I've noticed that whenever my neighbor slams their backyard door in the morning, my entire house shakes. Their door faces my master bedroom wall, and our houses are about 10 feet apart with just a fence separating us. Given that we're not connected at all, I'm wondering if this could be due to poor building quality or if there's a way to minimize the vibrations coming my way. Would installing mass loaded vinyl on the fence or putting down heavy gravel or stone help?
4 Answers
Honestly, I'd recommend getting an inspector to check it out. The cost is worth it to ensure your place is safe.
It sounds like your home might lack some density. Adding trees or even shrubs between your houses could help break up those vibrations. A dense barrier might absorb some of the impact.
The fact that your house shakes from a neighbor’s door slamming is not typical for homes that are not attached. You should be concerned about this—what happens in a storm?
If you feel vibrations from cars passing over potholes, it might be due to the high water table in your area. Is the ground swamped? If that's the case, there’s not much you can realistically do about it.
Yeah, I definitely think there's more going on here than just noise. Ten feet is pretty close, so structural details would definitely matter. What kind of building materials are in your home?
I agree! Something needs to interrupt those vibrations. Is your house a newer build? It might have been graded before construction, which can affect how sound travels.