Here, at SoundStop, have recently begun selling Genie Clips for ceiling soundproofing and wall soundproofing applications, and the feedback we have had from customers is very good.
Here is what the people who manufacturer Genie Clips have to say about their product.
“Making a decision on which product to use when soundproofing a ceiling is often confusing. However if you are looking for the best performing product that you can attach directly to your existing ceiling then look no further than the GenieClip TM system. This fool proof system will give the best sound insulation performance from an impact and airborne perspective, second only to the Independent ceiling.

The GenieClip TM is screwed direct to joists in the same manner that a resilient bar ceiling would be and it houses furring bars. To these furring bars plasterboard is screwed.
The GenieClip TM system is a superior alternative to the conventional resilient bar system producing better performance from an impact and airborne sound perspective but also it is far less prone to fitting error. In fact it’s virtually impossible to fit incorrectly. The rubber element of the GenieClipTM is the key to its superior ability to reduce the transmission of sound from one space to another via a ceiling or wall system. Rubber is the best isolator of vibration. Is your car engine mounted on metal? No, it is mounted on rubber isolators. This same technology has been used in the design of the GenieClipTM and is now the most reliable way to improve the sound insulation performance of you ceiling.

The one-piece construction of the GenieClipTM makes it strong with load bearing capacity of 100kg per clip. So there are no issues with loading up the system with extra layers of plasterboard to improve performance.

The GenieClipTM Significantly improves low frequency sound insulation performance and this is often the hardest frequency range to mitigate. “

Of all the resilient solutions that fix direct to joist the GenieClipTM offers the most reliable and best performance with the simplest installation.”

I have looked at your website and need further advice.My family and I have bought a 1928 semi-detached property in a “nice” area of Leicester, but the neighbours enjoy their music at different times of day and there is a substantial content of bass, which has driven my wife to her mother’s house, with our 2 very young children. This is an unacceptable situation for all concerned. The council’s noise pollution team have done all they can but 2 issues appear insoluble, from an enforcement perspective. 

Firstly, my wife is unusually sensitive to the sound.

Secondly, the walls are thin. On occasion when I have been informed that their music is keeping her awake, I have had to put my ear against the wall to hear it, but can hear their voices much better than the music, which suggests the music is being played quietly but is still loud enough on this side of the wall to disturb my wife.

That’s the background. My question is how do I determine where to best apply any soundproofing measures? Do I remove the chimney breasts, soundproof the party wall, or address the floors which might be transmitting the sound through? Or some other approach? I hoped there might be a sort of stethoscope with a sound meter on it so that I could research the detail of the structure’s sound insulation for myself but have not found one yet.

Money is limited and there are few worse scenarios than the expense and disruption of a soundproofing project which results in no improvement. Do you offer any assessment service to identify where the sound might be coming through? Of course I can’t ask them to play their music on demand so that you can make the measurements needed, so is there a DIY kit that I could borrow, rent or buy for my own use?

Thank you for your time and I look forward to your reply. I understand you will be busy but hope to hear from you as soon as is practical.

Sound Stop reply

Yours is a common scenario and should be helped by sound proofing. In general removal of chimney breast is not necessary typically the alcoves are the problem. I would suggest soundproofing in one room to start to see how you get on. Typically against bass sound an independent structure would create the best result. http://www.soundstop.co.uk/solutions/wall_solutions/wall_solution_3.php all the info including pricing you need to do the job are contained on the links. If you cannot do this and would prefer a stick on solution then you will also get relief from  http://www.soundstop.co.uk/solutions/wall_solutions/wall_solution_1.php and solution 4 http://www.soundstop.co.uk/solutions/wall_solutions/wall_solution_4.php

There are instructions on all these pages as well as links to calculate costs. All solutions are DIY-able.

There are various DB metre Aps available on the market, but your ear is a good indicator.

Hello Mary and thank you for your email,

I can only imagine you need to soundproof your house because of noisy neighbours, that is usually the problem we find.

We have no one we can recommend by way of a company specialising in soundproofing in your area. What we tell potential customers who do not feel like undertaking the job themselves is to use local craftsmen such as carpenters and plasterers who are used to handling the materials used in soundproofing. No disrespect to general builders but they do tend to think soundproofing is something they know all about and go and leave the important bits out.

Each of our soundproofing solutions has a “Fitting Instructions” tab and if you click on that you can print out all that needs to be done for that Solution, be it a Wall, Ceiling or Floor. Send that out to carpenters you know, carpenters listed in local directories or carpenters that are recommended by friends.

Have a close look at the Comparison Charts for each of the Solutions and if I tell you a 10decibel improvement cuts the noise you hear by half decide which would be best for reducing your problem. To work out the costs enter the measurements in the Calculate and Buy on line boxes at the foot of each Solution web page and press the button and up will come the shopping basket of all the materials for doing the job and the cost, Click on Change the Solution and compare the costs of another.

I am sure you will find what you are looking for .

Hello Terry and thanks you for your email. We are frequently asked for the names of installers of our soundproofing systems throughout the UK but it is impossible to service all areas.

What we suggest is that having chosen one of our Soundproofing Solutions, be it for a Wall, Ceiling or Floor, you print out from the Web page for that Solution the Application Instructions that can be found by clicking on the application button. 

These detailed instructions can be used to obtain a quotation for the work from a reputable craftsman such as a Carpenter or Plasterer who are used to the type of material used in this work.  It has to be said that it is not “rocket science” and anyone with a modicum of d-i-y skills can do the work. You can order the materials directly from us using the Calculator for the chosen Solution and have them delivered to your door in three days.  That way you will know you are getting the right materials for the job. If you are wanting some leads for good builders is the website checkatrade.com.

When you have received a quotation and you are unsure of what you have been presented with feel free to call us on one of our numbers for advice.

Regards,
Ernest
ernest@soundstop.co.uk

www.soundstop.co.uk

From: Terry Ally (Gmail)

To: sales@soundstop.co.uk

Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 5:28 PM

Subject: Quote

Hello,

Do you have anyone in Sheffield that might come by to give me a quote on soundproofing my apartment?

I have been reading your website with interest – we have a 1983 Bryant-built semi detached home, and although our neighbours are relatively quiet we hear lots of everyday noise (talking, laughter, radio, hoover etc) through the walls.  There are 4 rooms which attach to them, and it doesnt matter whcih room i stand in, I can hear then just as clearly – making me think that noise is maybe transmitting though the floorboards or maybe we have flanking transmission problems described on your website. 

Our internal walls are not breeze block though, they are a dark black “ash” block – Im not sure if this is the correct name but when you drill them loads of black powder comes out.  Some of our internal walls are also packed with straw, but these are generally not ones that link to the party wall.  The party wall itself I think is brick. The only place I can see breeze block is on the external wall of the garage, but this is on the other side of the house.

I am thinking of putting your soundstop panels onto the party walls, but wondering if i will be wasting my time if this ashblock transmits sound in the same way as breeze blocks?

We also have a disused fireplace (gas fire) with a flue that goes all the way up – i was wondering if I can cap off the chimney then stuff some sort of insulating material up the chimney before we board the wall up to provide more sound blockage.  Do you have anything you could recommend for this?  I was also thinking of lifting the floorboards along the party wall and also stuffing these with something to stop diagonal transmission of noise eg from downstairs in their house into the upstairs rooms of ours.

We are very limited on budget and also are not able to lose more than a couple of inches of room space due to the size of the bed and built in wardrobes onthe other side of the room.

Any advice you have would be much appreciated.  I did contact the builders to try and ascertain how they had constructed the party wall but had no luck!

Many thanks

Reply

Hi Michelle,

I am not going to be a great deal of help this is because i don’t know the qualities of ashblock and straw. The wall itself may well be the problem ( ie the sound seems to just be coming through this alone) and so hopefully the soundstop panels will be of benefit. However if the side walls are “alive” with noise as well than you probably do have a flanking sound problem.

Stuffing the chimney with AMW60 100mm is a good idea if this is a likely conduit of sound. It is really very tricky to know how the soundstop panels will perform in  non standard scenarios.

In industry, strict guidelines require the provision of ear protectors when the volume reaches a certain level. When noise in the workplace reaches 85 decibels, employees must be informed of the potential damage to their hearing, and ear protectors must be available on request. Stand by a busy road and you are likely to be subjected to a similar noise level.

Although that level will probably never be reached in an office, it does not mean there is no noise problem. Telephones, printers, photocopiers, inane chatter and background music all add up to potentially stressful situations. A well-designed office should have enough space between individuals to minimise distraction. But how many offices do you know that are well-designed?

Baffles or screens – either floor-standing or suspended from the ceiling – absorb noise, and where possible, photocopiers and printers should be separated from the main working area. Personal stereos are increasingly common in the office. They may help us through the mundanity of work but can be a distraction as those who like the chosen station will concentrate on it rather than on their work, and those who hate it will find it hard to concentrate.

The modern phenomenon of the call centre has its own problems. Research by the TUC found that nearly 40% of call centre employees had concerns about their hearing. Not only is noise stressful, it can be exhausting, forcing us to concentrate on what needs to heard while blotting out intrusive background noise.

I attended a conference in a Birmingham hotel. The lounge and bar area were large and had two conflicting sound sources – piped music competing with a large screen TV. When I asked them to turn one off, I was told it was company policy to have both on.

Restaurants and modern cafe bars are even worse. They commonly use minimalist, hard-surfaced decor and furnishings, which do not absorb sound. The volume of the music is often at or above the level at which hearing protection would be required in a factory and the situation is worsened by the pollution of constantly ringing mobile phones.

Now go up another notch and think about dance clubs and discos. In theory, the noise level in these should be controlled and audiences warned if the general level is likely to exceed 96 decibels. In practice, the level can exceed 100. In industry, if the level is more than 90 decibels – which, strange though it sounds, is nearly four times louder than 85 – employees are required to wear ear protectors because excessive prolonged noise at this, or a higher, level will cause permanent damage. Notices should be put up in areas where ear protectors must be worn.

“Exposure to excessive levels of noise can damage the tiny hair-like cells in the liquid filled cochlea, or inner ear,” says the charity Hearing Concern. “The hearing loss from such exposure is always permanent. The level of damage is dependent on the level of noise to which a person is exposed, and the length of time over which this exposure occurs.”

You might consider that noise does not bother you. This however may indicate that damage has already been caused. There is no doubt that continuous distraction by noise – from whatever source – is stressful, irritating and, over time, will have an affect on the general efficiency in the workplace.

Well it’s one way to do it. But we think you should come to us instead.

Sorry haven’t put anything on for a while so here’s a little bitty to get you up and about on a wet and cold April day.

My living room consists of a fireplace and two alcoves.  The sound seems to be coming through both alcoves.

Questions;

1. Ive been told by have buried sockets in alcove of party wall that is basically reducing my party wall by half, and this would be were sound gets through… Is this true?

No this is an exaggeration. A good rule of thumb is the following . If you left a complete air gap of 1% then the soundproofing would be diminished by 10%. If an air gap was 10% then the soundproofing would be decreased by over 50%. So in your case the buried sockets are reducing the performance possibly a bit. But not by 50%. In reality you probably have a poorly constructed party wall with gaps in the mortar and possibly even bricks missing covered by a superficial layer of plaster work. So don’t worry to much about a couple of buried sockets.

2. Sockets – does this mean upon installation I remove back box and glue to back of sound proof drywall and fill space made in old location?
We would recommend that when you move them forward you fill the gap with a little sand cement mix. ( or with some of the soundstop or SS20 panel if you don’t want to bother with sand cement mix). Some people move the location of the electrics to a side wall or replace with a surface mounted socket. Again with a couple of sockets you should be OK.

3. When you talk about applying your products to party walls, are you saying that I should remove the original plaster on the wall back to brick?

No the original plaster stays with all our solutions. They are designed to go on in a quick and painless fashion. The plaster should be even and not flaking or cracking

Or can I just install on top on existing plaster? maybe just remove wall paper?
If the paper is peeling then remove if its on very firmly you can leave it.

4. I have a suspended floor, are there any additional considerations to block out sound?
The suspended floor may raise the possibility of sound coming down through the floor and through the party wall and up through the floor. To get around this we recommend stuffing acoustic mineral wool in the void between the joist and wall. This should be to the full depth of the joist. Normally to 100mm blocks on top of each other will fill the void. Ideally the wool should be 400-500mm deep off the wall. Normally a couple of bags will do an average wall.

My alcoves are 101″x44″ x2 alcoves

Using our ready reckoner for soundstop panels or for the SS20 panels you will get a price.
Based on your sizes the the Soundstop panels work out at £320  and the SS20 work out at £ 525. This includes all the materials you need. The price differential does not necessarily reflect a big performance difference ( of nearly twice as much) as we get good results with the Soundstop panels. However the tested performance of the SS20 is higher than soundstop panels and hence it sells at a premium price. We find that soundstop panels perform best in a Victorian party wall situation for reasons we cannot explain!

Can you recommend the best solution for me?
This is based on your budget. Both should provide improvement of over 50% with many sounds disappearing and others being muffled to a tolerable level. The M20 panels perform that bit better

I’m thinking, sound panels of some type then 15mm Soundshield or similar.

I’m stuck between ss20 solution and Soundstop.Losing space isn’t a majar concern 3/4 inches ok.
The choice is yours. See our customer feed back for Soundtop panels if it will help you decide, case studies.

My DIY skills are moderate. Both these solutions are eminently DIYable!

Sound Stop team.

Our reply

Hi Sara,  Can you tell me what the wall is made of. Is it brick or is it breeze block. Also do you think you might be suffering from flanking transmission. Please see this page. Let me know and I can offer further advice when I know more.

http://soundstop.co.uk/solutions/wall_solutions/flankingtransmission.php