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Posted by Tool Man | Posted in Carpentry Drywall Hand Tools | Posted on 13-08-2009

Is your condo too strong?

While condo buyers to look at several factors before deciding to buy a condo, an aspect important that it remains very important is the noise factor. Condo living and noise often seem to go hand in hand. Many condo owners are plagued with noise problems. Whether due to the noise of footsteps caused by wood floors, or sound is transmitted through the walls, noise unit can be very upsetting. This common problem, but totally uninhabitable can disrupt the peaceful life, although the unit can be otherwise perfect.

If you are a prospective condominium buyer, then here are some points worth taking into consideration before purchase.

Condo buyers are better inspect the apartment to check if all parts of the house is soundproof before finalizing the contract. Mike Komula, is an expert acoustician with Dudek, a consulting firm California Environmental that helps builders assess the acoustic quality of new buildings. Here are some tips offered by him for buyers to check in apartment before signing a contract.

1. Check for making some noise - The best way to see if adjacent units produce noise that seeps through the rooms her apartment is to test, making noise on the unit next door. Noise Test by turning on the radio, flushing toilets and walk along the floors. Also must check the plumbing noise from the bath and sink faucets which can produce vibrations along the walls or when very little noise.

2. Check plant design multistory: Check the design of the floors to make sure the rooms are placed one above the other supported. A kitchen or bathroom above the bedroom, instead of another bedroom, could be noisy.

3. Sound insulation windows: Make sure the windows have double glazing for better sound reduction. These absorb more noise than single-pane windows. The glass panel type used for the window also counts a lot. Ensure that the crystals are much thicker for better sound insulation. In addition, over the air cavities between the crystals means greater noise reduction.

4. Solid Doors: Use stronger doors that have a solid core instead of the holes to keep the noise so effective.

Builders are increasingly concentrated in the management of noise, especially in multifamily housing projects and recommended that the buyers to talk to the builder to know about the details of construction which helps reduce noise.

Some questions to get to the builder would check the following:

1. If the walls are double walls shared. A double wall instead of a stud wall of 2x4 meters absorbs more noise due the largest gap of air between 2 walls.
2. Verify that the number of layers of plaster on each side, because more the number of layers, the better the sound absorption.
3. Check the walls and ceilings have a good sound absorbent material such as resilient metal channels.
4. Check floor for a concrete layer light topping. It offers substantial noise reduction in air and noise impact by adding mass.

Another important thing that buyers of condominiums you should check is the STC or sound transmission class rating. An index of STC of 65 indicates that the walls and floor-ceiling construction between units are better sound checks.

Source: REALTOR magazine online

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