Sound Dampening vs. Soundproofing Between Rooms: What's the Difference?
Is your neighbor’s dog barking keeping you up at night? Does someone in the neighborhood decide to mow the lawn at 6 a.m. on a Saturday? Or maybe you can hear the kids playing next door.
Either way, you’re looking for a solution to make your home quieter.
Did you know RetroFoam insulation can help keep that noise down with its sound dampening qualities?
Before you get too excited, there’s something you need to know – there is a difference between soundproofing and sound dampening.
You have to have the right expectations heading into it when you’re looking to control the noise in your home. You should have a clear goal in mind of what you’d like to accomplish and whether a soundproofing or noise-dampening insulation will best meet your needs.
Now, let’s jump into the difference between soundproofing and sound dampening, so you know what to expect.
The Difference Between Noise Soundproofing and Sound Deadening
If you’re looking to soundproof a room or even your whole house, that means you want to make it impervious to sound.
Many people do this if they create a recording studio in their home, an office, or a movie room with surround sound. Basically, they are looking to create a space where the noise outside the house, or even inside, won’t get in or out.
Sound dampening works a little differently.
Sound deadening or dampening greatly reduces sound transmission but doesn’t completely cut the sound out entirely. The amount that foam insulation can reduce noise into a home or room will vary on a case-by-case basis.
Now that you know the difference between soundproofing and sound dampening, you might be looking to cut the noise out completely.
If that’s the case, you’ll need acoustic sound panels, noise and isolation foams, sound barrier materials, and noise absorbers just to get started.
If that sounds a little too daunting to you, RetroFoam can at least help to make it quieter.
Injection Foam Insulation as a Sound Dampening Solution
If you update the insulation in your exterior walls with injection foam, like RetroFoam, it can reduce the sound transmission by up to 80 percent.
Injection foam insulation won’t make those walls completely soundproof, but it can significantly reduce the amount of noise.
Some people have opted to use RetroFoam for their exterior walls and their interior walls as well to cut down the amount of noise from room to room.
In addition to the foam insulation, a few other things you can do to reduce airborne noise is add acoustic curtains and double-pain windows to your home. Ensuring the spaces around doors and windows are sealed can also help cut down on the amount of noise coming into the house.
RetroFoam Insulation for Your Home
Sound reduction in your home is something you’re struggling with, but what about comfort and energy efficiency?
There are quite a few signs aside from a noisier home that your insulating needs to be updated. Uncomfortable rooms, high energy bills, condensation problems, and drafts are just some of the issues you could be experiencing.
RetroFoam in your home can help tackle these other issues as well. If you want to learn more about what RetroFoam offers, check out the Learning Center on our website.
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About Amanda Emery
Amanda previously has worked as a breaking news and crime reporter, TV news producer, and editor. As a journalist, she has won several awards from The Society of Professional Journalists - Detroit Chapter and the Michigan Press Association. Amanda uses her experience as a journalist to write content that will help educate homeowners on foam insulation benefits. When Amanda isn’t writing, she’s spending time with her husband Chris, daughter Lilith-Maeve, and rescued huskies Danger and Wendigo. She also loves knitting, making art, and cooking.