Worst-Case Wednesday: How to Soundproof Your Teenager’s Room

Okay, that’s a little extreme.

The kids have been out of school for a while now, so I thought I would do the parents a favor and give them some advice from The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Parenting.

If you are experiencing headaches, dark thoughts, and are beginning to feel like your parents whenever you ask your child keep the noise down to a dull roar, then read on.

How to Soundproof Your Teenager’s Room

From the Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Parenting by Joshua Piven, David Borgenicht, and Sarah Jordan

Move speakers away from walls: Speakers placed directly against a wall will reverberate sound through the wall and into adjoining rooms. Also, raise the speakers off the floor and place them on stands or small tables to reduce reverberations through the floor.

Lower the volume: Turn down the volume 30 percent, then move the speakers closer to your teenager to provide him with the same volume of sound.

Disable bass-boosting features: Bass-enhanced sound travels through most partitions more easily. Turn off the feature on the amplifier or equalizer.

Install carpeting: A thick carpet with a rubber pad below it will absorb most sounds. Make sure it runs wall to wall. Do not hang carpeting or rugs on the walls. Soft, absorbent materials applied to walls change the acoustics of a room but rarely make it more sound proof.

Install a solid wood door: Solid wood doors offer better soundproofing than hollow-core or recessed-panel doors.

Install weather stripping: Sound “leaks” from a room through the space around the door. Add sponge rubber weather stripping seals on the top, bottom, and sides of all doors.

Be Aware:

Studio-quality headphones make an excellent present for your teenager. Explain that they enhance the quality of the sound and can really be blasted; hope that headphones replace the speakers.

If this doesn’t work, here’s some bonus advice on another stratagem.

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For more information on the The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Parenting, visit its official book page.