Understanding the Basics of Noise Reduction

The world’s a noisy place, there’s sound everywhere we go, at work, at the park and the local cafe. And noise can directly impact our productivity, health and enjoyment.

Word spreads quickly about noisy restaurants to avoid, and staff productivity levels may reduce due to the loud hum of the air conditioning unit.

So managing noise exposure should be an important consideration for businesses…

Every situation is different and solutions depend on a myriad of factors, making it difficult to identify noise sources and find solutions to reduce noise effectively. But it can help if you understand the basics of noise reduction.

Eliminate or reduce the noise at its source:

Here you’re looking at reducing the amount of sound produced by equipment or a machine such as an air conditioning unit or vents. As mentioned by OHSOnline, this type of noise can be challenging to reduce, but generally involves confining equipment or altering the mechanics or movements within the equipment.

Acoustical enclosures and noise barriers:

Often the easiest way to block, control and dissipate sound is noise control hardware. This includes the use of walls and other physical barriers to block sound. Although most effective for outdoor use, these can also be a good noise-reducing solution for large indoor spaces.

Reduce excessive room reverberation with acoustical absorption:

Put very simply, reverberation is the build-up of sound in a room, and when there’s no acoustical absorption occurring (nothing to absorb the sound), noise levels can increase and become uncomfortable.

This type of excess noise can be reduced by introducing acoustic & decorative wall and ceiling products into a room to absorb the sound.

These quality materials assist with reverberation control and are not designed with sound transfer qualities in mind. They do however reduce a small percentage of sound transferring by reducing the overall noise bouncing around in the space.

The best overall solution to any noise control issue is an Acoustic Appraisal conducted by industry experts like Acoustic Solutions Store. An acoustic appraisal will identify the current Reverberation Time (RT) of your space and find solutions to improve acoustics.

Every situation is different, so a combination of these noise reduction methods is often required to solve sound-related issues in the workplace.

If you think your space requires an acoustic solution, contact our dedicated team at Acoustic Solutions Store.

Our online store specialises in materials that improve the acoustic performance of internal spaces. Get in touch.