Are you an apartment renter who is constantly annoyed by the sound of your upstairs neighbour’s footsteps? Have you ever wondered if there is a way to make the impact of these footsteps quieter? Well, if you are or have, then you are not alone. Many apartment renters across the country can relate to the frustration of hearing every step their upstairs neighbour takes. But don’t despair, there are solutions out there that can help make the impact of these steps less noticeable or audible to you when you’re in your apartment. Let’s read on to find out more.
Why You Can Hear Every Step Your Upstairs Neighbor Is Taking
Do you live in an apartment building and can you hear every step your upstairs neighbor takes? You’re not alone. Many apartment renters experience this type of noise pollution. Whether it’s a loud television set or a noisy washing machine, living in close proximity to other people can mean that all sorts of noises will be heard, and with it, plenty of frustration. It’s a common problem for apartment renters, and it can be annoying and disruptive. The good news is that there are things you can do to help alleviate the noise and make your living situation more manageable. Here’s what you need to know to understand why your upstairs neighbor’s footsteps are so loud and how to reduce the noise.
- First of all, the cause of loud footsteps upstairs is the thin floors of your apartment building. Thickness of the floor material, such as carpeting or hardwood, plays a major role in soundproofing. Both of these things help add a layer of thickness or barrier between you and the sound, such that when the sound of the footsteps is traveling to your downstairs apartment, it gets cancelled or muffled down.
- Unfortunately, many apartment floors are not thick enough to adequately reduce noise. And this is why you are able to hear your upstairs neighbor’s footsteps in the first place.
- The second issue is that the impact of the footsteps can be amplified due to the lack of sound-proofing between floors. This can be caused by inadequate insulation, gaps in the walls and ceilings, or simply due to the size of the structure.
What To Do To Reduce Hearing Your Upstairs Neighbor’s Footsteps
To reduce the noise from your upstairs neighbor’s footsteps, there are a few things you can do:
- The first and most obvious solution is to talk to your neighbor about the noise. Oftentimes, people don’t realize how loud their steps are, and a polite conversation may be the best way to get the problem solved. If that doesn’t work, or if it’s not an option, there are other ways to minimize the noise.
- Installing soundproofing materials such as carpeting or acoustic ceiling tiles can help to reduce the noise. You may also want to consider installing additional insulation in the walls, floors, and ceilings of your apartment. This can also help to fortify your apartment from most casualties like the roof falling in on you because of the thinness or cracks and damages. Sound is merely vibrations at different frequencies, and vibrations can be very bad for a building overtime because they weaken the molecular bonds of most substances.
- Another option is to try to get your neighbor to adjust their habits. If your neighbor is willing to try to walk more lightly, or to move furniture around more slowly, you may be able to reduce the noise and make your living situation more bearable.
- Wearing noise-canceling headphones when you’re trying to relax can help to block out some of the noise.
- You can also talk to your landlord and ask them to add extra soundproofing in your apartment. This can help to reduce the noise from the upstairs neighbor.
- You should make sure that the floors in your apartment are well-maintained. This means that you should make sure there’s no damage to the flooring, and that it’s properly sealed. This can help to reduce the noise from upstairs.
- It is important to note that the footsteps you’re hearing of your neighbor are quite normal, it is not unique. You will hear some sounds from upstairs from time to time even if you use all or most of the solutions listed hear. Sound doesn’t only travel through objects like walls or the ceiling. Sound can also travel through the air, so even if you try block the sound sometimes, it will inevitably make it’s way into your apartment. In such a case (provided that the noise is not too excessive) you can try getting used to the sound. Sometimes all it takes is just concentrating on something else and then the footsteps from your neighbor’s apartment are cancelled out by your brain.
- Finally, you may also want to look into getting a noise complaint filed with your landlord or property manager. If your neighbor is consistently making excessive noise, filing a complaint can be a viable solution. This may get them evicted, but it is a sure thing to do if you want to reclaim the peace and quietness of your own apartment.
- Even if the noise can’t be eliminated entirely, taking the steps outlined above can help to make your apartment living situation more bearable.
Conclusion
No one deserves to feel like they can’t enjoy the peace and quiet of their own home. So, if you’re an apartment renter and you can hear every single step your upstairs neighbor takes, don’t despair. There are things you can do to reduce the noise and make your living situation more comfortable. The conclusion to this for apartment renters (or owners) is to be excited about the fact that you can solve the annoying problem of hearing your upstairs neighbour’s steps. It will put you in line a great soundproofing system in your apartment (whether from your landlord or if you decide to put matters in your own hands), which will mean that you can enjoy your living environment without being disturbed.
