Browse by Application
Browse by Application
Browse by Product Type
Browse by Product Type
Do Landlords Need to Soundproof Apartments and Rentals?
If you’ve ever lived in an apartment building or busy city, then there’s a good chance you’ve experienced intrusive sounds from nearby units and other neighborhood sources. Oftentimes, this noise can be unbearable and make it difficult to work, sleep, and live in your own home.
When noise disturbance issues become severe, you may wonder to yourself: Do landlords need to soundproof their rentals? In many cases, indeed they do—but this can vary based on region and other factors.
If you’re a landlord, however, soundproofing is always a smart idea as it can increase property values and lead to happier tenants. In this guide, we’ll unpack landlords’ legal soundproofing obligations and offer some key tips on how to mitigate any noise issues in apartments and other rentals.
The Importance of Soundproofing Rental Properties
When many people live close together and share adjoining walls—such as in apartments, townhomes, and multi-family dwellings—noise transfer is bound to happen. Normal walls, such as those made from drywall, offer minimal sound protection—even if they're insulated. Sound Transmission Class (STC) measures a material’s capabilities to block sound transfer and, at a rating of 33 STC, drywall has essentially no soundproofing potential. At this level, you’ll likely be able to hear (and even understand) your neighbor’s conversations through your walls—which means they’ll likely hear yours as well. Likewise, you’ll also be able to hear a variety of other common noises that are louder than normal speech, such as:- Vacuum cleaners
- Telephone ringtones
- Outside traffic
Legal and Ethical Considerations for Landlords
A landlord’s obligation to mitigate sound issues varies by state and, oftentimes, the county or, in places such as Texas, the very city you live in. Other states, such as California, provide overarching protections guaranteeing tenants the right to a peaceful property. Regardless of whether noise ordinances are established at the state or local level, many jurisdictions include provisions for a Right to Quiet Enjoyment in their landlord and tenant codes. These laws, however, play out differently across various localities. In Boston, for example, audible noise is limited to 70 decibels (dB) during the day and 50 dB at night. Regardless of an area’s specific noise ordinance, however, soundproofing rentals is the ethical thing to do as quieter environments are healthier for their occupants. Not to mention, things can easily get loud in multi-family buildings and, if sound issues aren’t remedied, some jurisdictions will let tenants break their leases without penalty.The Impact of Noise on Tenant Satisfaction and Retention
Excessive noise problems are a major annoyance and, for many, worth moving over. Over half of Americans say they’re irked by their neighbors on a monthly basis. Loud noise is the biggest issue fueling this frustration, with some of the most reported sources being:- Television
- Loud music
- Pets
- Crying children
Effective Soundproofing Solutions for Landlords
It’s not unheard of for some landlords to take the fastest, most cost-effective approach to fixing property issues. When partitioning a property into multiple rooms or units, for instance, they may make the common mistake we mentioned earlier of only using drywall and plain insulation to split the space up. Such “quick fixes”, however, can cost you more down the road in repairs, lost revenue due to vacancy, and dealing with tenant noise complaints. Instead, it’s pertinent to install a long-term soundproofing solution that effectively isolate unwantd noise and last well into the future. Thus, it’s best to use high-quality materials when soundproofing multi-unit residential dwellings, such as:- RSIC Clips: Resilient Sound Isolation Clips – Sound isolation clips are installed within your wall and floor-ceiling assemblies to detach finished and structural surfaces. This significantly reduces the impact of vibrational noises such as those emanating from loud, low-frequency sources.
- Acoustic Underlayment – Whether you have carpet, hardwood, or another type of flooring in your property, laying down an underlay before the finished surface dramatically decreases the resonating noises of heavy footfalls and dragged furniture within lower units.
- Adjustable Acoustic Door Seal Kits – Noise in a space is like water in a fish tank: it’ll leak out anywhere that there’s a hole. In apartments, the biggest culprit for gaps is the area around their exterior doors. So, how to soundproof a door? Installing door seal kits to firmly close up these cracks and eliminate nose loss into hallways and other units.