Making sure all parties understand and follow the “right to quiet enjoyment” by resolving or preventing complaints about excessive noise can help keep satisfied occupants, a good reputation and filled commercial and residential properties. “Normal” noise includes talking, cooking and cleaning a property. Anything else, such as loud music, shouting, unruly visitors or dogs barking dogs past a certain time (usually 10 p.m.) and decibel threshold, has the potential to “lower the standards of the entire rental property and leave a landlord open to complaints from neighbors off the property, or file small claims for tolerating a nuisance,” along with spurring affected residents to seek court orders allowing them to leave without paying rent, says California legal firm Fast Eviction Service. With regard to commercial buildings, a gym that leases space in an office building, for example, could produce an unpleasant surprise for neighboring workers. “The onus is on the person leasing the space to do their homework before signing,” says Aercoustics, an acoustics, noise reduction and vibration control engineering firm in Mississauga, Canada. With the right preparation, noise issues can be managed. Steps that property managers can take to prevent or resolve unusual, excessive or unnecessary noise on a property include: Researching your city’s noise-related bylaws. Incorporating a noise clause into leases that defines the right to quiet enjoyment (an implied right in all 50 U.S. states), types of noise, noise limits, quiet hours and the consequences of lease violations. Making the subject of noise complaints aware of the problem and offering the opportunity to resolve them. Purchasing a decibel meter, which is inexpensive and provides an objective means to settle noise complaint disputes. Being aware of lightweight floors that enable sound to easily travel among rooms and levels in commercial spaces. Consulting...

When J Turner Research president Joseph Batdorf released the most recent survey on top residents complaints, he issued the following statement: “Apartment residents remain concerned with a broad range of customer satisfaction issues but far and away the immediate opportunity to improve customer service and resident satisfaction levels is by addressing dissatisfaction with onsite staff responses to resident concerns.” When noise complaints besiege your front office staff, you have options to address residents’ concerns without a major renovation. Improve resident satisfaction with affordable soundproofing retrofits. The tips below will help you jumpstart the conversation with your contractor. Unforeseen Challenges Before you can fix the noise problem, you must identify the source. In some cases, your building may not have been built to code even though it received a certificate of occupancy (COO). New and remodeled multifamily construction is required to have an STC of 50 by design and 45 by field test. Sometimes, building inspectors often overlook noise control. If you’re frequently receiving noise complaints, you could hire an acoustician to verify if the building was built to sound code. That may be a slippery slope that you’d rather avoid. Instead, understand the root of the sound leaks. Then you can find the most cost-effective solution. For example, during drywall installation, many contractors will raise the gypsum board to create a snug fit between the wall and ceiling. This leaves a gap at the base. Contractors will hide the gap with the baseboard and forego proper caulking techniques. The resulting void permits sound to travel between units and rooms. Older buildings may have multiple causes for noise transfer. Single-pane windows, hardwoods without soundproofing underlayment, and even old or damaged insulation may be at the root of your residents’ complaints. Solutions Quiet Clause The easiest...

One common pain point for renters is noise control. Sharing walls entails a lack of privacy and the potential tension amongst residents. Innovations in building materials are now making units quieter, giving prospects yet another reason to love renting. Road noise (or the horrid violin practice of the kid next door) are no longer deal breakers for your prospective renters. Pennsylvania-based manufacturer CertainTeed has developed SilentFX QuickCut noise-reducing gypsum board. It is emerging as a fast and effective method of noise control within multifamily installations. The product is much easier to install than resilient channel or double layer wallboard. Installation techs can learn the process quickly, a winning feature for any new product. A traditional drywall knife and nails are all that techs need to install the boards. The product can be installed over steel or wood framing, making it a versatile product for residential and mixed used applications. Unlike boards with channels, SilentFX QuickCut will not decouple or short circuit. The integrity remains intact during and after installation. The leads to fewer call backs and complaints to your front office. The ease of installation and durability are attributed to the boards’ composition: two dense gypsum boards are filled with a viscoelastic polymer. The outer layers are covered with a recycled paper product that resists mold and mildew, ultimately contributing to indoor air quality. Fire resistant boards are also available. The gypsum board is designed for construction projects that require a sound transmission class rating of 50 and higher. SilentFX QuickCut smothers a wide range of frequencies, including airborne and impact sounds. For your renters, this mean optimal noise control. Finally, a product that can drown out the squawking of children’s toys, blenders, and the thud of an unsuccessful yoga practice. That alone is...