[twc5964]

Any ideas for a low cost method to drown out noisy neighbors... for bedroom windows and ceilings.It's so bad here I cant sleep.I cant afford to up and move right now.I'm not having much luck searching on the net.

 

[smeggy]

Lowest cost... secondhand shotgun and a few shells

Seriously though, I don't know of any low cost way to drown out excessive noise, especially on large surfaces. Double glazing helps windows a lot but it's hardly cheap and cielings.. no chance. You could try some pink noise to try to drown out the noise as our ears get used to steady noise but again, not ideal. Maybe harsh words or begging may help.

 

[Gabe Logan]

I don't know if it was low cost but i remember reading a story about this guy which had some really loud music playing like everyday in his apartment so he used some material to get mostly rid of it.I'll see if i can find that article.

 

[Gaughtfried]

The first thing I recommend be earplugs.

If those aren't options, then there are several sound-dampening paints you can try . Again, if those aren't an option due to some god forsaken clause in the rental contract, then you can always try bolting on some styrofoam sheets/carpet on your walls.

The last option would be to find a new apartment.

 

[AlanY]

If you can't afford to move right now, don't spend your money on fancy tech fixes. There's nothing that will really help if the ceiling is too thin. Earplugs and consistent complaints to the landlord/apartment manager are your best strategies. In some cities, repeated, documented noise complaints with no remedy by the landlord can be an acceptable ground for breaking a lease, but you should check local bylaws.

 

[rickcr42]

Quote:

Any ideas for a low cost method to drown out noisy neighbors... for bedroom windows and ceilings.

no noise laws in your area ?

every place I have ever lived there was a curfew on noise,usually 11:00 but in some places midnight or even 10:00 PM.

not being one to use the law to do my dirty work i usually let folks know when they are pissing me off and give my own "cease and dsist" order but for others there is the telephone and a complaint o those who's job it is to enforce the law.

a low level noise source to cancel out the offending noise.Once called "wind" or "ocean" sound generators no more than randomised white noise.Can be very relaxing and great aids to insomnia sufferers (me

)

 

[trains are bad]

Have you talked with the neibors? It would be polite to confront them before calling the police or something.

I wear 5 cent foam earplugs almost every night here at college.

 

[rickcr42]

Quote:

It would be polite to confront them before calling the police or something.

polite is not making a racket late at night when you KNOW others are trying to get some sleep.No way someone is carrying on and not having a "if they don't like it tough" attitude and this i know because it was once me

 

[bobeau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickcr42 polite is not making a racket late at night when you KNOW others are trying to get some sleep.No way someone is carrying on and not having a "if they don't like it tough" attitude and this i know because it was once me

I've been on both ends of this issue a few times now and everytime I've confronted someone or they've confronted me, it's turned out well. Sometimes it's surprising how much sound can leak, esp. if your neighbors are quiet you just assume the structure takes more noise than it does.

 

[rickcr42]

Quote:

Sometimes it's surprising how much sound can leak, esp. if your neighbors are quiet you just assume the structure takes more noise than it does.

good point.i always start out with the knock on the door or meeting at the mailbox/driveway and trying the civil discussian route as first choice and the truth is most humans are amiable and the situation resolves.

BUT ! We all have had a neighbor from hell at one time or another,and I know this because I was one when I was young and had wild parties nightly,and will pretty much tell you what you can do with our "suggestion" they tone it down a bit and be a good neighbor.

For them there is the alrternative method to problem solving where one party is going to be VERY unhappy in the end

 

[AuroraProject]

I'm feeling you pain, I'm in the same situation. I use foam earplugs to sleep at night, which works well for me. I would start by asking the noisy neighbors if they could quiet down a bit, then try the landlord ( to either complain or see what your options on sound treatment may be).

 

[Uncle Erik]

Check your lease or rental agreement. A section of it ought to deal with noise and/or neighbor complaints. Then go see your landlord or manager about it. Worst case scenario, your city ought to have a noise ordinance. They can be cited for it, but that often unleashes bad feelings. Your landlord/manager is also an authority figure and will generally do a better job of smoothing things over.

And there is a physical solution to noise: soundboard. But if you don't own the place, it's probably not worth it. It'll probably be against the terms of your lease of rental agreement, too. In a nutshell, soundboard comes in sheets just like drywall and is usually placed behind the drywall. It cuts out a surprising amount of sound and isn't that expensive, either. Problem is, you've got to pull the walls off, apply it, and put up new drywall.

In addition to my day job, I work for my family, too. We have some apartments, and we *always* put up soundboard any time we renovate. Neighbor complaints drop almost to zero and it's an extra layer of insulation, too.

 

[twc5964]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.I no longer own a nice new house in another state due to a job loss.Sometimes,it's a loud loud stereo etc..... but, .....these people stomp like a herd of f-n buffalo non stop every f-n day....every f-n nite !

I cant say the truth here or I'd be kicked out permanently from this website.I've politely asked them numerous times to quit being ignorant buffalo roaming the range or acting like barn bred heathens----got no where with that no matter how civil my words and demeanor as I am pissed off and tired of being nice.The apt. manager could care less as I've tried to discuss the situation with her also.

Sigh.....I cant do the earplugs routine because I wear them all nite long at work,however,I guess it's my only option aside from working any overtime to scrape up the cash to move. I HATE APT'S WITH A PASSION !

I thought there might be some form of sound deafening panels that I could install externally that might drown out a few decibals. Thanks again for all the suggestions as I am resigned to living in a ghetto neighborhood in a bassackwards state with a lousy salary to support my family........venting sorry guys....

I built up a small headphone rig to enjoy the music I love so as not to use my home system and drive anyone crazy near me. I just wish others would extend the same courtesy.No more headphones or headamps for me unfortunately as I need to channel funds to some piece of mind..like move somewhere else !

 

[spaceconvoy]

For a really cheap/ghetto alternative to soundboard, you could stick egg cartons on your walls (laid out flat). The problem is these kinds of solutions help mostly with airborne noise, but from your posts it seems like your problem is structure-borne noise. I'd look for a new apt.

 

[fewtch]

Man, I love living on the top floor of a 3-story condo complex.

Been on both sides of this issue, and it's a very, very difficult problem to solve. The neighbors below me are occasionally disturbing with a loud TV set and/or fighting among themselves, but more often we (me and my brother) tend to disturb others, being on the top floor. These condos are so cheaply built and close together, and that's the brunt of the problem. Had some neighbors below us that just plumb moved out eventually, but IMO they were way too sensitive to be living in condos in the first place. At the moment we're getting along with our neighbors very well, but quiet down immediately when someone complains (last summer it was having our TV set too loud, and the complaining party lived in a different building! The sound was apparently carrying 50-75 feet through a single open window.. strange the ways sound can travel sometimes).

Anyway, sorry to hear about your problems... I recommend earplugs at night, and tolerance during the day (headphones with music playing helps as well, of course). If you get too ticked off, tapping the ceiling loudly with a broomstick or something might help

.