[Home Tips] How to effectively soundproof your home when neighbors are making noise?

🕵️♀️ Editor's observation: Why are people in Hong Kong particularly susceptible to noise from their neighbors?

Hong Kong has a high building density, and noise insulation is often inadequate. This is especially true in older buildings, public housing, Home Ownership Scheme flats, and even some new buildings. The following problems can occur:

  1. Thin floor slabs

    • The sounds of your upper-floor neighbors walking, dragging chairs, and dropping objects will be transmitted directly into your house through the floor.

  2. Poor wall sound insulation

    • The walls are not thick enough and the materials used are light, resulting in poor sound insulation. You can hear the sounds of karaoke, video games, and quarrels through the fence.

  3. The windows are poorly soundproofed .

    • Ordinary aluminum windows have low sound insulation capabilities, and street traffic and construction sounds can easily enter.

  4. Pipe and structure sound transmission🛠

    • The vibration of water pipes and noise from elevator shafts will be transmitted through the walls.

⚠️ Editor's reminder: Long-term noise affects health

According to medical research, long-term exposure to high-decibel noise environments (≥55dB) may cause:

  • Sleep quality decreased 😴
  • Elevated blood pressure and cardiovascular risk❤️
  • Decreased concentration and anxiety😠
  • Children's learning performance is affected📚

Therefore, noise is not only annoying, but also a health hazard.

🛠 Editor's Guide to Soundproofing (From Easy to Hard)

First level: Improvement of living habits (low cost)

  1. Place thick curtains 🪟
    • Using thick cotton cloth or soundproof curtains can reduce street noise by 20-30%.
  2. Floor carpet/mat
    • Absorbs the sounds of footsteps and objects colliding from upstairs.
  3. Place large furniture on the wall for soundproofing📦
    • Placing bookcases and wardrobes against the wall can help reduce the noise coming from other sides.

Second layer: Simple home sound insulation project (medium cost)

  1. Soundproof windows/double-glazed windows🪟🔇
    • Replacing windows with double-glazed windows can reduce traffic and construction noise by 30-40%.
  2. Door sealing strip🚪
    • The gap at the bottom of the door will leak sound. Applying sound insulation sealing strips can block the sound from the corridor.
  3. Soundproof wall panels🧱
    • Install sound insulation panels (such as gypsum board + sound insulation cotton) on existing walls to reduce sound transmission through fences.

Third layer: professional sound insulation solution (high cost)

  1. Floating floor system 🏗
    • Add sound insulation pads and wooden boards on the ground to reduce the transmission of vibration sound.
  2. Whole house sound insulation renovation🔨
    • It includes sound insulation layers on three sides: walls, floors and ceilings. It has the best effect but is expensive and suitable for long-term self-residence.
  3. Professional acoustic treatment🎤
    • Hire an acoustic engineer to measure noise sources and customize a sound insulation solution to ensure the ideal decibel level is achieved.

Tier 4: Legal and community approaches (supportive measures)

  1. Communicate with your neighbors first🤝
    • Sometimes the other person may not realize that they are being too noisy, so report the problem politely.
  2. Report to the management office
    • The management office may issue warnings or coordinate.
  3. Complaints under the Noise Control Ordinance📜
    • If the noise level continues to exceed the standard, you can report it to the Environmental Protection Agency or the police.

🔍 Editor’s Tip: Key Points for Soundproofing in Hong Kong

  • Old buildings have thin walls → adding sound insulation panels to the walls is the most direct solution
  • Near the road/construction site → Double-glazed windows are most effective
  • Noisy footsteps upstairs → Floating floor + thick carpet
  • All-around noise → Whole-house soundproofing renovation (costly but one-time solution)

📝 Editor's Summary

Noise is a common problem in Hong Kong, especially in densely populated residential areas. Effective soundproofing doesn't rely on a single method; rather, a combination of solutions targeting the noise source and structural characteristics is required:

  1. Use low-cost methods to reduce noise first
  2. Consider targeted sound insulation projects
  3. In serious cases, legal action may be considered

This way, even if there are kids playing mahjong across the fence every day or running around upstairs, you can still rest in peace 😌🎧.

Back to blog
【家居小貼士】

See more...

View all
1 3
View all