Issue 01/2008 - Noise exposure in private homes – relief by carpet flooring
Noise is hard to bear – no matter whether the sound source is on the street, in the air or caused by industry and commerce. Also loud noises indoor are perceived as very annoying. An intermediate result of the current online survey of the Federal Environmental Agency on noise exposure shows: More than 60 % of the participants of this study feel bothered and disturbed by the noise of the neighbours.
Too much noise can be hazardous to human health
Noise overexposure can have a negative effect on human health and well-being. Sensitive humans react already to background noises - like the buzzing of a refrigerator - with health impairment. It has to be taken into account that the more exposure to noise and the longer it lasts, the more serious are the effects on human health. In addition to sleep disturbances, learning disorders and lack of concentration other damages may occur, e.g. of the nervous system and of the alimentary system, raised blood pressure with a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, hearing loss, deafness, culminating in paralysis and even causing death.
Experts recommending carpet flooring against subsonic noise
It is incontestable that textile floor coverings reduce the subsonic noise – not only in the room in which the noise is generated but also in neighbouring rooms. Experts start out from the fact that carpet flooring can reduce subsonic noise of up to 90 %. Every now and then, this noise-damping property of textile floor coverings is the basis of court decisions. For example, the owners or tenants of apartments who were disturbed by subsonic noise from the flats on the upper floor were entitled by the Higher Regional Court Schleswig to demand suitable noise reduction measures from the disturber (the owner of the flat on the upper floor). (Court Order of 08.08.2007; reference number 2 W 33/07; source: Ministry of Justice, Labour and Europe of the Federal State Schleswig-Holstein, see http://lrsh.juris.de).
The Court was of the opinion that by laying textile floor coverings a subsonic noise of 10 dB could be reached as demanded by the standard DIN 4109 version 1989. Even used carpet floorings would be a great deal more sound-absorbing than a laminate or tiled floor, said the expert of the Court. Carpet flooring would absorb noises of walking, running, displacing chairs, dropping objects – other than hard floor coverings like tiles, parquet or laminate.
The Court was of the opinion that by laying textile floor coverings a subsonic noise of 10 dB could be reached as demanded by the standard DIN 4109 version 1989. Even used carpet floorings would be a great deal more sound-absorbing than a laminate or tiled floor, said the expert of the Court. Carpet flooring would absorb noises of walking, running, displacing chairs, dropping objects – other than hard floor coverings like tiles, parquet or laminate.
Carpet flooring improving room acoustics
The noise absorption of carpet flooring also affects positively the acoustic room climate. The sound reflected by walls and furniture is absorbed by the soft floor covering, thus improving the reverberation time. This is important, because in rooms with a loud reverberant sound the voices are raised. In this way noise generates counter noise.
Bad acoustics often cause high noise levels in educational institutions. This noise can be a significant burden for teachers and students with negative effects on vocal cords and the concentration and attention span. Consequences can be a lack of speech comprehensibility, faulty communication, awareness of stress as well as worse learning and teaching results.
Carpet flooring can reduce the noise levels and reverberation times, thus improving the room acoustics. Background noises disappear, the speech comprehensibility increases. Automatically it is spoken in a lower voice, conducive to a more quiet behaviour.
The acoustic initial position of carpet flooring is positive, however, the reverberation times even can be further improved – this is the result of a noise measurement of Professor Lothar Siebel, building physicist at the Aachen University.
The acoustic initial position of carpet flooring is positive, however, the reverberation times even can be further improved – this is the result of a noise measurement of Professor Lothar Siebel, building physicist at the Aachen University.
The thicker and softer the textile floor covering, so much the better the noise will be reduced. Even after many years of use high quality carpet flooring doesn’t show any considerable worsening of noise protection.
You would like to know more about the range of high-quality carpet flooring offered by the manufacturers? Here you will find the contact addresses of our member companies!
You would like to know more about the range of high-quality carpet flooring offered by the manufacturers? Here you will find the contact addresses of our member companies!
