You may know that precast concrete walls are superior because of their low cost, high durability, and ease of install and maintenance. Did you also know that they are the best option when you are looking to reduce sound coming onto your property?
Sound is everywhere, and whether you live next to a busy highway or noisy neighbors, loud sounds can become a nuisance and impact your day to day life. It can disrupt sleep, increase stress, and distract you from your daily activities.
If you are struggling with keeping the noise level down, consider building a precast concrete wall around your property.
To reduce sound, your precast concrete wall needs to have three characteristics: a high-density build, height, and an air-tight structure.
It’s Solid, Dense, and Rigid
Sound waves are vibrations. When those vibrations encounter something, they will either move through it, be absorbed by it, or bounce off it.
For example, f you’ve heard an echo, you are experiencing the sound waves bouncing off a surface and coming back to you.
However, the material used in a music recording studio is designed to absorb the sound in order to stop the sound ways from bouncing off the walls and creating an echo.
When you put a precast concrete wall around your property, it helps reduce sound by blocking most of the noise in these two ways. Precast concrete walls absorb a small amount of the sound vibrations and reflect much of the sound back to the source.
Of course, you want to make sure your precast concrete wall is solid, dense, and rigid so that it becomes more challenging for the sound waves to pass through the material.
It’s Tall
When it comes to sound, the general rule is if you can see the source of the noise, you will be able to hear it.
Often, noises do not happen at the ground level, as they can come from children playing, neighbors on their balconies, or roads and highways that are raised. This is why a taller wall is able to block more sound than one that is short.
Image a four-foot wall with children and dogs right on the other side, playing and laughing; Or, your neighbors mowing the lawn and doing yard work. As you can imagine, these noises will travel right over your four-foot wall, onto your property, and into your home.
No matter how dense your wall is, if it is not tall enough to block out sound waves, it will not work as a sound barrier. Remember, when planning a precast concrete wall to act as a sound barrier, height matters!
Before you plan your construction, be sure to check with your home’s HOA codes. Unfortunately, you can’t spontaneously put up a giant wall and expect your neighbors to be okay with it. American Precast Concrete Inc. can build walls up to 14 feet tall. This is a height that can block a majority of the sounds around you.
It’s Built Air-Tight
The fence that you choose has to be air-tight, meaning no gaps or holes. When you have a wood fence, there are typically holes and slits in the wood panels that can allow a ton of sound to enter through.
Sound waves tend to flow through holes, gaps, or spaces underneath the fence. If there is an opening, the sound wave will keep on traveling.
Precast concrete fences are created in a factory where it is cured at the perfect temperature, never having gaps and holes. The concrete for a precast wall goes into a foundation, meaning the concrete will be solid. The concrete panels are installed like a puzzle and designed not to have gaps or slits between them.
At America Precast Concrete Inc., we make sure your walls are solid and air-tight to prevent sound waves from traveling through them.
American Precast Concrete Inc.
Excess noise can ruin a home or business. No one wants to shop, work, or live in a noisy environment. It can even be hazardous to your hearing. You would be surprised by how much noise is too much. Noise over 70 dB can start to damage your hearing after prolonged exposure. In comparison, everyday conversations are around 60 dB. Protect yourself and others by investing in a precast concrete wall.
Aside from damaging your hearing, noise can increase your stress levels and decrease your overall quality of life.
American Precast offers the most high-quality precast concrete for any project you need. Whether you are a commercial developer, architect, or homeowner, we have beautiful options for you. If you have any remaining questions, please feel free to contact us or visit us online.