How To Find a Quiet Apartment: Factors To Consider

With so many things going on in today’s world, it is important to know what kind of environment you seek to find peace. Some ways to help keep your peace and avoid nearby noise include doing research into where you want to go and how noisy the area is, being aware of the differing sounds that are often prevalent in certain areas like train stations or bars, and researching quieter times.

Here are some common steps you might want to take if you’re looking for a specific place to live. This process may take time, but it will help you find a great alternative to the noise from your current location.

Check For Environmental Noises Around

Before deciding on an apartment, it is good to research the neighborhood. Ask yourself these questions:

• Is there any construction or road work happening currently?

• Are there plans for future construction work?

Whether you’re considering buying an apartment or renting one, it’s wise to know what projects may be in the area — especially when they involve construction. If you’re renting a space, you may want to consider where your children go to school and how convenient it is for them when buildings are being constructed around them.

The construction projects you’re likely to encounter in your neighbourhood can be quite loud and disruptive. It can also cause noise pollution that affects not only your quality of life, but the health of your family as well.

Other noisy factors include:

• Train/Bus stations

• Busy streets

• Hospital or fire station (i.e. sirens)

• Bars and pubs

• School playgrounds

• Airport

Internal Construction Noise Factors

The type of architecture a building is has an effect on how soundproof it is. A historic building is going to be quieter than one that’s newer. Take a look at what other apartments were like and designed.

The type of architecture of a building affects its soundproofing. If possible, research what building materials were used to build and finish the house. Note that this has a great impact on the soundproofing of the house as a whole and of all apartments in it.

• flooring. Insulated and carpeted floors have better sound insulation since they absorb noise compared to hard surfaces like tile (the nosiest) and wood or composite floors.

• internal walls. Concrete walls in between homes are better for sound control than framed drywall and little drywall insulation. As an adage goes, “My walls are so thin”, it is said that framed walls & little drywall can cause noisy living.The benefit of sound control wall frames is that you can only hear yourself, not the others in your home. However, the drawback is that they may add more costs and can’t compare to fully built walls.

• windows. Windows are the “weakest link” when it comes to sound control. With glass being such a porous material and sound traveling through it so easily there is often a problem with ability of windows to stop ambient sounds. Double paned window construction makes for much better sound insulation than single-paned windows.

• ceilings. Concrete floors provide the best sound control and can take more weight than wood truss systems.

• external door. To best answer these questions, you should examine your current door. If it is not an external door, you should also try to find out from the manufacturer of your current external door whether or not it does block noise or give it space to enter.

Perfom A Noise Listening Test

When you visit the apartment, try to listen for any signs that something might be wrong. Have a look around during the times when neighbors are at home to see if you have any opportunities for conversation. Bring a friend or family member along if you might be too distracted by the landlord. Make a safety walkthrough of the different areas in your building, checking for noise or any potential issues how to find a quiet apartment.  Visit at different times of the day if possible, so you get a good idea of how the noise levels vary.

Talk To Potential Neighbors

Talk to potential neighbors and the landlord to see if you can get a sense of how often they’re there, the noise level and what type of neighbors they are. Look for pets or kids your neighbors have, it also could be a source of unwanted noise. Look at the hours that other people in your building are home. If you live above someone who works late into the night chances are their noise will keep you up.

Final Thougths

By doing some investigation, you can easily determine how noisy your new potential home is. Just remember to put together all the factors mentioned in our article. If you still have questions about the parameters of finding a non-noisy home, write us in the comments!