When you are thinking about insulation for noise reduction purposes, there are two considerations to keep in mind: sound transmitted by air and sound transmitted by solid matters such as walls, windows, or the actual insulation material.
When you are thinking about insulation for noise reduction purposes, there are two considerations to keep in mind: sound transmitted by air and sound transmitted by solid matters such as walls, windows, or the actual insulation material.
Noise Reduction
When you are thinking about insulation for noise reduction purposes, there are two considerations to keep in mind: sound transmitted by air and sound transmitted by solid matters such as walls, windows, or the actual insulation material.
Super soft E:500 spray foam, made by E:zero, is an effective barrier of sounds. Its superior fit makes it an ideal sound proofing system, reducing airborne sound transfer through the roof, floor, and walls. Outside noises from road traffic, aircrafts, or neighbors are eliminated and/or drastically reduced.
Solid materials transmit sound through vibrations and echoes, called reverberations, may be present as well. An example would be a knocking on a door or foot traffic on the floor above you. These sounds are more difficult to control. Due to its softness, E:500 spray insulation foam offers excellent dampening or absorbing properties once the sound wave is first transported by air and has caused a vibration in the wall assembly. Obviously, softer materials perform better, so the lower density spray foams like E:500 are more effective than our higher density varieties.
Another interesting detail is that sound loses its energy as conversion is forced back and forth between different media. The E:500 is a soft spray foam that is both flexible and filled with bubbles. Accordingly, it absorbs sound extremely well.
E:500
Besides sound-insulating outer walls, E:500 foam insulation also provides very noticeable improvements when applied to pipes (drain pipes, showers, etc.), in laundry rooms, bedrooms, and home theaters. Likewise, family members appreciate some music more than others, so let’s say it may even be a good idea to insulate between the kids’ rooms and the rest of the house.
The effectiveness of a sound barrier is indicated by its Sound Transmission Class (STC). The STC rating only covers the airborne sound transfer. The ratings are composite values for complete wall assemblies (such as OSB board, insulation material, and drywall). Given that in the test environment there are no gaps or cracks, unlike in real life applications, the ratings are often misleading. In a typical wall assembly featuring a 2×4 construction with E:zero soft foam, the STC rating is 39. The official description for this level is loud speech that is barely heard as a mumble. Typical outside noise is no longer audible. Doubling the depth of the cavity will improve the STC rating, but not proportionately. A word of advice: STC is an indicator derived in laboratory tests which does not reflect real life situations accurately. For some reasons, many vendors make unsubstantiated claims of STC ratings in the 50 range, which is not achieved in actual construction.