How to reduce noise pollution when working from home

Thousands of Singaporeans will be working from home during this coronavirus period, outside noise will make things even harder

We are living in extraordinary times at the moment with the global Coronavirus pandemic upending economies and the working lives of millions of people. Singapore has not been spared and while, for the most part, our personal life goes on as normal, our working life has changed dramatically.

Every week, thousands of Singaporeans will have woken up and, rather than head to the MRT or bus stop, simply stayed at home and turned on their laptops. Working from home is now normal across the entire island with meetings conducted over Zoom and coffee breaks replaced with visits to the kitchen. However, many are just now beginning to realise how noisy their homes are during the day… Loud noises emitting from vehicles, workers and other sources will be a common occurrence and this noise pollution will be top of mind for most of us trying to write that e-mail to the boss.

Noise pollution becomes more noticeable.

When it is a weekend, we tend to ignore outside noise such as traffic and nearby construction work is usually halted over these periods. During weekdays, though, suddenly every car horn, drilling or loud conversation from passers-by becomes more noticeable and makes it much harder to concentrate on work. Singapore is a densely populated country with many of us living close to each other and close to main roads or an expressway. Urban development brings noise with it and most windows installed in condos and HDBs reduce up to 10-15 decibels of noise, yet the reality of outside noise pollution can reach up to 60 decibels, especially during the daytime when commercial activity is at its highest. If you are living in one of these 10 neighbourhoods then it is likely you are experiencing significant urban noise pollution.

Too much noise, can’t work!

This cacophony of outside noise is terrible for productivity, reducing concentration levels and distracting employees who need to focus on their work. Noise can also contribute to stress especially when you have deadlines to meet and targets to reach.

There are a few things you can do to reduce noise. Soft furnishings and heavy curtains help absorb sounds and could potentially reduce noise by up to 6 decibels. Bookshelves and / or filing cabinets also help to break up sound waves and reduce our perception of noise.

Soundproof your windows

The truth is, though, walls in Singaporean buildings are generally quite soundproof. Rather, the majority of the noise you hear comes through the windows which are very leaky, especially sliding windows. There is also a perception that noise enters through the window glass, hence many people get double-glazed windows yet most noise actually enters through the gaps in the windows. We have measured the effect of our solutions, and the only thing you hear is your Aircon, read more of it here.

The solution that will have the biggest impact both in terms of noise reduction and cost is installing windows and sliding doors which are acoustically certified and fitted by an authorized window fabricator and installer. Importantly, you need a window with a weathertight seal between the window panel and the frame to remove any gaps that would allow noise in.

Unfortunately, this weathertight seal cannot be fitted into existing windows as it requires specialist workmanship and precise measurements. It is advised that homeowners replace their windows with soundproof ones developed and fitted by skilled, authorised specialists.

Lastly, homeowners should not forget about their doors, which are also a source of noise. Bedroom doors often let in noise, from cooking sounds to toilet flushing, showering and the general movement of kids and people. ideally, the fitting, the door frame and the door itself should be coordinated together as a unit to ensure that noise levels are reduced. This can be done by a certified specialist and will result in better night’s sleep and more productive days.

The Coronavirus pandemic has been disruptive to all of us, yet one of its unintended consequences would be to make us all realise just how noisy our homes are. During normal times, we are only at home outside of work but now our home is our office, noise pollution is something that matters. For more information on how to soundproof your windows and doors, contact Noise Plaster.