Pre-completion Sound Testing

1. 1 Pre-Completion Sound Testing Building Regulations requires that dwellings be tested before completion by a pre completion testing company who can provide services in air tightness, ventilation testing and sound insulation testing. To demonstrate suitable sound insulation, in compliance with “Approved Document E of the Building Regulations for England and Wales – Resistance to the Passage of Sound”, testing must take place on both sides of a partition or floor to determine how resistant it is to noise. Under Building Regulations Approved Document E you will require sound insulation testing if you are: Building a block or blocks of flats Building a hotel, hostel or house of multiple occupancy Building terraced or semi-detached houses Converting a building whereby you create more dwellings than previously existed (eg converting a house or offices into residential dwellings) Sound insulation tests are not required on: Detached dwellings Refurbishment projects Acoustic Fundamentals Airborne Sound: Sound is transmitted by vibrational movement in molecules of air in waves, and these waves have varying amplitude and frequency. The speaker used in sound insulation testing emits high level white/pink noise which covers a wide frequency band and is representative of the sound which humans are most sensitive to. https://www.ashbyenergy.co.uk

2. 2 Airborne sound waves can travel though small air gaps in partitions, and initiate resonance in voids which will make the test result suffer. Additionally, airborne pathways through voids such as behind plasterboard, ceiling voids and between blockwork can be direct transmission paths for noise. Ensuring that air gaps have been sealed and fittings such as power sockets and light switches, are not back-to-back across a partition should reduce the impact of airborne noise. Vibrational Transmission: Vibration is transmitted in much the same way as airborne sound but through physical connections between hard surfaces, so the slightly different mechanics mean that it can be much harder to reduce its impact on the test. This is applicable to the airborne and impact test as they both generate vibrational noise transmitted through physical connections between the test spaces. Procedure: The airborne sound insulation test is carried out with a loudspeaker for a steady source of noise on one side of the partition (wall or floor) to be measured. The corresponding sound level is measured on the other side of the partition. Impact tests are carried out by using a tapping machine placed on the floor to be measured. The noise level is then recorded in the room below and calculations based on these measurements are undertaken and the results compared to the Building Regulations Part E requirements for the given type of the building. https://www.ashbyenergy.co.uk

3. 3 Failures: Transmission via air paths through a partition or floor will be evident by the presence of higher frequency noise on the receiving side. Flanking transmission occurs where airborne or impact sound passes under, over or around a wall or floor partition. The sound travels along shared building elements of adjacent structures. This can be detected with higher levels of low frequency noise on the receiving side. 1.Direct sound transmission 2.Flanking transmission 3.Overhearing 4.Leakage General requirements for sound testing: An accredited pre completion testing company must be used for testing. All windows, internal & external doors must be installed, glazed and closed. All trickle vents or other ventilation systems should be installed and closed. All walls, floors and ceilings must be completed. All skirting boards, electrical sockets and light switches should be fitted. In order to test separating floors for impact sound transmission, there should be no soft floor coverings in the rooms to be tested (i.e. carpet, rugs, soft vinyl, ceramics). Rooms in which tests are to be carried out must be empty and tidy. No trades should be working in the dwellings during the tests. Access is required to the properties either side of the party walls and/or floors during the test. There must be no noisy operations or work in or nearby to the dwellings during testing (drilling, cutting, groundwork). https://www.ashbyenergy.co.uk

4. 4 We will need 240v 50Hz mains power available within (or very close to) the dwellings. For more details about our services, contact Ashby Energy Assessors Limited. Source: https://ashbyenergy.weebly.com/blog/pre-completion-sound-testing Contact Details:- Ashby Energy Assessors Limited Address: The Lodge, Friars Well Estate, North Dr, Wartnaby, Melton Mowbray LE14 3HQ, United Kingdom Phone No.: 01476 870504 Email: info@ashbyenergy.co.uk Website: https://www.ashbyenergy.co.uk https://www.ashbyenergy.co.uk