Homeowners and property developers seeking solutions for acoustically poor party walls continued to account for the majority of enquires received by Hush Acoustics in 2024.

The company’s range of fully tested acoustic wall systems, as well as bespoke designs, was amongst the most popular products it supplied last year, reflecting homeowners’ increased awareness of what they can do to make their homes quieter.

Whilst the extent of the issues relating to noisy neighbours is difficult to quantify, they do account for a large proportion of the 400,000 or so noise complaints received annually by local councils in the UK. Some experts believe that more householders may be experiencing issues than official figures suggest.

Research conducted by Churchill Insurance in 2022 found that around a third (31 percent) of Brits have acted in response to a noise dispute with their neighbour, but there is some anecdotal evidence to suggest this underrepresents the extent of the issue.

Hush Acoustics is ideally placed to help anyone seeking to upgrade the acoustic performance of an existing wall, floor or ceiling, as well as ensure new build party walls are built to high soundproofing levels. The company’s range of systems can be applied to numerous different types of wall construction, including solid brick, block with cavity and timber stud, to achieve good, better and best levels of sound reduction.

One of Hush Acoustics’ most popular acoustic wall systems for retrofitting is the HD1041 wall lining system. This provides tangible airborne sound reduction to a level of 48 dB (DnT,w + Ctr), without adding significant depth to the wall through a combination of a 25mm layer of Hush Slab, Hush Multi-Panel, resilient bars and a 15mm plasterboard.

Amongst the highest performing acoustic wall systems from Hush is the HD1055 wall lining for masonry walls. This incorporates a timber stud separated from the existing wall by a clear gap, which accommodates a 100mm thick Hush Slab mineral wool sound absorber, plus two layers of Soundbloc plasterboard for a very high level of sound reduction – 64 dB (DnT,w + Ctr) in Hush Acoustics’ own testing.

Robert Crampton, Managing Director of Hush Acoustics said: “Homeowners are becoming increasingly aware of what today’s sound insulation products are capable of, and how feasible they can be as part of their home improvement projects. Coupled with a greater understanding of how important a peaceful home environment is for our wellbeing, it is no surprise that we continue to receive so many enquiries relating to party wall soundproofing.”

Find out more about the acoustic wall systems available from Hush Acoustics at www.hushacoustics.co.uk/system_categories/wall-systems.