Soundproofing the bathroom and toilet
In any apartment, the sounds from the bathroom and the bathroom cause discomfort to the residents, and in the old panel houses to the neighbors. The noise of water from faucets, boiling in pipes and other sounds from the toilet prevent people from resting at night. Impacts of jets on the surface of the bath irritate the hearing, cause nervous excitement, headaches.
In Soviet-era buildings, the layout of the apartments included a toilet and a bathroom near the living room or kitchen. Modern studio apartments are designed according to the same principle. A visit to the hygiene room is a serious inconvenience if there are other people in the dining room or living room. To eliminate these unpleasant factors helps the sound insulation of the riser, sewer pipes, walls and floor.
The content of the article
Types of noise
Sound effects arise for various reasons and are classified by type:
- shock (sound effects from contact of water with metal or plastic surfaces);
- air (associated with the movement of air jams in communications);
- atmospheric (air masses hum in the blown risers);
- structural (reaction to compression, skew, draft and deformation of building elements);
- resonant (the occurrence of extraneous sounds in the pipes);
- vibrational (hum in the cavities from vibration of the walls).
In apartments, mainly structural, shock and vibrational noises are observed. Sewerage risers extend tens of meters in multi-story buildings, and resonant frequencies reach 20-30 Hz. Therefore, with insignificant mechanical contacts with the walls, a hum is created inside, the walls begin to vibrate, small deformations form.
Cast iron pipes produce sounds of lower intensity, and the noise level is on the minimum level. Due to the structure of the metal and the formation of internal plaque of oxides, noise cancellation occurs. Plastic pipes are characterized by increased noise levels and create serious problems for residents.
How to reduce the noise level in the bathroom?
First, identify the sources of noise and determine where the most intense sound interference comes from (pipes, risers, steel tub). To reduce the noise threshold, it will be necessary to isolate all “loud” objects in the room.
Consider the possible causes of trouble:
- When water is drawn, noise arises from the impact of water jets on the bottom of the steel bath. The alloy for the sanitary bowl is highly resonant and sounds louder in a small bathroom.
- Water murmurs loudly in the “knee” under the washbasin or cistern above the toilet (in the combined bathroom).
- Noise interference comes from communications - risers, drains and pipes.
Choose methods to eliminate noise or reduce the level depending on the cause of their occurrence.
Soundproofing bath
Effective sound insulation of a steel bath is achieved by gluing on the bottom of the outside of the foamed polyethylene (foil) or vibration insulation. Another way is to treat the bottom with foam.
Soundproofing pipes
Soundproofing of water pipes is carried out at the commissioning of the facility. Therefore, in new homes, residents can not worry about this issue. Check how things are going with your communications. If this work was not done by the builders, take care of solving the problem yourself.
The section where the sewer pipe enters the ceiling will have to be cleared of cement, and a piece of pipe inside should be freed. If there is a thickening on it, this is a soundproof cuff. If it is not, you need to make an insulating fitting, put it on the pipe and close it with cement again. The pipes themselves are wrapped with sound insulation tape or closed with a wooden box. Another option is to drill several holes around the pipe entrance into the ceiling with a puncher, fill the cavities with mounting foam, wrap the pipe at the entrance to the ceiling with foam rubber.
Soundproofing floor
To suppress noise, it is advisable to lay soundproofing material on the bathroom floor. With high ceilings, it is permissible to raise the floor level by 10 cm and lay mineral wool slabs on the base. At the same time, carefully cover the wooden crate to protect against moisture. If the ceilings are low, use thin insulation.
Soundproofing riser
Noise isolation of the riser is a priority, since this element represents the maximum danger. Infrasonic vibrations harmful to health are transmitted from the riser to building structures. Continuous strong infrasounds with a frequency of about 2 Hz affect the rhythm of the heartbeat and mental state, and sound vibrations with a frequency of about 7 Hz cause serious central nervous system disorders, up to and including epilepsy. The owner's task is to minimize the level of transmitted vibrations. There are two ways to solve the problem: replace the riser with a pipe with sound-absorbing properties (thick walls, an additional foam cover) or wrap it in roll insulation with several layers.
Soundproofing toilet
Sewer pipes are subject to acoustic and mechanical resonance. Wall vibrations are transmitted through the floors of the building and the walls on which the pipe is rigidly fixed. Soundproofing sewage performs two important functions:
- vibration damping of the body and the walls of the sewer pipe;
- the formation of obstacles to transmit the elastic vibrations of the pipe to the structural elements of the house.
Installation of pipes with noise reduction effect
In plumbing stores, special pipes with a sound absorption effect are presented. In the manufacture of plastic, finely divided mineral powder is introduced into the composition of the working material. Soundproofing ingredients - microcalcite (this is marble flour or marble powder), dolomites, limestones, chalk substances. Due to the presence of fine grinding in mountain carbonate rocks, plastic acquires noise absorption properties. The disadvantage of this type of pipe is its high price and short service life, which is limited to 20 years.
The color of the outer shell is white, the walls are thickened, the products are marked with longitudinal lines (red and green). Distinctive features are the manufacturer's mark on the outside and technical data (to what level the sound is attenuated). Installation of special sewer pipes with the effect of noise absorption will solve the problem of extraneous annoying sounds and health effects.
A less costly way to eliminate sounds is to independently isolate the sewer riser using available materials. First of all, actions are taken to repay infrasound, then partial replacement or damping is performed.
Partial pipe replacement
If you plan to change the old cast iron to a modern plastic product, use the method of replacing the visible part of the pipe. Cast-iron fragments and crosses are left in the ceilings, the inner coating is treated with “Mole” or caustic soda. The central part of the riser is replaced with plastic. As a result of this operation, the intensity of resonant vibrations will drop hundreds of times, the sound will be muffled, dangerous vibrations will be transformed into harmless to health.
Damping
The second method is convenient if a plastic pipe is already installed.Sound insulation of pipes from the walls by infrasound is carried out using a damper clamp (sold in plumbing stores). Insulation from floors is made independently. Material - a piece of polyethylene pipe, a strip of rubber of a microporous structure, or a fragment of a car chamber. The glass (fitting) is cut lengthwise, the pipe is wrapped, the structure is inserted into the opening. This dampens the infrasonic vibrations.
To quench structural noise, a foam shell is put on the pipe or polyurethane foam is wound. Isolation is used on the riser and on the wiring sites. The effect of damping the noise is given by the winding of the pipe with the Texaund protective membrane. This eliminates audible sounds - gurgling in pipes, gurgling, hum.
Advice! It is advisable to install plastic doors with an internal soundproofing layer in the toilet and bathroom. This will protect residents from sounds that are heard from the bathroom during hygiene procedures.
Watch the video that will demonstrate the sound insulation process of sewer pipes.
Soundproofing pipes in the apartment is of great importance for a calm and comfortable stay. Noise canceling of plumbing is affordable when using simple methods and improvised means. Therefore, in the process of repair it is advisable to carry out such an arrangement of communications.
