Cheap way to stop outside noise from coming in through sliding windows and doors?

6pack said:
Is there a cheap way to stop outside noise from coming inside the house through gaps in sliding windows and doors?
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earplug_.jpg


More intrusive


On their own does something to reduce noise but combined with below might get better.


Use white noise. Fight sound with sound.

There are stand-alone generators. There are apps you can play on a headset or BT speakers.

But before doing that you need to understand what kinds of noise work for you

A Soft Murmur

Mix ambient sounds together to wash away distraction and help you focus or relax
asoftmurmur.com asoftmurmur.com

They have some helpful tips to better understand what combination of white noise works for your particular situation. This will help with prototyping. Figure out what works and what does not then refine what does with either standalone or custom mixes.

If you’re trying to study in the library and someone won’t stop talking, try listening to the Coffee Shop sound to transform a single, distracting voice into a pleasant background murmur.
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If music coming through the wall is keeping you up, try a mix of Singing Bowl with Waves or Wind to help you ignore it.
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To disguise high-pitched sounds, Birds and Crickets are a good option, and for low-pitched sounds, try Thunder.
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If you want some more variety, try the Meander function (the button that looks like a squiggly line to the left of the play button). When Meander is active, any sound which isn’t silent will gently increase and decrease in volume in a random pattern, creating a soundscape which undulates and flows just like background sounds in real life.
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If you still find yourself distracted by unpleasant sounds even after using A Soft Murmur, there are a few more things you can try.

One option is to combine ambient sounds with other types of audio, like some relaxing music. If you’re unsure what type of music to try, searching for “ambient music” on YouTube or Spotify is a good place to start.
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Another option is to invest in a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. However, while noise cancellation technology tends to be pretty effective against steady, predictable noise sources, like the sound of travelling in a plane or train, it’s much less effective against more random, intermittent noise, like construction work or emergency sirens.

Finally, when all else fails you can try a pair of earplugs. But again, these tend to work well for some frequencies of sounds and less well for others. In a previous apartment I lived above neighbours who liked to party til 6am all days of the week. I would sometimes wear earplugs, then put my over-ear noise-cancelling headphones on top playing ambient music and nature sounds. It’s amazing what the mind comes up with when you really, really need to sleep.
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@blr_p , i have a 50pc packet of those 3m ear plugs. During normal days or when the loudspeaker is in some adjacent building, it blocks noise very well. Close to 90%. No need to add any additional white noise etc. The biggest problem is when the speakers are kept a few feet away from my windows. Then it becomes unbearable. I've tried these earplugs plus putting a headphone over my ears plus putting a pillow over my head and i can still hear the song clearly. This is with all doors and windows closed and rattling with every beat. Thankfully from last two three functions, they are keeping the speakers away from my house.

Why i was asking this question you may wonder? Those earplugs are not comfortable to use. They become hot in the ears after some time. Then the ear canal itches. This is using brand new ear plugs. I think the foam material used is the culprit. It's not skin friendly. Plus i want to watch TV or listen to songs which is not possible with earplugs in my ears. I tried cutting a hole in the earplugs and using it as earpads for iem but it blocks the sound from iems. I tried a lot but it either blocks the iem or allows outside noise inside my ears. I didn't find any middle point in this experiment.

So I'm searching for something to plug the gaps in the window borders. During the last time the window was rattling, i was searching for the source of the rattling noise. Keeping the windows ajar by 2 cms removed the rattling noise. So looking into it further, i saw that where two windows join in middle, there is a 1cm gap from top to bottom from where the sound and dust comes inside. Maybe plugging those gaps and sticking some sound absorbing foam tiles (like the youtubers use for their background) near the gaps will reduce the noise.
 
Ssreek said:
One question.. Are these safe to use while sleeping? I move a lot during sleep.
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I've used the sponge ones. They come with strings. The intrusive ones maybe not be so much.

I did not find the reduction that much or as much as I was expecting. Bit disappointing. They don't use a high grade of memory foam which is required for a good seal.

if you can find ones like that then go for that option. Good memory foam takes half a minute to regain its shape after being compressed. If it bounces back immediately then its not the best. They will be the cheapest though.

End of the day this kind of passive isolation works best with constant frequency sounds. If its varying then the results will be average and white noise is required.
 
TinTinSnowy said:
Any body got those sound proofing windows? Do they block well? I want to soundproof the windows.
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Yes! They are called DGU. Double Glass Units. They generally come in uPVC or Aluminium casing. They work superbly well compared to single class units of 6mm thick glass.
These DGU will also help with solar insolation, noise and keeping the inside climate not lose heat when you switch on the AC.

Sound proofing is the property of the glass mainly and obviously how it is sealed with the casements. Keep in mind that this is not a cheap solution but a solution which actually works.
 
Ssreek said:
One question.. Are these safe to use while sleeping? I move a lot during sleep.
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Yup. Just cut off the string. I've been using these 3m foam from past 5+ years. If you don't put them in properly they come out during sleep. You'll be fast asleep by that time though so you'll find out only in the morning when you get up.
 
6pack said:
During the last time the window was rattling, i was searching for the source of the rattling noise. Keeping the windows ajar by 2 cms removed the rattling noise. So looking into it further, i saw that where two windows join in middle, there is a 1cm gap from top to bottom from where the sound and dust comes inside. Maybe plugging those gaps and sticking some sound absorbing foam tiles (like the youtubers use for their background) near the gaps will reduce the noise.
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That is the window getting coupled and resonating. When I got my new BT speaker there was a similar noise in the room. At first, I thought the speaker was defective then I discovered a storage door was not closed completely and that was the source.

To stop the resonance you need to increase the weight of whatever is shaking. If you get some tape and stick something to the window does it change anything?

If nothing works then you either get invited or gatecrash. As a guest, you will not be disturbed anymore. Cheapest option.

Or if that is not possible take up the trumpet or get a drum set and practice when these parties are on. You will feel like a teenager again and will be motivated to learn an instrument and who knows maybe they invite you to play for them :D
 
blr_p said:
earplug_.jpg

https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B014DQEN2M/
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I would not recommend these for sleeping. The threads are stuck with hard gum and you will wake up with painful ears (personal experience). Better to pull and remove the hard gum and string and then use them or look at the ones I posted earlier without strings attached.
The intrusive ones are pretty uncomfortable and neither recommended for normal use and definitely not meant for sleeping.
 
blr_p said:
I've used the sponge ones. They come with strings. The intrusive ones maybe not be so much.

I did not find the reduction that much or as much as I was expecting. Bit disappointing. They don't use a high grade of memory foam which is required for a good seal.

if you can find ones like that then go for that option. Good memory foam takes half a minute to regain its shape after being compressed. If it bounces back immediately then its not the best. They will be the cheapest though.

End of the day this kind of passive isolation works best with constant frequency sounds. If its varying then the results will be average and white noise is required.
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ibose said:
I would not recommend these for sleeping. The threads are stuck with hard gum and you will wake up with painful ears (personal experience). Better to pull and remove the hard gum and string and then use them or look at the ones I posted earlier without strings attached.
The intrusive ones are pretty uncomfortable and neither recommended for normal use and definitely not meant for sleeping.
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6pack said:
Yup. Just cut off the string. I've been using these 3m foam from past 5+ years. If you don't put them in properly they come out during sleep.
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So what I understood from your comments is that, foam ones without the string, is good for sleep.
What does it mean by “intrusive” here? you guys keep mentioning it.


6pack said:
You'll be fast asleep by that time though so you'll find out only in the morning when you get up.
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This is what most important for me. Getting sleep is not the issue, it’s fine in the night. The real trouble starts early morning. If the plugs come out by morning, then it’s a fail.
 
Ssreek said:
This is what most important for me. Getting sleep is not the issue, it’s fine in the night. The real trouble starts early morning. If the plugs come out by morning, then it’s a fail.
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This problem is common to all earplugs with that design. The double or triple ear plugs will come out too if they are not inserted properly. If you insert them properly, they get uncomfortable after a few hours.
 
6pack said:
This problem is common to all earplugs with that design. The double or triple ear plugs will come out too if they are not inserted properly. If you insert them properly, they get uncomfortable after a few hours.
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Damn, seems there is no practical solution for me. Either leave the place or go deaf :p
Let’s see if op arrives at a practical solution then.
 
Last year encountered such sound dampening solution in one of the houses I visit, that family stays just 100mtes from away and gosh it was 80% less sound inside. The moment we stepped out it was too noisy as if inside is 5c outside is 40c temperature.
I didnt noticed anything on the slider as it was curtains on them but must say was a great solution.

Then researched on google for my own house and used terms like dampers and vacuum etc. got good product searches and all but not in my bookmarks anymore..
 
6pack said:
Is there a cheap way to stop outside noise from coming inside the house through gaps in sliding windows and doors?
I'm sure everyone has a problem with society members playing high volume songs during some celebration of such events. In my case, they put the speakers right outside my house, so sometimes if someone is completely deaf, the loud stadium speakers they use makes every window and door shake and vibrate. Thankfully they stop at around 10pm but they start really early around 7am sometimes.
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Really? Have you complained against that? This is not right.

I use this 3M tape on all my sliding windows and the bottom of all the doors. It is not 100% sound proofing, however, it does reduce the SPL to an extent. Its not that expensive, try it out. Maybe it will make it slightly tolerable.

Window Seal Tape 3M 45MM

MaSh
 
Ssreek said:
Guide us on how to use it for sleep.
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Apart from cutting the string off, you need to ensure you're inserting them correctly:
  • Wash your hands
  • Take one earplug and hold it lengthwise between your thumb, index and middle fingers of your right hand
  • Apply force to compress it, it will become flat
  • Hold there for 2-3 seconds
  • Roll the plug between your fingers while applying force. This will make the plug thinner and longer
  • Put your left hand over your head and grip the top part of your right ear. Your forearm should be resting on top of your head
  • Pull your ear gently upwards and slightly backwards. This opens up your ear canal
The next steps should be performed in 2-3 seconds after you stop rolling, before the plug expands to its original shape
  • Keep rolling the plug between your fingers and take it near the right ear
  • Stop rolling
  • GENTLY insert it into your ear canal. Since it's thinner than your ear canal, you don't want it to go too deep.
  • Hold the plug in place by putting your thumb on the side of the earplug (where the string was attached). It will take 30+ seconds for the plug to expand fully and seal the ear canal - you will feel it, and notice a drop in ambient sound. Wait patiently.
  • Once it has expanded, you may remove your thumb and it will not fall out, and neither will it be protruding too much - I can sleep on my sides without feeling them
Done correctly you should feel only a slight pressure initially for a few days until you get used to the sensation.

Start with 50% inserted and increase as needed to find your comfort zone. For reference, I insert it to about 75-80% (guesstimate), try to vary how much you insert it. Since it's cross section is not uniform, you should be able to find a comfortable position.

Repeat the same for your other ear. If done properly you will feel weird at first. Your brain is not used to such low noise levels, let it calibrate for a few days.

Now the most important/possibly dangerous part: removal:
  • Hold the ear plug by the tip (where the string was attached) with 2 fingers
  • DO NOT PULL
  • Rotate the plug inside your ear canal without pulling so that the air tight seal is broken first
  • Once it begins to rotate, pull it out as slowly as possible
  • If you don't do this right, you might injure your ear-drums
Technically these 3M plugs are disposable i.e. single use only. However if you store them in a clean place, you can use them over the course of a few days. I just put them in the cover they came in. I throw them away either when they become visibly dirty or when they lose their pliability. (When you compress it and stop applying force, it immediately returns to its former shape instead of taking a few seconds to expand slowly)

Like I said, it will take a few days to get used to the sensation of being almost deaf. However if you feel extreme discomfort with these generic sized earplugs, you can go to an audiologist and they will make bespoke ones for your ear canal's shape. These are expensive but can be cleaned and reused
 
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ibose said:
And remove the hard gum with which the threads are stuck.
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It will take some of the orange material if you try to pull it off, and decrease the efficiency somehow. Tried it once, and didn't like it. You won't feel it if you leave it there.

But if someone feels the plugs are too big for their ears, worth a try

Edit: found an official 3M product video, but this one does not show how to remove it, so refer above for that

 
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n1r0 said:
You won't feel it if you leave it there.
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Well, its a hard and pointed piece of gum which protruded outwards. I woke up once with painful ears as it easily presses against the inside. Ever since I carefully remove it and it remains equally effective. You need to gently remove it and not pull hard.
 
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