What noises can you hear from inside your apartment? (construction, evictions, average)

[ca_north]

I'm trying to get a feel for whether my apartment is above average in noise transmission. It's a mid-70s wood-framed 2-story complex and I'm on the top floor. This is a list of what I can hear, primarily from the people directly below me. They are generally quiet neighbors. Loud music has caused evictions but other daily noises still seem excessive to me.

• normal conversation inside - fundamentals but not actual words, male voices are most audible
• normal conversation outside has easily discernible words
• copulation - mainly the woman's voice, enough said
• arguing or yelling inside - distinct words can often be made out
• kids yelling outside - lucky to not live near many
• yawning - this surprised me at first
• coughing, sometimes chronic - get some drops already!
• flatulence, if raspy enough

• feral cats and birds outside
• occasional dogs barking inside - rare by luck

• doors slamming have woken me up
• nails being pounded into walls for hanging pictures
• kitchen cabinets closing - usually muted
• I rarely hear walking or stomping, being on the 2nd floor

• toilet flushing
• shower running and bathroom sink - shower can be very loud; faucets "screech" when turned
• kitchen sink - not as loud as bathroom sink
• garbage disposal - muted

• almost any music or TV sound with bass in it - bass is audible when other parts aren't
• drum beats - with or without the bass component
• mid-range tones when the music is loud enough - treble tones are rarely discernible

• garbage trucks, of course
• motorcycles with moderately loud pipes
• cars with aftermarket mufflers
• police and fire sirens
• general traffic noise is very distant, so other sounds aren't masked by it
• fireworks and unexplained loud explosions during non-holidays
• helicopters, jets and small planes - minor and rare here
• rain on roof, thunder and high winds

I'd like to see similar lists or unusual noises as an unscientific comparison. Please note the building construction and what floor you're on.

[Ohky0815]

Thats all pretty normal for apartment living.

I have lived on the 2nd and 1st floors in concrete and wood buildings.

[ca_north]

Originally Posted by Ohky0815

Thats all pretty normal for apartment living.

I have lived on the 2nd and 1st floors in concrete and wood buildings.

I guess the relative volumes are the critical factor. Very hard to gauge that in a text forum, of course.

Did you notice much better floor/ceiling sound insulation with concrete?

[Kim in FL]

the problem isn't your neighbor, it's that you live in a wood frame structure and that type of noise is common for that type of construction.

I live in a concrete building with poured concrete floors and shared walls. I hear nothing from the three ppl we share walls with. These complex has both wood frame buildings and concrete..I made sure we got into a concrete one.


I hear more noise coming in my front door from the hallway (open halls, open stairs) because it echoes, but it's not bothersome

[ca_north]

I forgot to add a big one: snoring, with annoying bass resonance

[ca_north]

Originally Posted by Kim in FL

the problem isn't your neighbor, it's that you live in a wood frame structure and that type of noise is common for that type of construction.

I live in a concrete building with poured concrete floors and shared walls. I hear nothing from the three ppl we share walls with. These complex has both wood frame buildings and concrete..I made sure we got into a concrete one.


I hear more noise coming in my front door from the hallway (open halls, open stairs) because it echoes, but it's not bothersome

Consider yourself lucky. I've not seen mixes of wood and concrete in the same complex. Built in different phases?

What are your neighbors like? Do you have anyone nearby with a subwoofer? I think it would take an earthen bunker to block aggressive low frequencies.

[mskari198522]

I live in a building with both concrete and wood framing. For 2 years I lived in a concrete unit (concrete beams and ceiling) Couldn't hear much of anything above me. Now I transferred to a unit with concrete floor but wood frame ceiling and I can most of everything the guy above me does. It is real, real annoying, but I am trying to live with it.

[aneye4detail]

I don't know what my apartment is constructed of. I live downstairs and every so often I hear my upstairs neighbors walking around. I hear them vacuuming. I hear the water running when the toilet flushes. Other than that, nothing major.

[Hawekeye2011]

I live in a wood frame apartment to the best of my knowledge with a brick facade. The only noise I hear are showers and toilet flushes. Very faint noises, other than that unless they have their balcony door opened (rareley) that I even know that someone is in the apartment. I feel that I'm super lucky to live in a place that is quite, and I hope it stays that way (knock on wood)

[jen5276]

I live in a wood frame condo, I am on the ground floor, and hear EVERYTHING the people upstairs do...squeaky floors, stomping, talking, yelling, water running. UGH