Anyone living near a busy highway knows how pervasive industrial noise, horns, and sirens can be. It can be harder for children to have fun at home with sirens, horns, cars whizzing by, and other sounds that come because of proximity to busy railway lines and highways. The effects could even be dire to the yard since it doesn’t have windows and walls to reflect noise from the road. However, the following tips can help homeowners mitigate noise from the highway.
Sound Walls
You may need to erect a relatively tall wall that surrounds your compound to help block the sound from reaching your yard and home. An 8-foot tall fence that doesn’t have holes can help block noise from entering your yard. Such a wall can provide a sound reduction of up to 10 decibels, which is equivalent to the difference between a dishwasher and an alarm system. While shorter walls are less effective in noise reduction, their impact is still valuable since much of the noise occurs right at the ground level.
Use of Electronic Noise Reduction Systems
Homeowners can use noise generators to mask the noise being generated by the cars on the road. Noise generators create a noise that is like the sound of rushing water, and the frequency of its noise is within the range of human hearing. Homeowners can mask noise from the road by wearing headphones every time they’re in the house. Noise generators produce a sound wave that can serve as the opposite to the horns and sirens around you. These sound waves will mask each other, and all a homeowner will hear is nothing but silence.
Yard Features
Planting thick bushes and trees around the compound can’t be enough to reflect the noise from the highway. The best way to increase the effectiveness of a landscaping project is to point a garden pipe at it. Sound waves can pass through the tube if water can as well. Instead of planting trees to block highway noise, consider adding a waterfall or fountain that generates a unique sound. Investing in white noise resources can help reduce the impact of the noise coming from the highway.
Interior Measures
The best way to block noise from the road is to upgrade the soundproofing of your home. A house made of concrete can be quiet, but you might need to update its soundproof. The first thing is to seal holes and cracks between the inner and outer side of the house. After that, consider installing storm windows or upgrading the existing ones. You can also add insulation to block noise from outside. Alternatively, homeowners can consider installing a noise barrier and siding panels designed to provide extra soundproof.
Noise from busy highways and railway lines isn’t different from any other sound. Noise is a pressure wave that travels through the air, and homeowners can block it from reaching their home by interrupting the stream. As such, the above measures can help homeowners slow the wave or prevent it from entering their yard or house.