Soundproofing Generators, Compressors, Air Conditioners

Use an enclosure! It is sometimes a good idea to enclose a noisy machine in a separate room or box than to quiet it by altering its design, corporation or component parts. The walls of the enclosure should be airtight to contain the sound.

Absorbent lining on the interior surfaces of the enclosure will reduce the reverberate buildup of noise within it. Structural contact between the noise source and the enclosure should be avoided or else the source vibration will be transmitted to the enclosure and negate any soundproofing efforts. Total enclosures should be used where large noise reductions are required, i.e. exceeding 15 dB. Partial enclosures of L or U shaped configurations may be adequate in areas requiring smaller noise reductions.

Enclosure is best made of panels of wood, with corner support strips of wood (not shown). screwed, (not nailed) and glued for strength. A lined, double wall box is more effective than the one shown. Plywood is not recommended because wood transmits sound. FOR maximum effect, use the Extreme Soundproofing Volara Foam for lining your box. Make sure the box is entirely covered. Caulk all visible gaps and openings as if you were making the box waterproof.

Keep any vents as small as possible.. Cut strips of mat for the airtight seal for the bottom edge. A layer of mass loaded vinyl can glued over the box for maximum sound blocking. Seal all edges using non hardening caulk.

Wrapping the pump or motor is an additional way of reducing the sound emitted by it. Leave the ends open if needed for ventilation. Use our mass loaded vinyl .. Tie it in place with wire or nylon "Tie wraps".

If a pump, isolate the in/out pipes with rubber hose. Automotive radiator hose works well. Don't allow pipes to contact the box and insulate the openings. Keep the box as small as practical to reduce "drum" effect and if possible, locate the box to the other side of walls, other natural barriers, etc. If located next to a wall, sound reflection from it to or through the wall can be reduced by covering the wall with thin absorbent mat.

Concerned about temperature inside your box? Don't know if you need a fan? Use a meat thermometer inserted through a hole drilled in the box to monitor temperature. (Small computer style box fans move a lot of air and are cheap). How to figure how much mat is needed: determine the total square footage of the box you are lining, (width times length), then divide by four for acoustical mat, 4.5 for mass loaded vinyl. (These are the widths of the rolls we cut the material from). This will give you the lineal or "running" feet we sell the material by.)