Precast concrete sound barrier wall surrounding residential community.

Unless you live in a rural area, chances are that there’s a great deal of environmental noise pollution where you live. When you want to sit outside and relax in your own yard, highway traffic, construction work, and other disturbances can inhibit your enjoyment of the outdoors.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to reduce noise pollution in your neighborhood.

Install a Precast Concrete Sound Barrier

A solid fence can be an effective way of blocking the noise that’s coming from nearby roads and highways. For the fence or wall to work well, it must be relatively high and thick enough to serve as an obstruction to sound waves. A precast concrete sound barrier is ideal for this purpose.

When designing your concrete wall, keep in mind that sound waves will access any gap in the wall. An effective barrier should completely surround your property or enclose a portion of your yard.

The wall should stand 8 to 10 feet in height and reach down to ground level. A proper wall height will prevent sound waves from accessing the protected area.

Add a Water Fountain to Your Yard

You can also combat noise pollution by using more pleasant sounds to cancel out unwanted noise. Many people find the sound of running water to be soothing and pleasant. You can enjoy this benefit while making noise pollution less noticeable by installing a concrete water fountain in your yard.

By combining the use of a precast concrete sound barrier with a water fountain, you can double the impact your hardscaping has on noise pollution.

Copper tubing feeds water to the fountain, allowing you to position it anywhere in your yard. However, it’s still helpful to position the fountain as close to your patio or deck as possible. The running water’s soothing effect will be stronger if it’s nearer to your entertaining area.

Create Visual Distractions

Trees, shrubbery, and plants won’t do much to cancel out unwanted noise, but an aesthetically pleasing environment can help distract your brain from this noise.

When you have a beautiful yard with trimmed grass and plenty of colorful flowers, you’ll feel as though you have been suddenly transported to another place. This can be enough to help your brain filter out noise.

Great landscaping will also block the unpleasant sights of a nearby road or highway. If you can’t see the cause of the noise, you’ll be less likely to notice those unwanted sounds as well. Use a combination of trees, shrubbery, and tall plants to block your view of the surrounding environment.

Another option to consider is to install large standing concrete flower boxes. Once the flowers grow in the concrete planters, you’ll have a barrier that might block some sound waves as the tranquil sight of the flowers tricks your brain into thinking your yard is quieter.

Have Your New Concrete Barrier Installed by the Experts

American Precast Concrete offers a wide range of designs for your concrete sound barrier. To learn more about our options or to discuss your project, contact us today.