What weather insulation materials are also adequate as sound insulation?
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We are trying to control sounds between 1st and 2nd floors and isolate plumbing sound from living areas.
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David, any fibrous insulation will absorb sound effectively: fiberglass, cellulose, mineral wool, cotton. Higher density material tends to work better.
Sheet rock suppliers have a resilient channel that attaches to the ceiling joist that helps ,http://www.soundproofing.org/infopages/channel.htm It is hard to eliminate all direct lines of sound transmission through the framing. There is a 'quiet rock'? sheet rock product that is very expensive and I have not tried it.
Most insulation materials, rigid panels excluded, will absorb sound fairly well and if in the path of the sound waves will have the desired effect. However the materials we put over our walls usually encapsulate the cavity rendering this insulation useless for sound absorption.
The RC channels mentioned above are a great option for helping to reduce sound transmittance if installed correctly and the screws are not overtightened.
Sound, simply put, comes in two types. High pitch and low pitch. High pitch is directional and a well finished wall filled with insulation will reduce most of these sounds. The low pitch sounds that come from sub woofers and bass are not directional and travel in all directions. These are much harder to stop but thicker drywall (more mass) and RC channels to help isolate the sheet rock from the studs will greatly improve the performance.
Of coarse the best wall is a staggered wall with studs offset so there is no solid connection between side A and side B. This really is the only way to reduce transmittance of sound waves through a wall.