posted
How about organic non chemically washed wool?? You can google it.
Posts: 871 | From orange county, ca. | Registered: Jan 2006
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- I've given this question a lot of thought over the years. Off the top of my head, I'll share some tidbits of my search:
Does styrofoam off gas?
Absolutely. All kinds do, especially when warm.
It can also harbor germs.
As for trying to soundproof a bedroom, it is nearly impossible but it can be done. Windows are the most important element. They have to be very tight. So you are starting with the main element.
Can you ask a window manufacturer to donate a window to you? If they are in the position to do such a thing, for someone with a health condition.
I almost had a manufacturer willing to give me a window when I lived downtown in a very noisy place. Then he met me, saw I was overweight and admonished me for being a fat slob (very nearly, his very words - he told me he'd never help someone who couldn't control themselves). I was mortified as weight gain started from ill health and lack of good sleep. My diet has always been excellent. But . . . he was short of understanding.
I would hope you'd have better luck. Window manufacturers often have old models or suggestions. And there are many people in the world who would love to help. Key words "if you are in the position to offer help of any kind . . . . "
Just hanging stuff over the windows will not likely have the total desired effect as much of the sound travels from around a frame that has too much air space and is not firmly installed.
Not just around windows, but in the wall, corners - EVERY crack in the room has to be sealed, etc. The electrical sockets padded, etc.
Wall insulation can certainly help but you'd also need to consider the floor and ceiling. The "bones" and hidden air spaces all around the room can be megaphones for sound. Also air vents from bathroom exhaust fans, clothes dryers, or air exchange vents for a furnace - if they run along your room, they will act as a megaphone and reverberate.
You might contact a building professional in your area who uses safe products for those with MCS.
There is a new kind of spray in insulation that is not foam. The interior walls may have to be taken off first but there is a new kind that is supposed to be very safe regarding off gases.
I saw them use in on a PBS building show, This Old House, I think. In New Orleans, I think.
�� Why not contact the producers of that program for the "Ask This Old House" section?
Can you make a "sleeping closet" - or "sleeping pod" ?
I think it would be easier to build a "sleeping pod" than to soundproof a room (unless starting from scratch). However, in all my dreaming about ways to achieve quiet sleep (my neighbor's snoring even cuts through my ear plugs) . . . the thing that has me derailed with a sleeping pod is fresh air circulation.
But, still, there may be some way to make an indoor igloo of sorts - just be sure air supply is considered.
Wood is the best sound insulator but is often treated with harsh chemicals or just chunks with lots of toxic glue.
Beyond wood, double paned glass is really the best choice -- like in the sound booths they use for hearing tests or in some radio stations.
You might call your local radio and TV stations - and any marketing firms where they record their own commercials - see if you can talk to the building engineer (not the technical engineer). They may also have some left over materials for you but do not accept old ceiling tiles with asbestos (very common in the past for sound insulation).
Audiologists also recycle their old booths from time to time but they are VERY heavy. A while back I nearly reeled in one but the weight limit was too much for my second floor apt.
Also, if you put open foam inside, be aware that it can harbor all kinds of dust and germs in the miles of tiny tunnels. Regular foam is actually not as soundproofing as one may think - unless it's engineered to be so. In broadcasting, foam walls are mainly to stop echoes.
Different kinds of ear plugs are discussed in the thread below, as are supplements that help such as magnesium.
Truly noise from traffic, neighbors, motors, etc. cuts years of the lives of many due to sleep disturbance. However, due to the toxicity in so many building materials, remedies are not easy.
I've thought of building my sleeping pod out of plaster of paris, bit by bit. Still working on how to ventilate, though.
Good luck.
=======================
ALL EARS. Specifically for LYME patients - lots of details about ears and what can help:
Beyond MCS and CI, those with porphyria need to be much more careful when around chemicals - and mold. Remember that if you drape fabrics to try to stop noise, dust and mold need to be considered. ------- http://flash.lymenet.org/scripts/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/1/91842?
PORPHYRIA Thread - along with details about KPU/HPU (Mauve factor) -
[ 01-21-2011, 06:05 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
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