Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [acoustic]

31 questions
9
votes
3 answers

How can I stop bulbs from buzzing when dimmed?

I've got some hanging lights with "Fat Albert" bulbs that are plugged into a dimmer switch. When they're dimmed to certain levels, the bulbs make a soft buzzing sound. The buzz is amplified and directed straight down because of the shape of the…
lukecyca
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2 answers

Can I put acoustical putty *inside* the electrical box rather than around the outside?

For soundproofing applications, they make acoustical putty that you put around the electrical box. However, what if you can't get behind the electrical box? In my case, I have a wall floating on hat channels about 3" from the studs. The…
oscilatingcretin
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Is cork an effective solution to reverberation problems?

I own a small English language academy in Spain. After a rebuild last summer I find that problems with reverberation persist. This is at its worst when less people are present but I'm looking for a permanent once and for all solution that hopefully…
mark
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4
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How to improve the acoustics in my living room?

I've just gotten a brand new TV and put it in my living room. The room is, however, extremely echoey. It has a linoleum floor and bare walls, a couch, two chairs, a glass coffee table, and a glass TV stand. The TV itself is mounted on a swivel…
Mario
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4
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1 answer

Should I use acoustical insulation or acoustical drywall for interior walls?

We are getting ready to begin a multi-room renovation project and are thinking about sound deadening. We want to either add sound deadening insulation or acoustical drywall to the interior walls but are not clear as to the advantages/disadvantages…
user7589
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4
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Is the vermiculite found in my popcorn ceiling toxic? Can I remove it myself?

I'm planning to remove a "popcorn" ceiling and submitted a ceiling sample to the labs for asbestos testing. Here are the results: It looks to me like the labs didn't detect any asbestos but I'm not sure what exactly Vermiculite is and if it's safe…
Mike B
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How can I reduce the sound of water moving through a pipe?

Introduction I am re-purposing a room from a kitchen to bedroom. The room has a concrete-block built wall through which cast iron water pipes pass. Here is the approximate schematic neighbor | p | my room | | is a single concrete block, and the p…
ipavlic
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3
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1 answer

What debuzzing coil should I use to get rid of lamp hum?

I have two lamps which use these big 300W bulbs that I am dimming with Insteon LampLink modules. They buzz quite a bit, and I previously asked a question about reducing the buzz which led me to switch to these large, rough service bulbs. However,…
lukecyca
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2
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2 answers

Refrigerator noise

I just moved into a studio apartment -- unfortunately there's no door separating the kitchen and my bed. I've never noticed the sound of refrigerators before, but it's LOUD. It starts up at least once an hour, and wakes me up in the middle of the…
jy928
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3 answers

How to get rid of echo inside the apartment?

A water pipe inside the apartment burst and was repaired. Ever since, the place has acquired a nasty echo. Everything resounds and we have to talk louder to be heard. Is there any solution to get rid of this echo?
moonstar
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1 answer

Home theater acoustic: How to calculate the required volume of a Helmholtz absorber to reduce reverb

I would like to fight a resonance with a Helmholtz absorber in a room with a volume of 97 cubic meters. I'm building a home theater in a room that's 9.2m long (11 x 3.3 x 3.2). In the beginning I had a disastrous reverberation. With self-built…
marsh-wiggle
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2 answers

When building drywalls with suspended ceiling do I need wall height to actual ceiling?

I'm building classrooms in the large basement of our home; we're in Spain and have an English school we're expanding. Room to room sound insulation and resonance are the major concerns I have to consider, as well as costs. The actual ceiling is…
mark
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How to install acoustic panels on a door?

I want to add some foam acoustic panels to a wooden (interior, roughly 30x80 in) door - they are roughly 12x12x2 inch squares, and quite light, to the point where I think double-sided tape would be enough to hold them in place - however, I would…
user2813274
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How much do accoustic tiles help?

We have a particularly small room, about 12ft by 8ft, we use it for boardgames and roleplaying games. As is typical for these games, discussion often gets heated, getting louder and louder. Someone suggested accoustic tiles, which would absorb some…
Frames Catherine White
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Is it OK to have multiple layers of faced insulation on an interior wall for sound deadening?

I'm finishing my basement and adding insulation. I am insulating the ceiling joists between my basement and upstairs living room as well since the room is for a theater. So, it's for acoustic purposes rather than energy/moisture. The guys installing…
Kevinicus
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