Party wall acoustic insulation?

Little_Missy

Hi all,

My friend has just bought a house that she intends to renovate.

She has discovered that she can hear the neighbours clearly through the party wall..............I mean that she can literally hear everything.........TV, talking, teaspoon banging on cup when brew is being made!.......not good at all!

The property is over 100 years old and built of brick.......she is presuming that the party wall has a cavity, but cannot be sure.

Does anybody know the best way to go about insulating the wall (i.e. the best acoustic insulation and the best method without losing too much space off the room)?

All help appreciated

Mojisola

Little_Missy wrote: »

The property is over 100 years old and built of brick.......she is presuming that the party wall has a cavity, but cannot be sure.

At that age, it's not very likely. I don't think the dividing wall between properties would be a cavity wall even if the outside walls have one.

anotherbaldrick

consult an acoustic insulation specialist (do a web search) this needs specialist input to be effective.

one to try :- http://www.soundstop.co.uk/soundproofing_walls.php

Norman_Castle

Check the party wall is brick with no boarded over voids and check for air gaps between properties. If she can hear a teaspoon on a cup its either airborne noise or possibly contact noise from worktops connected to the neighbors wall.

27col

It was not usual for houses of that age to have cavity walls, and in any case, it is not normal for much newer houses to have anything other than a 9" solid party wall either.

cyclonebri1

Mojisola wrote: »

At that age, it's not very likely. I don't think the dividing wall between properties would be a cavity wall even if the outside walls have one.

Bang on, I doubt it will have.

The only way to fix this id to lose at least 100mm, from the wall, to allow substantial poly ins to be applied.

anotherbaldrick

To be honest to have as much noise transmission from next door it can't even be a 9" thick wall, a one brick thick wall has a lot more acoustic properties than that.

cyclonebri1

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

To be honest to have as much noise transmission from next door it can't even be a 9" thick wall, a one brick thick wall has a lot more acoustic properties than that.

I think thats the point we have been trying to make, old terraced properties has single brick walls dividing them from the neighbours, hence my comments about another 6" of insulation being needed

Mojisola

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

I think thats the point we have been trying to make, old terraced properties has single brick walls dividing them from the neighbours, hence my comments about another 6" of insulation being needed

We've got single leaf walls separating our downstairs rooms and we can't hear a spoon banging on a cup in the other room. (Amended for clarity - see anotherbaldrick's post)

It would drive me mad hearing neighbour's noises and realising that they could hear everything I was doing!

anotherbaldrick

A one brick wall is 9" thick ( ie, a brick laid length wise), confuses calling a half brick wall (width of a brick, 4.5 ") a single brick wall .

Thickness

Brickwork is said to be one brick thick if it has a total width equal to the length of one of its regular component bricks. Accordingly, a wall of a single leaf is a wall of one half brick thickness;

dyrniboy

Hi,

Dont forget the Party Wall Act which is now in force which requires you to inform the neighbours of any works that you wish to do on the Party Wall giving then 14 days in which to make their views known !