Highway Noise Barrier???? White noise????

"infiniteMPG" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:d08d044a-a8c9-47b8-83c0-6e8a8f83de0e@34g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> We live in a fairly rural area and there is a nearby interstate (about
> 4/10 mile as the crow flies) that the sound has never been an issue
> with. Recently they have started clearing the land between us and the
> interstate to make room for condos and shopping plazas. With the loss
> of the trees, the increase in traffic due to the population growth
> (west central Florida) the sound has increased dramatically. We were
> wondering if there was anything we could do directly in our yard, to
> our house, or around the area to reduce the noise? Are certain trees/
> plants better at blocking sound then others? Of if there was any
> approach we could use to the devlopers to have them build a sound
> barrier on their new stuff (reduction in property value due to noise,
> etc)?
>
> Any suggestions would be gladly welcomed!

What type of windows do you have?

> What type of windows do you have?

Single hung and kind of cheap, what was put in the house when built in
the early 1980's. The sound isn't too noticeable inside the house but
I have noticed during different weather conditions the sound is worse
or better. Can't remember which but I recall when it's raining, hot,
humid, cloudy, clear or dry and sunny the sound is much different.
Was looking more to try to barrier the sound as we like hanging out on
the screened porch and you can hear it out there pretty loudly at most
times.

"infiniteMPG" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:aff027c5-c92e-495f-93cd-2520600e7d45@56g2000hsm.googlegroups.com...
>> What type of windows do you have?
>
> Single hung and kind of cheap, what was put in the house when built in
> the early 1980's. The sound isn't too noticeable inside the house but
> I have noticed during different weather conditions the sound is worse
> or better. Can't remember which but I recall when it's raining, hot,
> humid, cloudy, clear or dry and sunny the sound is much different.
> Was looking more to try to barrier the sound as we like hanging out on
> the screened porch and you can hear it out there pretty loudly at most
> times.
>

We have pretty much the same problem. I don't have any answers for you. If
you plant trees look for fast growing trees in your area. It seems like
around here a few people have fountians to help drown out some of the noise.
I've never been bothered by traffic noise but it's the cars with the loud
bass speakers that really gets to me. Our only option is to replace our
windows. We have a small fountain outside but it doesn't really help that
much. I think regardless you are going to have to learn to deal with it or
buy a large amount of land and build in the middle. We live in Central TX
which is one of the fastest growing area in the US right now. It sucks.
Personally I'd like to move to Idaho or Montana but my wife's family lives
here so I'm stuck for now.

infiniteMPG wrote:
> We live in a fairly rural area and there is a nearby interstate (about
> 4/10 mile as the crow flies) that the sound has never been an issue
> with. Recently they have started clearing the land between us and the
> interstate to make room for condos and shopping plazas. With the loss
> of the trees, the increase in traffic due to the population growth
> (west central Florida) the sound has increased dramatically. We were
> wondering if there was anything we could do directly in our yard, to
> our house, or around the area to reduce the noise? Are certain trees/
> plants better at blocking sound then others? Of if there was any
> approach we could use to the devlopers to have them build a sound
> barrier on their new stuff (reduction in property value due to noise,
> etc)?
>
> Any suggestions would be gladly welcomed!

I would sell out and move.

--
Blattus Slafaly ? 3 :) 7/8

"Blattus Slafaly" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:FI-dnahptq4H9-vVnZ2dnUVZ_q3inZ2d@giganews.com...
> infiniteMPG wrote:
>> We live in a fairly rural area and there is a nearby interstate (about
>> 4/10 mile as the crow flies) that the sound has never been an issue
>> with. Recently they have started clearing the land between us and the
>> interstate to make room for condos and shopping plazas. With the loss
>> of the trees, the increase in traffic due to the population growth
>> (west central Florida) the sound has increased dramatically. We were
>> wondering if there was anything we could do directly in our yard, to
>> our house, or around the area to reduce the noise? Are certain trees/
>> plants better at blocking sound then others? Of if there was any
>> approach we could use to the devlopers to have them build a sound
>> barrier on their new stuff (reduction in property value due to noise,
>> etc)?
>>
>> Any suggestions would be gladly welcomed!
>
> I would sell out and move.
>
> --
> Blattus Slafaly ? 3 :) 7/8

Quickly before it gets worse.

On Jul 10, 4:07 pm, "ythread" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Blattus Slafaly" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:FI-dnahptq4H9-vVnZ2dnUVZ_q3inZ2d@giganews.com...
>
>
>
>
>
> > infiniteMPG wrote:
> >> We live in a fairly rural area and there is a nearby interstate (about
> >> 4/10 mile as the crow flies) that the sound has never been an issue
> >> with.  Recently they have started clearing the land between us and the
> >> interstate to make room for condos and shopping plazas.  With the loss
> >> of the trees, the increase in traffic due to the population growth
> >> (west central Florida) the sound has increased dramatically.  We were
> >> wondering if there was anything we could do directly in our yard, to
> >> our house, or around the area to reduce the noise?  Are certain trees/
> >> plants better at blocking sound then others?  Of if there was any
> >> approach we could use to the devlopers to have them build a sound
> >> barrier on their new stuff (reduction in property value due to noise,
> >> etc)?
>
> >> Any suggestions would be gladly welcomed!
>
> > I would sell out and move.
>
> > --
> > Blattus Slafaly  ? 3     :)  7/8
>
> Quickly before it gets worse.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Before you find that you are below sea level.

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:7447b8e6-e600-430b-94b3-522a5fadbea0@59g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
On Jul 10, 4:07 pm, "ythread" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Blattus Slafaly" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:FI-dnahptq4H9-vVnZ2dnUVZ_q3inZ2d@giganews.com...
>
>
>
>
>
> > infiniteMPG wrote:
> >> We live in a fairly rural area and there is a nearby interstate (about
> >> 4/10 mile as the crow flies) that the sound has never been an issue
> >> with. Recently they have started clearing the land between us and the
> >> interstate to make room for condos and shopping plazas. With the loss
> >> of the trees, the increase in traffic due to the population growth
> >> (west central Florida) the sound has increased dramatically. We were
> >> wondering if there was anything we could do directly in our yard, to
> >> our house, or around the area to reduce the noise? Are certain trees/
> >> plants better at blocking sound then others? Of if there was any
> >> approach we could use to the devlopers to have them build a sound
> >> barrier on their new stuff (reduction in property value due to noise,
> >> etc)?
>
> >> Any suggestions would be gladly welcomed!
>
> > I would sell out and move.
>
> > --
> > Blattus Slafaly ? 3 :) 7/8
>
> Quickly before it gets worse.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Before you find that you are below sea level.

=====================================

That would solve his noise problem.

On Jul 10, 12:06 pm, infiniteMPG <[email protected]> wrote:
> We live in a fairly rural area and there is a nearby interstate (about
> 4/10 mile as the crow flies) that the sound has never been an issue
> with.  Recently they have started clearing the land between us and the
> interstate to make room for condos and shopping plazas.  With the loss
> of the trees, the increase in traffic due to the population growth
> (west central Florida) the sound has increased dramatically.  We were
> wondering if there was anything we could do directly in our yard, to
> our house, or around the area to reduce the noise?  Are certain trees/
> plants better at blocking sound then others?  Of if there was any
> approach we could use to the devlopers to have them build a sound
> barrier on their new stuff (reduction in property value due to noise,
> etc)?
>
> Any suggestions would be gladly welcomed!

I don't recall the specifics, but the professor in the acoustics
course I took back in the day (shortly after they invented noise),
made an illustration to show that you'd need one US regulation
shitload of foliage to make an appreciable acoustic difference.
To whit:
http://tinyurl.com/6fazzf
"The propagation of highway noise over a forest stand expressed by the
variation of the sound pressure level versus the distance has clearly
shown the important attenuation produced by the forest stand. In urban
areas trees can be used as noise buffers, able to reduce noise with 5
to 10 dB, if some general recommendations are respected (plant trees
near the noise source, plant trees/shrubs with dense foliage as close
as possible, plant belt trees of 7 to 17 m wide, etc).

That's roughly 20 to 50 FEET of dense planting to achieve a 5 to 10 dB
reduction.

And another source on foliage:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Landscaping-Design-724/Noise-barrier.htm

Fencing is just as tough as you need mass to stop sound. Unless you
are living in the acoustic shadow zone of the wall (you won't be) it's
an expensive way to get a poor solution.
http://www.brickfence.com/SOUNDINFO.htm

R