3. Soundproofing your Home with Gaina

My husband and I have 4 cats. They were rescued over the years. We let them stay upstairs during the day time. We have 5 dogs also, that stay down stairs most of the time. Our cats and dogs can mingle together, but they seem to like this separation arrangement. At night, after the dogs go to kennel for sleep, cats are free to come down and busy themselves checking for any changes. Cats are nocturnal and like to have space, so live their own way. Of course even during the daytime, cats pray, chase each other, and make noise. Their fun running footsteps are heartwarming.

However, there is a sound that's very unpleasant. It's a sound from the upstairs bathroom. When the water runs through the pipes, it makes a loud rumbling noise through the down stairs wall. It's obvious that somebody is using the facilities. So far, nobody (including our guests) has said anything about the presence of this sound. But, doing something about the rumbling water sound was on my list.

This problem isn't uncommon. For example, when I was living in a condo, I could hear the upstairs neighbor's walking on the wood floors, shutting doors, and using of the toilet or emptying the bath. There are several solutions to reducing the sound. The trouble is costly. If we had ready money, it would have been fix by now. Since the priority isn't high enough, we have to put up with the noise till we have some money. Like us, many are looking for an easy and cost-effective solution.

We were excited, when we found that Gaina had a soundproofing effect. Our original idea to chose Gaina was increasing thermal insulation, for keeping comfortable temperatures and saving on our electric bill. Also for improved air quality indoors. On top of that, we could fix of noisy bathroom sound, we were so excited.

However, I did wonder how much sound Gaina could really absorb . (dB - decibel - measure sound level)

Recommended sound level of residential area is:
     daytime- 55 dB, evening- 45 dB, bedroom at night- 30 dB.

The average of noise level is:
     lawnmower - 90 dB
     garbage disposal, alarm clocks, window air conditioner - 80 dB
     toilet flushing - 75 dB
     dishwasher, wash machine, vacuum cleaner, busy street traffic - 70 dB
     children's running foot noise - 60 dB
     conversation - 60 dB (laud - 80 dB).

Here is Gaina's impact sound test, for hitting a regular frying pan and Gaina coated frying pan
with a hammer.

Result of hitting hammer sound was:
     regular pan - 94.7 dB,
     Gaina pan - 74.9 dB.

It was a 20 dB reduction.

Of course these were the experimental results. And different results will come out in various houses or buildings.

This means our toilet flushing sound could be brought down to the recommended sound level.

Since our ceiling and walls were coated with Gaina, we haven't noticed the upstairs toilet flushing sound as much. We are very happy about this effect of Gaina.

How about cats? Are they quieter? Well, from time to time, they sit atop the stairs, looking down on the dogs through the boundary gate. Still, we have the sounds that a dog will make, who has been provoked purposely. Making noise in a fit of their natural impulse to chase cats, is the one of providence in the natural world, isn't it?