NEW TRENDS AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES Acoustic ...

Plumbing Noise
In another project, plumbing noises were so severe in some lower units that the performance auditor
had walls and bulkheads opened to find that absorptive insulation or sealing within the walls was
inadequate, both in performance and in comparison with builder’s specifications.
But even within established units, and also in detached houses for that matter, more could and
should be done so that use of an upstairs bathroom does not disturb those enjoying the space below.
The technology is there and continues to evolve, and the costs to install sound-absorption during
construction or major renovation are small.
Conclusions
New townhouses must be acquiring a reputation for being poorly soundproofed, which certainly
hurts the condominium industry. Builders could enhance their competitive position by being able to
guarantee a certain level of acoustic dampening. That required more care and supervision during
construction than seems to be the norm. And the regulators, namely Tarion and the Ministry
responsible for building codes, could increase their efforts to see that home buyers get what they
expect in the area of sound separation between units. Even the real estate salespersons could better
inform themselves on this subject in order to help clients differentiate between prospects with good
versus poor sound control.
Don Gratton has been a registered professional engineer in Ontario since 1969. For the past two
years, he was a reserve fund planner and engineer for First Condo Group Ltd., a firm serving
southcentral Ontario for over 20 years under the direction of Hans Moehring of Toronto. Email them
at info@firstcondo.ca, or firstcondo@sympatico.ca.
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* Condominium Manager Magazine – Winter 2005