I recently bought a newly built home that's unfortunately located near a busy street. The builder claimed that their constructions met county standards for sound transmission, but it turns out those standards are pretty outdated. I'm dealing with quite a bit of noise from traffic, despite my double slider window being rated at 35STC. Even with a noise machine running, the sound of trucks and motorcycles is constant and disruptive, especially during early morning hours when traffic kicks back up around 7am. My exterior wall has R-19 Seal Tite Pro Open Cell Foam insulation, which I was told would help, but it hasn't made a significant difference. I'm considering options like upgrading to a higher STC window, which could be pretty costly, or even framing and insulating another wall inside my bedroom to help block out the noise. Any thoughts or advice?
2 Answers
One quick fix you could try is using foam board. Just cut it to fit snugly in your window frame and pop it in there when you need some quiet. It's a simple and cost-effective way to start reducing that noise!
I got some Amazon foam panels and mounted them on cardboard to create a movable sound barrier. Just slide it into the window at night. Make sure to pick foam panels with adhesive backing to stick them to the cardboard easily. You might need to find a big piece of cardboard if your window is large though!
Just a heads up, are those open cell foam panels? I’ve heard they might not be the best for blocking sound.
Could you send me a link to those Amazon panels? There are so many options out there! I want to make sure I'm getting the right ones.