If you’ve ever visited a concert hall or amphitheater, you’ve probably taken notice of the acoustics. The sound seems to be absorbed by the fixtures or construct of the building. This form of sound insulation, lessening the echo reflections of the sound, is done so that the listener only hears the sound from the source. Concert halls, amphitheaters, and recording studios use techniques such as dropped ceilings, acoustical tiles, and special wall coatings to enhance the listener’s experience. In recording studios you will also find the use of certain fabrics and floorings to dampen the echoing sound. These treatments are also found in office buildings where a large number of people are working in a common space. You could imagine if you have 100 people in a large room typing on the computer, shuffling papers, and talking on the telephone all at once how deafening the noise could get to be. Time spent in an office space accounts a large portion of our time, but what about the time spent at home? Something as simple as flooring choice can greatly improve the acoustics of your home.
Home Acoustics and Sound Insulation
Although most homes don’t have acoustics at the forefront of their construction blueprints, may homeowners have considered using the same techniques to alleviate excess noise associated with echo reflections. Homes are not built for sound dampening. From the many corridors and entrance ways to the excess of windows, homes stand opposed to the theories of sound consolidation. Many of us think having acoustical foam or tiles on the walls of our homes as quite an aesthetic turnoff, but some very simple choices and alterations in the makeup of your home makes a world of difference as far as sound. The bedroom and the family room naturally express the need for quiet and sound-specific listening, respectively. One way to offset echoing sound is with wall coverings such as paintings or tapestries. Another is of course flooring. Carpeting alone can greatly reduce echo. The Floor Store at Thornebrook has a wide array of high pile and low pile carpeting to help you reduce that echoing noise that may keep you up at night or ruin family movie night.