Excessive Noise

Here are five of the commonest sources of external noise pollution here in the UK.

Aug

2019

What grant schemes are available in the UK for sound insulation?

If transport noise pollution is disrupting your home life, you may be able to get help with paying for soundproofing with one of these schemes.

Constant exposure to noise pollution can have a negative effect on sleep, health, and wellbeing, it has even been linked to serious health problems like stroke and heart attack.

If you’re suffering from excessive noise pollution at home because of a nearby road or air traffic, then you may be able to receive financial help towards the cost of having sound insulation installed in your home.

Noise pollution from Highways England roads

If the rumbling sound of traffic from a Highways England road is affecting you at home, you may be eligible to apply for sound insulation.

The Highways England noise insulation schemeis available to properties that lie within a Highways England “Noise Important Area” that contains fewer than 10 properties.

“Noise Important Areas” are the areas that experiences the highest levels of noise from Highways England roads.

If you meet the scheme’s criteria then your property will be assessed and Highways England contractors will carry out the soundproofing work for you, it is not a grant scheme.

Noise pollution from airports

Most airports have noise limits and restrictions on flight paths, to minimise noise and disruption to residents living nearby. Despite these restrictions, noise from aircraft can still be very disrupting and even damaging to the health of those living nearby.

Because of this, UK airports run grant schemes to help those affected by noise pollution to soundproof their homes.

The airport in question will usually have a boundary in place that identifies the properties that are eligible.

Contact your local airport by telephone or check their website to find out details about their scheme and whether you are eligible to help with soundproofing.

For more information about the soundproofing and sound insulationproducts we provide here at Metropolitan Insulation, give our team a call on 0800 028 4042.

Jul

2019

5 common sources of external noise pollution

Noise pollution occurs when sounds exceed a certain level and become annoying and harmful to health.

Noise pollution is a common problem in today’s busy, built-up, technology-driven society, particularly within big cities.

Noise pollution created by external sources outside of our homes can be particularly difficult to deal with as we have no control over it, leaving us feeling helpless.

As well as being very annoying, studies have found that being exposed to constant noise pollution can be damaging to health too.

Here are five of the commonest sources of external noise pollution here in the UK.

Airports and flight paths– Living close to an airport can expose you to significant harmful noise pollution. Studies have found that the constant loud noise created by aeroplanes taking off and landing can be very damaging to health. There are noise limits and restrictions on night flights in place at many UK airports to protect those living close by from noise pollution.

Busy roads – According to the European Environment Agency,road traffic is the biggest source of noise pollution in Europe, accounting for about 70% of all noise pollution. In the UK there is no legal limit to road noise. Living close to a busy road can mean being subjected to the hum and noise caused by vehicles all day and all night long with no respite.

Industrial sources– Living close by to industrial businesses or factories can mean being subjected to the sounds of a variety of bangs, crashes, clanks, vehicles, and electrical whirring and buzzing.

Noisy neighbours– Neighbours that constantly play loud music can quickly turn into a constant source of stress and annoyance. As well as noise from domestic neighbours, people living close to busy pubs and bars may also experience high levels of noise pollution from music and anti-social behaviour.

Construction work – Although most construction projects are only temporary, more long-term construction sites can cause people living nearby a real headache. Councils can serve notices to those carrying out construction work to reduce noise nuisance for those living and working nearby.

If external noise pollution is disrupting your home life, you could benefit from soundproofing your property.

Here at Metropolitan Insulation we provide a wide range of different soundproofing productsand solutions to suit any requirements. Get in touch with our team of experts for further help and advice by calling us on 0800 028 4042.

Oct

2017

What The World’s Noisiest Cities Tell Us About Excessive Noise

Depending on which study you find, the noisiest cities in the world tend to be found in cities that are densely populated with high volumes of traffic with poor planning which exacerbates the effects of noise on their populations.

The worst city in the world for noise pollution is Guangzhou in China and the effects on residents are really quite frightening. The average hearing loss in proportion to age in the city stands at nearly 17 years. In Delhi where noise pollution levels are not too far behind the hearing loss is 20 years.

In Western Europe, however, the effects of noise on the local population is in some cases considerably less at 10 years in proportion to age. Vienna tops the list in Europe followed by Zurich and Hamburg.

However Barcelona and Paris have the misfortune of appearing in the worlds top 10 worst cities for noise pollution at 7th and 9th respectively.

While studies have focused on actual hearing loss, the more subtle underlying effects are still a fertile area of study where links to dementia, cardiovascular disease and depression are only just coming to light.

Of course the best way to deal with noise if you live in a city is to insulate your property to keep it out. If you want to find out more about sound insulation for your home of business then contact us today.

Jun

2017

How Is Excessive Noise Bad For Your Health?

We’re all exposed to noisy environments from time to time, be it in the workplace or even at home.

Unfortunately, evidence has shown that too much of it can be bad for your health but how is this so? Let’s explain further how noise impacts on your health and wellbeing.

Let’s take the example of someone who works in a city centre office in an old building without adequate sound proofing installed. This person will be exposed to traffic noise as well as noise from phones and other staff members. The general hustle and bustle associated with city life will also add to this cocktail of noise the person will be exposed to on a daily basis.

In modern office buildings, architects should automatically factor in the level of noise a building’s occupants will be exposed to and install adequate sound insulation to reduce noise from internal and external environments.

If noise isn’t considered then that city centre office can soon become a health hazard, particularly to someone sensitive to its effects. It may surprise you to learn that exposure to noise of just 65Db on a daily basis can be enough to have harmful effects on your health.

The importance of sound insulation is now much higher on the agenda when architects are designing buildings because of the effects excessive noise can have on health and well-being. The level at which sound becomes potentially bad for your health is 65Db.

To put this measurement in perspective, 65Db is the level of noise you get from someone having a conversation or a phone ringing.

Exposure to this level of noise in people sensitive to it will raise levels of adrenaline which over time will have an effect on general health and wellbeing.

Metropolitan Insulation Blog