One of the keys to living in an apartment, aside from paying your rent on time, is being respectful of your neighbors. Being a good, respectful neighbor means – in part – that you keep noise levels to a minimum. This can be difficult to do because, let’s face it, sometimes you want to watch an action movie with the volume turned way up, or play your favorite song at full blast. The problem with this is that, in an apartment, you live in close proximity to several other units, and they end up being a captive audience to your movies and music. The good news is that there are some things that you can do to reduce your noise output, aside from just turning down the volume. This article will highlight some things you can do to keep the noise in your own apartment.
Floor Mats
People often talk about apartments having “thin walls.” There is some truth to this, but most of the noise actually travels through the floor. For this reason, if you live on any floor above the first, you might want to consider purchasing noise reduction mats. These mats can be bought online, and can cover your entire floor. These mats will reduce the noise from your footsteps (even your dance parties!) and will also reduce ambient noise from TV and music. These mats can also prevent your conversations from passing through the floor to curious ears—they are great for maintaining privacy!
Plants Are Your Friends
Believe it or not, plants have been proven to absorb noise! Buying plants and placing them around your apartment – especially near stereos and other loud devices – can help decrease your noise output. Not only that, they add color and decoration to your apartment. Purchasing plants will also (slightly) reduce the noise coming into your apartment.
Insulating The Walls
If, despite your best efforts, noise is a persistent problem for you and your neighbors, consider talking to your landlord about insulating the walls. Remember those thin walls mentioned earlier? Adding insulation will make them thicker, and will help absorb sound coming into and going out of your apartment. Unlike the other steps, this is a major repair, but adding insulation will increase resale value and help attract and keep tenants, so it is a worthwhile investment for your landlord. No one wants to live in a noisy apartment!
A Fresh Coat Of Paint Can Also Help
Unbeknownst to most people, there is actually a type of house paint on the market that absorbs ambient noise. This acoustic dampening paint can reduce the noise that enters and leaves your apartment, especially when it is combined with the plants, floor mats, and insulation. Consider applying this to the walls that you share with other tenants. Of course, you will likely need your landlord’s approval before repainting the walls, but your landlord will likely give you the go-ahead, as you are looking out for the other tenants!
