Ways to Keep Your Noise Low to Avoid Violations

Most of the complaints that the landlord deals with regularly are about the noisy neighbors. This noise could be a result of loud music or from uncontrollable barking of pets. It is important to get this problem under control because tenants who are unhappy with their current living conditions are likely to move out. Here are some of the ways to keep the noise low to avoid violations.

The first way to reduce noise in your place does not involve any money. If you are living in an apartment, the noise involves your lease agreement. A Quiet Hours Policy should be included in the lease agreement that all tenants must sign and agree to. The policy should state when to observe the quiet hours, for example from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. An example of actions that would violate quiet hours is loud music during the party. If this is being followed, then nobody in the neighborhood will complain thereby avoiding violations.

A consequence should be explained in the policy once it is violated. For example, the first and second violations would be a warning, the third would be a fine and after that, stricter punishments should be implemented such as possible eviction. The Quiet Hours Policy is advantageous to residents as it gives them the confidence in having a peaceful and quiet time.

Another good way to keep your noise low in your place is to install double pane windows. This is great for minimizing exterior noise. Unfortunately, they aren’t cheap. Depending on the size of your window, they will cost upwards of 200 dollars. This cost is affordable if you do not have many windows to replace or if you see it adding much greater value to your property than the total cost of the windows. A cheaper alternative to installing double pane windows is to hang heavy fabric drapes around the windows. These will not only reduce noise, but they will aid in decreasing any drafts as well.

If you live in an apartment and found noise issues, a great way to fix this is to insulate the walls. To do this, you will have to open up the walls, and this can decrease noise between apartments thereby decreasing noise complaints. A great way to insulate the walls is to use foam insulation boards as this does not require walls to be cut open. These could be covered with fabric and hang on the walls like artwork.

Placing plants inside a house can also help reduce noise. Shrubbery can absorb noise and it’s a good idea to plant shrubs near windows and exterior doorways. You can also put some potted plants inside the property in noisy areas such as common areas or stair landings. This is a cost-effective way to keep noise low in your home.

When you buy a property, you should first check the noise levels of the house. Here are some reasons to check noise levels before you buy a house. Since noise complaints are such a big issue, determining the noise levels inside a house before you buy can help avoid complaints in the future. You should know that the property has an acceptable amount of noise protection. When you know there is not enough noise protection you will decide not to buy the property. After you know that there is not enough noise protection you can include the cost of noise protection so that you can negotiate to reduce the cost of the house.

It’s important also to listen for noise from outside and you should check this for two things. a) How noisy the actual street is: Listen for Noise From Outside – you may want to visit the property at different times of the day and observe different noises. Is there a lot of traffic on the street? Determine if pedestrians are constantly walking in front of the property. Determine also if there is a school right across the street or does a neighbor has a dog that barks all day.

Whether you own property or renting an apartment, you must know the ways how to keep your noise low to avoid violations.