| It Seems to Be Coming From Everywhere | | | | to your yard for recreation, relaxation and |
| Outdoor noises can come from all sorts of directions | | | | entertainment. Another advantage of these noise |
| at one time and may have many sources and can be | | | | masking solutions is that they are usually less |
| reflected all over the place. People tend to look at | | | | expensive and much more DIY. |
| what they think is the source and imagine that the | | | | Acoustic By Name Only |
| sound is travelling along a straight line straight from | | | | By all means construct a sensible acoustic barrier in |
| the source to their yard. It's possible for some | | | | your yard but make sure it is at a proper height and |
| sounds to take a detour and bounce off buildings and | | | | that it does not have any openings or gaps |
| other objects and arrive at your yard amplified and | | | | anywhere. The right height and absence of gaps are |
| from a quite unexpected direction. The amplification | | | | the two most important considerations and these are |
| which occurs is no different to sound amplification | | | | the things that most people get wrong. Some DIY |
| which occurs when a murmur is channelled through a | | | | articles seem to promote the construction of |
| wind instrument and emerges at the other end as a | | | | acoustic fences at any height which frankly is a |
| trumpet blast. So your first step is to identify the | | | | waste of time and effort. A fence won't work just |
| source of the problem and the path that it is taking | | | | because it has word acoustic in its title! There are |
| to arrive at your yard. | | | | some proprietary acoustic fencing systems on the |
| Words & Regulations Are Great SoundProofers | | | | market and even with these systems it is important |
| It might be possible that a nearby business or | | | | that you check the required height for your specific |
| industry is exceeding acceptable noise levels or | | | | problem. Most of these products come with data |
| operating at inappropriate hours. Sometimes you can | | | | sheets. |
| solve the problem by simply raising the issue with the | | | | Data Sheet is King |
| proprietor in a friendly manner. It may even pay to | | | | Most data sheets will talk about an amount that the |
| check with your municipal council and make sure that | | | | fencing system reduces noise. The amount is |
| your noisy neighbors are not breaking local laws. | | | | measured in decibels or dB. You should look for a |
| People are often surprised when they find that there | | | | system which will reduce the noise by at least 20dB. |
| are actually a lot of laws to protect residential | | | | As a rule of thumb each 10dB is a halving of the |
| amenity. I have seen laws which restrict the use of | | | | perceived noise. Some products come with an STC |
| air conditioners after a certain time, prohibit leaf | | | | rating. Again don't consider a product with a rating |
| blowers and even outlaw pets like roosters and | | | | below about STC 20. STC is a more useful summary |
| yappy dogs. | | | | of how a product responds over a series of |
| Having exhausted logical commonsense approaches | | | | frequencies. See if you can get the frequency chart. |
| to reducing the noise you have two options for | | | | Two products can work quite differently depending |
| solving the problem. The first option is to create | | | | on the noise source. If you noise problem is lower |
| some sort of acoustic barrier in the yard. The second | | | | frequency like trucks and doof doof music then you |
| option is to return in doors and work on your internal | | | | need a product which blocks more noise at lower |
| soundproofing. | | | | frequencies eg between 50Hz and about 500Hz. So |
| An Air Tight Yard! | | | | you would look for higher values against these |
| It is impossible to make a yard airtight so you will | | | | frequencies on the STC chart. If your noise problem |
| always have to deal with flanking sound. Flanking | | | | is at a higher frequency like human voice or small |
| sound is noise which wraps over, under or around | | | | barking dogs or train level crossing bells then you |
| your soundproofing structures. All of the principles of | | | | would need better blocking at frequencies around |
| internal sound barriers and sound absorption still apply | | | | 1000Hz to about 2500Hz. You would look for higher |
| outdoors. | | | | values at these higher frequencies. |
| Lower frequency noise has a longer wavelength than | | | | Those Fences Are Big |
| high frequency sound and will require a higher and | | | | An effective and relatively light weight material for |
| denser barrier. If for example if you are dealing with | | | | acoustic fencing is steel sheeting like the material |
| truck noise you would probably need a barrier as high | | | | used on deck roofs. Timber fencing performs well |
| as 12-15 feet (3.5 - 4.5 metres) or more. In most | | | | but it's harder to create an airtight structure and the |
| cases this is impractical or even against municipal | | | | timber will be heavier and more difficult to work with. |
| building regulations so it might be advisable to return | | | | Whatever you use, remember that the structure is |
| in doors and work on your soundproofing there and | | | | higher than usual and it will catch the wind. Make sure |
| be content on a quiet internal environment. | | | | that your uprights are closer together and or thicker |
| Is it a Baritone or Soprano Annoyance? | | | | than usual and also burry them deeper into the |
| It is correct that higher frequency noises can be | | | | ground. |
| blocked by lower fences but there are some | | | | If you already have a tall fence but it has holes or |
| complications. Take level crossing train bells noise for | | | | gaps in and round it and perhaps is not made of the |
| example. This is fairly high frequency and you would | | | | right material to block or absorb the offending sound |
| imagine that a lower fence would block the noise. | | | | you can consider mass loaded vinyl (MLV). This is a |
| Unfortunately the train companies have installed their | | | | heavy plastic like membrane which is basically |
| bells at the top of ten foot poles which means you | | | | weatherproof and you can fix it to your existing |
| still have to get your fence to around 15 feet to | | | | fence and it will considerably increase the density of |
| have an acceptable impact on the noise. As a general | | | | the fence and help block noise. MLV does not change |
| rule you want to construct the fence at least eight | | | | the fact that you still need a serious fence height to |
| feet higher than the source of the noise. This is less | | | | make a big difference. |
| of a challenge when it is ground hugging car tail pipes | | | | If you live on a large property and you are able to |
| but challenging when you are dealing with truck | | | | build a mound of earth facing the problem this can be |
| horns, and their roof top exhaust systems or even | | | | effective and inexpensive way of creating a |
| their loud engines which are quite high off the ground. | | | | soundproofing barrier but again the height has to be |
| The Way of The Lotus Blossom | | | | right and it can take a bit of effort. Another option |
| When structural soundproofing seems out of the | | | | for large properties is a hay (straw) bale fence. |
| question all is not lost. There are still a couple of | | | | There is endless Internet information these days on |
| innovative options. You can soundproof by creating | | | | building with hay bales and they are cheap and quick. |
| more sound, particularly sound which is pleasing to | | | | Take Care Who You Listen To |
| the ear. For example one way to quickly deal with | | | | Like all soundproofing issues there are endless myths |
| level crossing train bells is to install a descent water | | | | about outdoor soundproofing. The most common |
| feature in your garden as long as it is not a quiet Zen | | | | one is the use of trees and shrubs. Trees and shrubs |
| style water feature. The sound of falling water will | | | | are pretty much ineffective except as visual screens |
| not only create a pleasant environment but it will | | | | and perhaps for the masking sounds of the birds and |
| interfere with the sound of train crossing bells and | | | | wind through the leaves. |
| make them less noticeable. You can achieve a similar | | | | One last point is if you haven't bought your home |
| effect with wind chimes although not as effective | | | | and you are thinking of buying a nice bargain |
| because they only work when the wind is blowing | | | | property which is probably a bit close to the trains, |
| and the sound is less random and does not mask the | | | | airport or freeway - think again. If you are at all |
| train crossing bells as well. The motivated | | | | sensitive to noise don't put yourself through the |
| soundproofing enthusiast might consider chimes and a | | | | nightmare of trying to solve noise problems for the |
| water feature and then external audio speakers for | | | | rest of your days. Quality of life is more important |
| piping pleasant music into the yard. The application of | | | | than a cheap house. Spend a little more and buy |
| these three strategies will sufficiently interfere with | | | | quiet. |
| most annoying noise pollution and allow you to return | | | | |