At the construction or renovation stage
It is best to take care of soundproofing already at the stage of renovation - soundproofing must be taken into account in the project. Modern soundproofing materials are thin, around five centimeters, but effective. This means that they will not eat up the space, but will eliminate obtrusive sounds from the neighboring apartments. Special plates are sewn into the walls, floor and ceiling during repairs. They effectively absorb noise, so that the neighbors are not heard at all.
In addition, you need to put in good plastic windows. When choosing, it is important to pay attention to the quality of the glass unit, as well as the fact that the frames were with noise insulation properties - this will reduce street noise by 35 decibels or more.
How to reduce noise from home appliances
In addition to global changes, you might want to revise your household appliances. Sounds from the fridge are not just annoying -- they also deteriorate the quality of your sleep: in the morning instead of pleasant wakefulness, you feel tired. If noisy nights are repeated regularly, fatigue accumulates and harms mental and physical health.
As a rule, when choosing a refrigerator, we look at the price, color and capacity, but we often forget about the noise level. Meanwhile, according to WHO recommendations, the maximum allowable noise level is up to 85 decibels (a modern vacuum cleaner operates at 80 dB). Low noise level is when the volume does not exceed 30 dB, for example, the noise of the forest. Normal - 30 to 60 dB - imagine the sound of two or three people talking. High level - more than 60 dB. The scream of a baby or the sound of a vacuum cleaner is rated at 80 dB. A sound that is louder than 100 dB can cause hearing loss.
Thus, it is possible to consider appliances with a noise level not exceeding 60 dB as comfortable for life. And if modern refrigerators with inverter compressors, which support variable shaft rotation speed (unlike linear compressors in previous generations of refrigerators) mainly do not make a loud noise, then it is much more difficult to deal with washing machines - they are not so "silent", but there are some good examples among them too.
And note: if you really can't bear to hear the sound of the appliance, you can buy one that can be controlled via a smartphone app, so that you can run it in your absence: by the time you return from work or a walk the laundry will already be done.
Among the smart home, assistants are still worth allocating a robot vacuum cleaner. This home helper is controlled remotely from a smartphone or can start cleaning on a schedule, so you don't have to be at home at all: the robot will handle everything itself.
What to do if an appliance that is positioned as quiet still makes noise
- Give it time. The refrigerator, washing machine and any other new appliances need to get used to working in a new place: in about a week the noise will decrease to the declared level. For example, when a new refrigerator starts working, it takes time for the refrigerant to distribute evenly over all systems. Once this happens (after about a week), the refrigerator "calms down". These nuances are usually told by appliance salespeople in stores, as well as by specialists at appliance repair centers.
- Check how the appliances are installed. The refrigerator and washing machine should stand on a level hard surface and some distance from the wall and other appliances and furniture.
- Use anti-vibration feet for the washer-dryer - the less vibration, the less noise.
