the loud sounds before exiting outside. The heavier the drapes the greater the soundproofing effect. These noise-blocking curtains aren’t only beneficial in terms of noise reduction but are also elegant enough to contribute to your home décor.
For better results, make sure you purchase two sets of soundproof curtains for each window in order to maximally block the sounds. It’s paramount for the drapes to cover the entire length from the top of the window to the floor. Remember to install a double rod, as a single one won’t withstand the weight of double drapes. If you are fond of DIY projects, click here for some useful tips about making your own curtain rods.
Soundproof the front door
The following step of your soundproofing project is insulating the front door, which might prove to be rather challenging. Make sure you ask your guests to remain indoors as much as possible so as to reduce noise pollution. Anyhow, since people’s movements are hard to control, particularly at a party, you are supposed to take the necessary measures for dampening the exterior doors.
Similar to windows, you can hang noise-blocking curtains by installing a curtain rod above the doorframe. Double drapes would undoubtedly improve the soundproofing effect, but people will face difficulties to enter or exit the house due to the thickness of the curtains.
Moreover, if soundproof drapes are too heavy in your opinion, make sure you tack a blanket. This alternative is more affordable and convenient for installation. You’d only need to cut a tiny blanket hole for people to have access to the door handle.
Apart from adding mass to the door, it’s paramount to seal the gaps in the doorframe in order to minimize sound leakage. You’d need to purchase weather-stripping tape and use an adhesive to glue it properly. Foam tapes are popular for absorbing sounds, as these are predominantly made from a special material like fiberglass, which is an excellent sound absorbent. The following link, https://www.wikihow.com/Install-Weather-Stripping, includes some helpful tips about installing weather stripping.
The ultimate alternative to insulating the front door is installing soundproofing panels, which serve as an excellent method of blocking noise. However, make sure you purchase thick panels, not the ones made from foam. Although foam panels are known to be significantly more affordable, bear in mind that these aren’t useful for door insulation.
Place a thick carpet
Another important aspect of your soundproofing project is laying a thick carpet on the flooring. Since hardwood floors are believed to be the main culprits for echoing sounds, it’s important to cover them with the material.
Furthermore, the role of carpets is absorbing noise, thus minimizing echo. It also prevents footsteps from being heard by neighbors, which eventually minimizes the chances of arguments. Anyhow, a thin carpet or a rug won’t do the trick, as it lacks the required thickness to absorb sounds. Make sure you purchase an affordable carpet unless you plan to use it as a permanent element of your home décor.
Use bass traps
Purchasing bass traps is an investment worth making when it some to soundproofing your house for a party. These products are designed to absorb low-frequency sounds, thus impeding bass from traveling around the room. They trap the waves instead of blocking them, particularly the low-frequency ones.
Moreover, you aren’t supposed to glue bass traps to the walls but place them wherever you think it’s convenient. Homeowners are advised to purchase a minimum of four bass traps, one for each corner of the room, placed near to the speakers. If the party takes place in more than one room, you’d undoubtedly need more than a handful of these products.
Soundproof the walls
Walls are an inseparable aspect of each soundproofing project, as they contribute to noise pollution by allowing loud voices and music to reach the neighbors. Considering the temporary nature of such projects, homeowners are advised to focus on the exterior walls only in order to spare both time and money.
In addition, the simplest alternative would be covering the walls with blankets, which most homeowners find unappealing. Although no person wants to see its blankets hanging on the walls, it’s doubtlessly the most affordable wall insulation solution. You could either attach them directly or build a timber frame to hand the blankets on. The former alternative is faster but more damaging to the walls, while the latter leaves no unsightly marks.
Have a party in the basement
In case you have neither the time nor the budget to commence a temporary soundproofing project, consider throwing the party in your basement as a last resort. Although basements are far from the ideal location for parties, these places minimize the number of noises that might reach your neighbors.
Furthermore, unless your basement is spacious enough to gather a large group of people, you’d be forced to shorten the list of friends, colleagues, and relatives coming to the party. Make sure you consider this option only in the case of being pressed for time and unable to organize a soundproofing project.
Turn down the volume
Keeping the volume down is another desperate solution for reducing noise pollution. Although parties are always related to loud music and noisy people, they aren’t worth the trouble that you might have with your neighbors or the police.
Therefore, make sure your guests are informed about the restrictions regarding the music volume at the onset of the party. Consequently, they won’t need to yell in order to be overheard by their friends, which even further contributes to reducing the noise.
Bottom line
The only way to enjoy your party is doing everything to minimize noise pollution.
Don’t give up easily!