Yesterday I wanted to spend the day organising gifts, wrapping, writing cards and relaxing with my partner. We planned to do all these things and then watch a couple of classic films we rented.
The noise began - thundering, thumping, vibrations, doors slamming and people running and jumping. I could not sit in our lounge because the noise was so bad and every time I entered the room my heart rate increased and I felt stressed. It is made worse because the owner of the flooring knows that the flooring creates noise and so it seems that we are being bullied by noise. I went to the back of the apartment and I could still hear the bangs and feel the vibrations.
Eventually it got so bad that we left our home. We went to the cinema but there was nothing that we wanted to see, we have seen all the good films recently as we have been driven out most weekends. We found a quite place to eat a meal and we found ourselves killing time so that we wouldn't get home until after 9pm when the children seem to be put to bed and the noise is less than a crescendo.
Unfortunately the noise was still going on. I had nowhere to go. No matter what room I was in I was being subjected to thumping and banging and vibrations. I went to bed feeling stressed out, anxious and depressed. Doors were being slammed after 11pm.
This morning I was roused from sleep by thumping and rattling being force fed into my home and life by someone above me. Three hours later and the noise has not subsided. It is in every room. I feel hopeless and depressed. I look outside at the weather and cannot think of anywhere that I can go to escape this noise. I feel trapped.
There are people running, jumping and banging and what sounds like wrestling above my head, my lights are actually shaking and there is nothing that I can do about it.
Sunday, 21 December 2008
Saturday, 20 December 2008
Laminate Flooring Noise Fragments Minds
Laminate flooring, by its nature, creates a singular canvas for sound. Each board is fitted to adjacent boards so closely that noise transfers without interruption from the point of impact to the outer edges of the flooring. If laminate flooring is installed throughout an apartment it is essentially a one piece sound conductor of every impact sound that takes place upon it. This means a thump in the front lounge can be heard in a back bedroom.
Living under an apartment where laminate was installed without acoustic soundproofing, where the laminate is butted right up against the skirting/walls and where the construct of the building means the upper floor and the ceiling below are one piece means that every sound is force fed into the apartment below.
There is a myth that rugs help but it is just that - a myth.
Impact noise on laminate floors is a unique way to disturb a person's life. It is not a constant noise like a television or a stereo, it is a random noise in pattern, frequency and decibels. One never knows when a footstep is going to fall or if it will be followed by running, jumping or stamping. Once the noise begins, one never knows when the noise will end. One can try to disconnect from the noise, but the longer one is subjected to these interruptions the less possible this becomes.
Living with laminate flooring noise essentially means that ones thoughts become ruptured by other people's noise. Attention to a television programme, or concentration on reading become fragmented as time goes on. In fact that is the best description one has for the longterm effect of laminate flooring impact noise on the mind - fragmented.
Living under an apartment where laminate was installed without acoustic soundproofing, where the laminate is butted right up against the skirting/walls and where the construct of the building means the upper floor and the ceiling below are one piece means that every sound is force fed into the apartment below.
There is a myth that rugs help but it is just that - a myth.
Impact noise on laminate floors is a unique way to disturb a person's life. It is not a constant noise like a television or a stereo, it is a random noise in pattern, frequency and decibels. One never knows when a footstep is going to fall or if it will be followed by running, jumping or stamping. Once the noise begins, one never knows when the noise will end. One can try to disconnect from the noise, but the longer one is subjected to these interruptions the less possible this becomes.
Living with laminate flooring noise essentially means that ones thoughts become ruptured by other people's noise. Attention to a television programme, or concentration on reading become fragmented as time goes on. In fact that is the best description one has for the longterm effect of laminate flooring impact noise on the mind - fragmented.
Friday, 2 May 2008
Noise Injury - Ears, Audiology and Hearing Impairment
Craig Mixon, Ed.D, has published a comprehensive chart/poster called The Symptoms & Side Effects of Force-Feeding Noise into the Domestic Environment. Clicking on that link brings you to a pdf file of the document where you can read, download or print the poster. It is disturbing stuff but it clearly illustrates the possible effects of living with noise in the home.
Is the noise from laminate flooring being force fed?
My opinion is yes - because the victim of the noise pollution has no control over the noise. The persons who control the noise are the persons who do not adequately soundproof the flooring and who are intentionally or unintentionally force feeding noise into someone else's domestic environment.
Semantics aside - the real fact is the people are living in their homes and being subjected to impact noise on a daily basis and they are at risk of developing Noise Injury.
As the chart shows, there are many ways in which noise can injure a person - both physically, emotionally and psychologically. In researching this article I realised that I could not properly cover Noise Injury in one entry and decided to break down Noise Injury into a series of articles covering the various topics. It seems logical to begin with the ears, hearing and auditory injury since this is the most obvious and recognisable route into the body that noise takes.
The Handbook of Clinical Audiology describes three changes in hearing due to noise:
Noise Induced Temporary Threshold Shift
Have you ever noticed the way your ear feels or reacts when someone bursts a balloon close to you? You might experience a sense of your ear filling up, temporary reduction in hearing others sounds and you may even experience tinnitus/ringing in the ears. This is noise induced temporary threshold shift and it is the way the ear deals with some sounds.
In relation to the impact noise created by laminate flooring, a person may experience NITTS many times in a day over a long period of time. The Handbook of Audiology finds that if the NITTS exceeds 20dB* and/or the exposure is moderate but occurs over an extended period of time then recovery may be delayed.
Noise Induced Permanent Threshold Shift
NIPTS occurs when there is a lack of recovery from NITTS and is a slow and progressive condition. It may take years of repeated exposures before the person is aware of any change in hearing ability - by which time the damage is done and it is too late.
Acoustic Trauma
It is unlikely that laminate flooring noise would result in Acoustic Trauma since the range of noise prevalent in causing acoustic trauma is 2000Hz and 6000Hz and is outside the range of documented sound produced by laminate flooring.
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is best described as ringing in the ears when there is no external sound stimulus. It is associated with noise induced hearing loss.
It is not unreasonable to consider the possibility that long-term exposure to the intermittent impact noise created by laminate flooring could result in damage to hearing.
*DEFRA find that noise levels produced by laminate and hardwood flooring surfaces range between 59 dB and 72 dB
Is the noise from laminate flooring being force fed?
My opinion is yes - because the victim of the noise pollution has no control over the noise. The persons who control the noise are the persons who do not adequately soundproof the flooring and who are intentionally or unintentionally force feeding noise into someone else's domestic environment.
Semantics aside - the real fact is the people are living in their homes and being subjected to impact noise on a daily basis and they are at risk of developing Noise Injury.
As the chart shows, there are many ways in which noise can injure a person - both physically, emotionally and psychologically. In researching this article I realised that I could not properly cover Noise Injury in one entry and decided to break down Noise Injury into a series of articles covering the various topics. It seems logical to begin with the ears, hearing and auditory injury since this is the most obvious and recognisable route into the body that noise takes.
The Handbook of Clinical Audiology describes three changes in hearing due to noise:
- Noise induced temporary threshold shift (NITTS)
- Noise induced permanent threshold shift (NIPTS)
- Acoustic Trauma
Noise Induced Temporary Threshold Shift
Have you ever noticed the way your ear feels or reacts when someone bursts a balloon close to you? You might experience a sense of your ear filling up, temporary reduction in hearing others sounds and you may even experience tinnitus/ringing in the ears. This is noise induced temporary threshold shift and it is the way the ear deals with some sounds.
In relation to the impact noise created by laminate flooring, a person may experience NITTS many times in a day over a long period of time. The Handbook of Audiology finds that if the NITTS exceeds 20dB* and/or the exposure is moderate but occurs over an extended period of time then recovery may be delayed.
Noise Induced Permanent Threshold Shift
NIPTS occurs when there is a lack of recovery from NITTS and is a slow and progressive condition. It may take years of repeated exposures before the person is aware of any change in hearing ability - by which time the damage is done and it is too late.
Acoustic Trauma
It is unlikely that laminate flooring noise would result in Acoustic Trauma since the range of noise prevalent in causing acoustic trauma is 2000Hz and 6000Hz and is outside the range of documented sound produced by laminate flooring.
Tinnitus
Tinnitus is best described as ringing in the ears when there is no external sound stimulus. It is associated with noise induced hearing loss.
It is not unreasonable to consider the possibility that long-term exposure to the intermittent impact noise created by laminate flooring could result in damage to hearing.
*DEFRA find that noise levels produced by laminate and hardwood flooring surfaces range between 59 dB and 72 dB
Thursday, 1 May 2008
Lack of Legislation = Lack of Solution
- Start building a relationship with your neighbour
- Have a quiet word about the problem
- Have a stronger word: explain the impact on your family
- Employ mediation services
- Contact your local authority
- Contact abatement societies
- Take legal action
Above is the suggested trail for resolving a neighbour noise problem as posted by Noise Concern. Unfortunately, lack of any legislation regarding laminate flooring and noise means that any and all of these options could be fruitless.
Options 1-3 involve the owner of the flooring being willing to take responsibility for the noise issue. If the owner of the flooring is not willing to do this, has been led to believe an underlay is adequate, or has actually been told by an Environmental Health Officer that their neighbour "is just experiencing impact noise" - then any and all of the following options may be pointless suggestions.
Mediation Services are, by definition, meant to be impartial and unbiased. If people are not required by law to adequately soundproof laminate flooring, mediation appears to be simply a way for local authorities to wash their hands of the problem. The DEFRA study also noted that “Mediation was the most widely attempted mechanism for dealing with impact noise problems however it had the lowest success rating.”
Since it does not appear that any local authority, nor any law, considers laminate flooring noise to be a nuisance, there is little hope of successful legal action. Research for this blog has thus far not found any examples of a case where a successful resolution to a laminate flooring noise problem was procured through the courts.
Essentially the law supports individuals in adversely affecting the health and lifestyle of neighbours, leaving people who live with this noise problem with no hope of a solution.
Laminate Flooring Underlays
The perception that the installation of an underlay equates to soundproofing is flawed - particularly with legacy flooring that has been in place for several years.
DEFRA suggest that manufacturers of laminate flooring and underlays be investigated for their claims regarding noise reduction - “It should be clear to anyone with a basic understanding of building acoustics that these claims are, at best, misleading, but in most cases quite meaningless.”
Whilst the underlay may show in tests that it reduces noise transmission, this is often only regarding the underlay product by itself and does not illustrate the effects of placing a laminate or other hardwood surface on top.
"Many of the underlays when tested in isolation provide very good levels of impact sound insulation, in some cases twice as much a carpet on its own. However, the addition of the hard floor finish drastically reduces the impact performance."
Given the misleading claims of the underlay manufacturers themselves, it is not surprising that owners of the flooring believe that they are not creating noise because they have used an underlay.
Since there is a lack of legislation surrounding the installation of laminate flooring, there is no requirement for persons to use any underlay at all. The author was informed by an Environmental Health Officer that a person could quite legally install laminate on bare floorboards with no underlay.
DEFRA suggest that manufacturers of laminate flooring and underlays be investigated for their claims regarding noise reduction - “It should be clear to anyone with a basic understanding of building acoustics that these claims are, at best, misleading, but in most cases quite meaningless.”
Whilst the underlay may show in tests that it reduces noise transmission, this is often only regarding the underlay product by itself and does not illustrate the effects of placing a laminate or other hardwood surface on top.
"Many of the underlays when tested in isolation provide very good levels of impact sound insulation, in some cases twice as much a carpet on its own. However, the addition of the hard floor finish drastically reduces the impact performance."
Given the misleading claims of the underlay manufacturers themselves, it is not surprising that owners of the flooring believe that they are not creating noise because they have used an underlay.
Since there is a lack of legislation surrounding the installation of laminate flooring, there is no requirement for persons to use any underlay at all. The author was informed by an Environmental Health Officer that a person could quite legally install laminate on bare floorboards with no underlay.
Laminate Flooring Noise and Sleep Disturbance
"WHO guidelines say that for good sleep, sound level should not exceed 30 dB(A) for continuous background noise, and individual noise events exceeding 45 dB(A) should be avoided."
The DEFRA study on Laminate and Hardwood flooring says: "Impact noise from footfalls** is quite unique as the exposed dweller feels they are unable to avoid it, no matter which room they are in. Impact noise from footfall can occur at all times of the day and night dependent on the living style and sleep patterns of the upper occupants."
On the same page of the DEFRA study Table 3.1 displays the typical impact performance of floors in various dwellings. The table shows impact noise transmission of hardwood flooring ranges between 59 dB and 72 dB.
If it is the case that simple footfall transmissions at their lowest level measure 59 dB and WHO guidelines state that individual noise events exceeding 45 dB should be avoided during sleep, then it is not unreasonable to suggest that laminate flooring creates a noise problem that causes sleep disturbance.
**As stated in a previous post, footfall is only one type of impact sound experienced by those living below properties where laminate flooring has been installed.
The DEFRA study on Laminate and Hardwood flooring says: "Impact noise from footfalls** is quite unique as the exposed dweller feels they are unable to avoid it, no matter which room they are in. Impact noise from footfall can occur at all times of the day and night dependent on the living style and sleep patterns of the upper occupants."
On the same page of the DEFRA study Table 3.1 displays the typical impact performance of floors in various dwellings. The table shows impact noise transmission of hardwood flooring ranges between 59 dB and 72 dB.
If it is the case that simple footfall transmissions at their lowest level measure 59 dB and WHO guidelines state that individual noise events exceeding 45 dB should be avoided during sleep, then it is not unreasonable to suggest that laminate flooring creates a noise problem that causes sleep disturbance.
**As stated in a previous post, footfall is only one type of impact sound experienced by those living below properties where laminate flooring has been installed.
How Low Frequency Noise Affects Health
"In humans the effects studied have been on the cardiovascular and nervous systems, eye structure, hearing and vestibular function, and the endocrine system. Special central nervous system (CNS) effects studied included annoyance, sleep and wakefulness, perception, evoked potentials, electroencephalographic changes, and cognition. Reduction in wakefulness during periods of infrasonic exposure above the hearing threshold has been identified through changes in EEG, blood pressure, respiration, hormonal production, performance and heart activity." (From DEFRA Study on the Health Effects of Low Frequency Noise)
This suggests that daily exposure to the Low Frequency Noise generated by laminate flooring could have serious health implications. The World Health Organisation (WHO) have also produced studies relating to the health effects of exposure to noise. The WHO document, Guidelines for Community Noise, contains a chapter detailing the Adverse Health Effects of Noise detailing the following:
This suggests that daily exposure to the Low Frequency Noise generated by laminate flooring could have serious health implications. The World Health Organisation (WHO) have also produced studies relating to the health effects of exposure to noise. The WHO document, Guidelines for Community Noise, contains a chapter detailing the Adverse Health Effects of Noise detailing the following:
- Noise-induced hearing impairment
- Interference with Speech Communication
- Sleep disturbance
- Cardiovascular and physiological effects
- Mental health effects
- The effects of noise on performance
- Effects of Noise on Residential Behaviour and Annoyance
Tuesday, 29 April 2008
Low Frequency Noise
As detailed in the previous entry, "impact noise typically occurs within the range of frequencies between 40Hz to 2500Hz, although with a dominance at the 63Hz to 250Hz low frequencies." (DEFRA study on noise and laminate flooring - Napier University).
Another DEFRA research project, carried out by Salford University, investigates the effects of low frequency noise. Part of the research involved creating a Procedure for the assessment of low frequency noise complaints,and suggests the proposed reference curve of Low Frequency Noise as falling between 10Hz and 160Hz.
Correlating both pieces of information suggests that one feature of the impact noise generated by laminate flooring is that some of the sounds are Low Frequency Noise. This is borne out by Hood and Leventhall, 1971; Leventhall, 1988 ~ "Structure noise, originating in vibration, is also of low frequency, as is neighbour noise heard through a wall, since the wall blocks higher frequencies more than it blocks lower frequencies."
The Salford University article also notes fluctuating sounds are known to be more disturbing than steady sounds by an equivalent of about 5dB ~ this is also relevant to the nature of laminate flooring noises since they are not constant sounds.
The document also has this to say about evaluating LFN (Low Frequency Noise):
"Low Frequency Noise cannot be reliably evaluated on the basis of the investigator’s experience; indeed, officers investigating a case of Low Frequency Noise may not even be able to hear the LFN themselves. This is possible because disturbance by Low Frequency Noise is known to occur at levels only slightly higher than hearing threshold, which varies from one individual to the next. Also, the rate of growth of perceived loudness with level is more rapid at low frequencies so that a sound could appear loud to one person whilst still inaudible to another. An additional factor is that ‘sensitisation’ to low frequency sound appears to occur over time, and therefore a brief visit may not give an accurate impression of what it is like to live with the sound."
Another DEFRA research project, carried out by Salford University, investigates the effects of low frequency noise. Part of the research involved creating a Procedure for the assessment of low frequency noise complaints,and suggests the proposed reference curve of Low Frequency Noise as falling between 10Hz and 160Hz.
Correlating both pieces of information suggests that one feature of the impact noise generated by laminate flooring is that some of the sounds are Low Frequency Noise. This is borne out by Hood and Leventhall, 1971; Leventhall, 1988 ~ "Structure noise, originating in vibration, is also of low frequency, as is neighbour noise heard through a wall, since the wall blocks higher frequencies more than it blocks lower frequencies."
The Salford University article also notes fluctuating sounds are known to be more disturbing than steady sounds by an equivalent of about 5dB ~ this is also relevant to the nature of laminate flooring noises since they are not constant sounds.
The document also has this to say about evaluating LFN (Low Frequency Noise):
"Low Frequency Noise cannot be reliably evaluated on the basis of the investigator’s experience; indeed, officers investigating a case of Low Frequency Noise may not even be able to hear the LFN themselves. This is possible because disturbance by Low Frequency Noise is known to occur at levels only slightly higher than hearing threshold, which varies from one individual to the next. Also, the rate of growth of perceived loudness with level is more rapid at low frequencies so that a sound could appear loud to one person whilst still inaudible to another. An additional factor is that ‘sensitisation’ to low frequency sound appears to occur over time, and therefore a brief visit may not give an accurate impression of what it is like to live with the sound."
The Mechanism of Impact Noise and Hard Floors
In 2005 the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) commissioned Napier University to carry out a study on the noise implications of laminate and hardwood floor surfaces. This study covered many areas and will likely be referred to more than once on this blog.
Quite often it appears that the noise generated by laminate flooring is misunderstood or denied by both the owners of the flooring and the various authorities receiving complaints. The DEFRA study contains a fantastic diagram showing the sound transmission mechanisms of footfall noise. It should be noted, however, that footfall noise is not the only source of impact noise travelling through and across laminate floors. Impact noise is also caused by running and jumping, doors and cupboards closing, drawers opening and closing, light switches, plugs in sockets, vacuum cleaners, sweeping brushes, washing machine vibrations, furniture being moved, items being thrown, bounced or dropped and noise from pets.
As demonstrated by the diagram, there are three mechanisms of noise transmission that act upon the room below. Forced transmission occurs at the point of impact and directly transmits the impact noise through the floor into the dwelling below. Flanking transmission also occurs, best described as the impact noise travelling across the laminate flooring and transmitting sound to the adjacent walls - this noise will also travel to the rooms below. Finally, specific low frequency transmission occurs when the forced motion causes the floor to deflect and compress the air in the lower room changing the air pressure at the eardrum.
The DEFRA study suggests that impact noise "typically occurs within the range of frequencies between 40Hz to 2500Hz, although with a dominance at the 63Hz to 250Hz low frequencies." The study also showed that the installation of laminate or hardwood surfaces can increase noise transmission by up to 21decibels compared with traditional carpeting.
Whilst the main body of complaints are generated from dwellings underneath laminate flooring, there are a number of complaints from residents in adjacent flatted, terraced and semi-detached housing.
Quite often it appears that the noise generated by laminate flooring is misunderstood or denied by both the owners of the flooring and the various authorities receiving complaints. The DEFRA study contains a fantastic diagram showing the sound transmission mechanisms of footfall noise. It should be noted, however, that footfall noise is not the only source of impact noise travelling through and across laminate floors. Impact noise is also caused by running and jumping, doors and cupboards closing, drawers opening and closing, light switches, plugs in sockets, vacuum cleaners, sweeping brushes, washing machine vibrations, furniture being moved, items being thrown, bounced or dropped and noise from pets.
As demonstrated by the diagram, there are three mechanisms of noise transmission that act upon the room below. Forced transmission occurs at the point of impact and directly transmits the impact noise through the floor into the dwelling below. Flanking transmission also occurs, best described as the impact noise travelling across the laminate flooring and transmitting sound to the adjacent walls - this noise will also travel to the rooms below. Finally, specific low frequency transmission occurs when the forced motion causes the floor to deflect and compress the air in the lower room changing the air pressure at the eardrum.
The DEFRA study suggests that impact noise "typically occurs within the range of frequencies between 40Hz to 2500Hz, although with a dominance at the 63Hz to 250Hz low frequencies." The study also showed that the installation of laminate or hardwood surfaces can increase noise transmission by up to 21decibels compared with traditional carpeting.
Whilst the main body of complaints are generated from dwellings underneath laminate flooring, there are a number of complaints from residents in adjacent flatted, terraced and semi-detached housing.
About This Blog
The purpose of this blog is to collect, collate, analyse and compare information regarding laminate flooring and noise. The blog is also focused with the health effects of exposure to noise. The focus will be on facts, studies, links, information and resources.
Personal accounts will be welcomed either in comments sections, or published as stand alone posts depending on the wishes of the poster. Personal accounts will be deleted if they contain inflammatory language, insults or information referring personally to people who own laminate flooring as this does not fall within the scope of this blog.
Personal accounts will be welcomed either in comments sections, or published as stand alone posts depending on the wishes of the poster. Personal accounts will be deleted if they contain inflammatory language, insults or information referring personally to people who own laminate flooring as this does not fall within the scope of this blog.
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