Nobody wants their lockdown spoilt by noisy neighbours. With so many of us at home 24/7, there may be more sound coming through party walls than usual, thanks to conference calls, DIY jobs, online house parties and home schooling.
Low-level background noise is easier to get used to if it’s fairly constant, such as the distant hum from a road, but intermittent rackets from neighbours can be a lot more nerve-jangling.
“There are basically two types of noise: ‘airborne’, such as music, TV or voices; and ‘impact’, including footsteps overhead or vibrations from traffic or household appliances,” says Mark Considine, from the soundproofing specialists Soundstop. “Understanding how the noise reaches you helps in deciding how to deal with it.”