Getting a Handle on Apartment Noise

By TERI KARUSH ROGERS
Published: July 6, 2008

APARTMENT-HUNTING parents are often more worried about incoming than outgoing sound, brokers say, but those interested in minimizing future conflict can keep some strategies in mind.

Because a majority of children-generated noise complaints come from downstairs neighbors, ground-floor apartments are the surest bet for keeping the peace.

Alternatively, because parents of young children tend to be most tolerant of others’ ruckus, moving into a family-friendly building (preferably above another family) can be a smart decision. (Parents should think twice before moving with a child into a line of one-bedrooms, where the downstairs neighbor may be child-free.)

Buildings with places for youngsters to blow off steam — like playrooms or a nearby park — tend to generate the fewest complaints, said Michael J. Wolfe, the president of Midboro Management in Manhattan.

Then there is the matter of flooring. Concrete floors that lack a dropped ceiling beneath, as well as wood-beam floors, are poor sound buffers. Acoustic consultants can be hired to evaluate the noise-transmission qualities of a floor. Alan Fierstein, the president of Acoustilog Inc., a Manhattan company that provides acoustical consulting services, also recommends asking potential neighbors what the noise level is like.

Not-yet-built condominiums are trickier. Buyers can instruct their lawyers to write developers a note reminding them that they expect the apartment to meet minimum building codes for sound transmission.

Buyers can also inspect the plans for the walls and floors. “If it just lists the materials and says ‘insulation,’ that’s a recipe for disaster,” Mr. Fierstein said. Instead, he said, look for an “IIC Value” of at least 51, or an “INR Value” of zero. (IIC refers to the “impact insulation class” and INR is the “impact noise rating.” Both are industry standards for noise set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.)

“These are the bare minimum ratings required by the code,” Mr. Fierstein said. “If you’re buying a luxury apartment, you want to see an IIC value of at least 60.” (Similar ratings exist for walls.)

As for muffling sound after the move, there are several approaches, though no single one is likely to cure the problem.

Many co-ops require carpeting over 80 percent of the unit, but this will not muffle much noise unless the padding is at least one-fourth to one-half-inch thick, Mr. Fierstein said, and topped by a stiff-backed rug.

If it’s time to install new floors, an underlayer can help absorb sound. But it doubles the cost of new floors. Disgruntled neighbors can underwrite their own home remedy: dropping the ceiling several inches or more to install a system to muffle noise, which costs at least $30 per square foot, according to John R. Hauenstein, the president of JRH Acoustical Consulting Inc. Expensive to be sure, but together with good carpeting upstairs, it can eradicate the problem most of the time, he said.