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WAYS TO QUIET A NOISY MACHINE

Treat the Room

• Maximum noise reduction: 6-9 decibels (30-40% decrease in loudness).
• Advantages: No inconvenience to workers.
• Disadvantages: Almost all of the room must be treated regardless of the size of the noise source.
• Quilted Fiberglass Sound Absorption Products…or Polywrap Baffles, depending upon specifics of application.

Treat the Wall Behind the Noise

• Maximum noise reduction: 1-2 decibels if noise source sprays noise out into room, 4-6 decibels if noise is sprayed directly onto wall (such as noisy vent on the back of a machine).
• Advantages: No inconvenience to workers.
• Treat the wall behind the machine with about twice the square footage of the “shadow” of the machine on the wall.

Build a Soundproofing Barrier or Partial Enclosure

• Maximum noise reduction: 6-15 decibels.
• Advantages: Very good noise reduction.
• Concerns: May have to incorporate view windows for visibility and/or sliding panels for access.
• Size? Minimum of 8′ high. Typically they should be double the height of the noise source. • Sound absorption/noise barrier composites.

Build a Complete Soundproofing Enclosure

• Noise reduction: Up to 20-30 decibels.
• Advantages: maximum noise reduction.
• Concerns: May have to incorporate view windows for visibility and/or sliding panels for access as well as ventilation baffle(s) for air flow.
• Sound absorption/noise barrier composites