There are benefits to living near the airport. For one, if you are a frequent traveler, it is easy to get where you need to go. Likewise, when guests arrive in town, it is also easy for them to get to your house. In the same vein, you can often find very good deals on property near the airport, for people looking for affordable housing options.
One of the biggest drawbacks, however, is dealing with the noise that the aircrafts cause. It can be stressful and distracting. Thankfully, there are a number of ways you can adapt to soundproof your house near an airport, with things such as insulated glass, addressing shortcomings of your doors and walls, and thinking outside the box. Let’s run through six easy soundproofing solutions.
1. Replace Window Glass with Sound-Resistant Insulated Glass
If you live near an airport and are looking for ways to better soundproof your house, the first thing you should do is address your windows. Most homes are equipped with ordinary windows. These work fine in many homes, but when it comes to suppressing the noise from airplane engines, you need to take additional steps, such as looking into the insulated glass.
By replacing ordinary windows with insulated glass, you will find more comfort inside your home. Insulated glass is made up of multiple panes with gas trapped between, and it is sealed very tightly. Not only will this insulated glass help cut down on the amount of noise entering your home from outside, but it will also help regulate the inside temperature—another great benefit.
2. Use Thick Glass Doors or Purely Wooden Doors That Are Soundproof
When it comes to soundproofing, increasing the thickness is the name of the game. For your existing doors, be sure to make note of their thickness. Can this be improved?
Thick glass doors, much like insulated glass windows, do a great job of keeping houses quiet. Glass is excellent at resisting and reflecting soundwaves. These all-glass doors should be used for interior doors, as it would provide dual functionality—not only giving the appearance of openness from one room to another but also blocking sound. If privacy is needed, frosted glass also works.
For exterior doors, purely wooden doors are great options, though they can be difficult to install and typically come with a high price tag.
3. Install Acoustic Wall Panels
Most homeowners overlook the helpfulness of acoustic wall panels, but the reality is that they do a great job at softening or even deadening loud noises so that the inside of your house is quiet and comfortable. Often used for rooms that need high-quality acoustics, such as recording studios, these wall panels are typically made of a foam material and can be mounted on the walls with adhesives for easy DIY installation.
4. Seal Doors to Avoid Sounds from Unknown Areas
Now that you have checked your windows for insulated glass, examined the thickness of your doors, and looked into the practicality of acoustic wall panels, it’s time to make sure all of your doors are sealed properly. Doors with appropriate seals will not allow sounds from inside to escape or outside to enter.
Sealing doors can be done with rubber seals and weather strips. Fortunately, unlike some other soundproofing strategies, sealing doors to avoid unwanted noises can be a fairly easy DIY project that is not expensive. Just like with insulated glass, sealing a door properly not only reduces noise, but it also leads to a more energy-efficient home.
5. Soundproof the Ceiling
While you are going through the process of soundproofing your house near the airport, do not forget to look up! Many people are so focused on the openings, such as windows and doors that they forget that sounds from airplanes are typically coming from the sky above, and that these noises can come right through the ceiling.
This is not always an easy solution, but if you are willing to spend the money or do the work, it can have incredible benefits. Typical ceiling soundproofing requires tearing the ceiling out and putting a new one up, with soundproofing panels behind it, noise-reducing caulk, and double layers of drywall.
If that is out of your budget, you can also look to add soundproof attic insulation to help cut down on the noise that makes it through your roof.
6. Establish New Habits
This last tactic to help soundproof your house near an airport is about changing your habits. It is really about complementing the previous five strategies. For example, if you have already sealed your doors effectively and replaced your windows with insulated glass, perhaps get in the habit of having music playing inside. Even soft retro music will go a long way in a soundproofed house to eliminate that last bit of noise that finds its way inside.
