Soundproofing
This portion of the BP Academy learning center focuses on home comfort and soundproofing, helping Canadians learn about and combat noise pollution from the exterior and within the home. How does sound absorption and reduction work? How can you reduce sound transmission between walls? Whether you are a home theatre enthusiast, a music aficionado, or just want a comfortable living environment, BP Academy helps you achieve wall to wall silence.
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Absorption (sound)
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The process of sound energy dissipating as it is converted into thermal energy
Ambient Noise
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The background noise in a room or area, being a combination of many sources of sound within the area.
Absorption coefficient
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A unit of measurement indicating how much of the sound is absorbed in the actual material.
Impact Insulation Class (IIC)
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The insulating properties of the floor-ceiling assembly with respect to sounds such as footsteps
Decibel
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A decibel (dB) is a unit of measurement of the loudness or strength of a sound.
Amplitude
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The amplitude is the measure of the amount of energy in the sound wave, measured from the fixed point of the wave to the crest (positive amplitude) or to the trough (negative amplitude).
Frequency
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Frequency of sound means the number of vibrations or cycles per second a sound wave generates.
Loudness
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The intensity of a sound as perceived by an individual.
Mass
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The thickness of an object, specifically a wall, ceiling or floor partition, that acts as a barrier to sound.
Mechanical decoupling
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The physical disconnection between two sides of a partition used to decrease vibrations and increasing sound deadening.
Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC)
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A measure of the sound absorption qualities of a material. It is calculated by averaging the material's sound absorption coefficients at frequencies of 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz.
Reverberation
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The echoing of a sound caused by reflection of sound waves from surfaces in the room.
Sabin
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A unit of acoustic absorption equivalent to the sound absorption of one square foot of a surface that completely absorbs sound, such as an open window.
Sound
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Sound is the vibration of the individual molecules of any substance, transmitted through solid, liquid or gas.
Soundproofing, Sound Deadening, Sound Damping
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Using materials or building processes to lower or eliminate the noise level within a given area.