Sound proofing from external road noise

[Kaymo]

Hi,
Recently moved to an old house beside a busy country road. While decorating the main bedroom we slept in the back room and noise wasnt really a problem but after moving in to the front bedroom we are having to use ear plugs to sleep due to traffic noise. Its not that there is traffic going by all night but it just takes one truck or motorbike to wake you up.

Anyway, what I am trying to figure out is where to start and how to figure out how the noise is getting into the room. Its an old stone construction so the walls are fairly thick and there is double glazing on both windows. My suspicion is that the noise is possibly coming upwards from the road and in through the roof, probably through the eaves. The loft is well insulated with fibre insulation which I would have thought would have had some effect but the sloping eaves cannot be reached although I could maybe push hardboard insulation down there.

My first thought is how do I determine where the noise is coming from as this does not seem as obvious as you might think? Sometime is seems like it is coming from the windows, other times from the roof!

 

[foxhole]

Gaps round poorly fitted windows?

 

[Kaymo]

I cant see any gaps, the windows are double glazed and fitted within the last 10 years. We have blinds and fairly heavy curtains but the noise is still quite bad which was leading me away from the windows.

 

[mointainwalker]

Its an old stone construction so the walls are fairly thick

Sorry, but probably not a good thing. My house has walls of 900 mm in the usual stone/earth/lime hotchpotch and it transmits sound very efficiently.

This next may sound trite, but since you have only moved recently, it is very likely that you will adapt and it will cease to bother you ( or at least it will stop waking you up )

 

[Kaymo]

This next may sound trite, but since you have only moved recently, it is very likely that you will adapt and it will cease to bother you ( or at least it will stop waking you up )

When I said recently, I meant just over a year ago and been in this room since early December - I dont think I am going to get used to it!

 

[mointainwalker]

been in this room since early December - I dont think I am going to get used to it!

Well time may tell, but for me three months would still be well within the acclimatisation phase.

Wouldn;t recommend you block the eaves, they provide inportant ventilation to the roof.

 

[JohnD]

tell us more about the windows, their age and construction, draught-proofness and air gap in double glazing. If you pry away the trim you may find a frame:wall gap

thermal insulation of windows is not the same as sound insulation

it will be getting in through the weakest point.

 

[Kaymo]

Wouldn;t recommend you block the eaves, they provide inportant ventilation to the roof.

I didnt mean to block them, just slide insulation board down from the loft, stopping short to leave the ventilation gap. I need to do this anyway as the slope of the eaves is in the room at both sides so effectively means 1/3 of the roof has no insulation.

[quote="JohnD";]

tell us more about the windows, their age and construction, draught-proofness and air gap in double glazing. If you pry away the trim you may find a frame:wall gap

I'll have a look at this, but the windows are about 10 years old PVC frame, as I remember seeing a garauntee left by the previous owner which was just expiring, cant remember the make. I might try blocking up the windows with something temporarily to see if that shuts out the noise and if it doesnt that at least eliminates the windows.

Its funny, I've lived in major cities for the last 12 years or so and I am never bothered by traffic noise, move to the country and I am plagued by it!!