Did something similar in our townhouse—went with sound insulation between shared walls. Helped a lot, but honestly, sealing gaps around doors and windows made just as big a difference. It's always the little things you don't expect...
Did a couple flips where soundproofing was a big selling point—my two cents:
- Insulation helps, but doesn't eliminate noise completely.
- Sealing doors/windows def underrated... cheap fix with noticeable results.
- Also check outlets and switch plates—surprising how much noise sneaks through those little openings.
"Sealing doors/windows def underrated... cheap fix with noticeable results."
Totally agree with this. Did a reno last year where we focused heavily on sealing gaps around windows and doors—made a huge difference, especially for street noise. Insulation helps, sure, but those little overlooked spots can really surprise you. Good call on the outlets too, never thought of that one... might have to try it next time.
Did anyone notice a big difference specifically from sound-blocking insulation vs just sealing gaps? Curious if the insulation alone is worth the extra cost or if sealing does most of the heavy lifting...
"Curious if the insulation alone is worth the extra cost or if sealing does most of the heavy lifting..."
From my experience, sealing gaps definitely helps—especially with higher frequency noises like voices or TV sounds—but it's not gonna do much for deeper, bass-heavy sounds. Sound-blocking insulation (like mineral wool or specialized acoustic batts) really shines there. It absorbs and dampens vibrations that sealing alone just can't tackle.
I worked on a client's townhouse last year where neighbors had a home theater setup (think Jurassic Park marathons at midnight 🙄). We sealed every gap we could find first, and yeah, it helped a bit. But once we added proper sound-blocking insulation between shared walls, the difference was night and day. The low-frequency rumble was significantly reduced, and overall noise levels dropped noticeably.
So, if your neighbors are into loud music or action movies, insulation is probably worth the extra investment. If it's just casual conversation noise you're dealing with... sealing might be enough to keep your sanity intact.
