Carpet Underlay Benefits: Reduction In Noise Transmission

Noise pollution within the home is known to be detrimental to the physical and mental wellbeing of inhabitants. In fact, according to Harvard Medicine the impact goes far beyond the stress and restless nights you would expect with evidence showing that “noise pollution not only drives hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypersensitivity to sound, but can cause or exacerbate cardiovascular disease; type 2 diabetes; sleep disturbances; stress; mental health and cognition problems, including memory impairment and attention deficits; childhood learning delays; and low birth weight.” With this in mind any steps that can be taken to reduce the amount of undesirable noise within the home are ones in the right direction.

While it is not possible to create an entirely silent environment in most cases (and this would pose its own health risks) there are things that homeowners can do to create a healthier environment within their home – including the installation of quality carpet underlay which works to reduce noise transmission.

When referring to flooring, the most common type of noise pollution associated with this interior element is impact sound. The installation of carpet can help to reduce this pollutant, but if you want to achieve optimal results – both in terms of noise reduction and flooring quality/longevity – it is vital to install an appropriate underlay beneath your chosen flooring.

Our foam underlays provide this benefit in two ways:

Absorbing sound

The main way that a quality Airstep Australia foam underlay can reduce noise transmission in the home is by actively absorbing the impact sound created when you walk around or move items within your home. Soft furnishings, including underlay, are known for their sound absorption properties, and while your carpet underlay will not be able to consume all sound created, it will do a great job at reducing the volume and muffling transmission.

Increasing the distance between impact and the subfloor

Approximately 10mm may not sound like a significant amount of increased distance between your subfloor and your carpet but it can have a surprisingly significant impact on the amount of noise that is transmitted throughout your home – especially if you live in an apartment complex or have a multistorey dwelling. This is thanks to the density of our underlay which allows that 10mm difference to be quite an effective one as it essentially acts as a blocker between the impact created by steps and objects and the subfloor.

All Airstep Australia underlays – both residential; and commercial – achieve the goal of reducing noise transmission so your selection should be based on the level of acoustic properties that you require alongside other factors such as comfort and thermal rating.