Help With Neighbour Noise
#1
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Help With Neighbour Noise
Hi Everybody,
I am a school teacher so I like to spend my summer vacation in our backyard pool however, our neighbours have two little kids who scream and cry all day long. There is currently a wooden fence bewteen our properties. Anybody know of something I can put on the fence to help block out some of the noise? Any suggestions would be great.
Thank you!
I am a school teacher so I like to spend my summer vacation in our backyard pool however, our neighbours have two little kids who scream and cry all day long. There is currently a wooden fence bewteen our properties. Anybody know of something I can put on the fence to help block out some of the noise? Any suggestions would be great.
Thank you!
#2
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It would take a while but shrubbery would help mute the noise. I suppose some type of fabric over the fence would also help but anything that traps moisture will shorten the life of the fence.
It would take a while but shrubbery would help mute the noise. I suppose some type of fabric over the fence would also help but anything that traps moisture will shorten the life of the fence.
#3
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Water makes a good sound masker. See if you can hook something up to your pool pump that will provide a fountain or waterfall effect to recirculate the pool water. It should be something substantial that will move a good amount of water up and splash back into the pool--a garden hose would probably not be enough.
#4
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Would cedars work?
Also, any one know if we are allowed to put lattice on the top of the fence? My neihbour likes to stand on his porch and look over and watch me swim,
Also, any one know if we are allowed to put lattice on the top of the fence? My neihbour likes to stand on his porch and look over and watch me swim,
#5
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Cedars should help, the main thing is having an irregular mass to help absorb/deflect the sound.
You'd need to check with zoning and/or HOA to find out if there are height restrictions for a fence.
You'd need to check with zoning and/or HOA to find out if there are height restrictions for a fence.
#6
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Do you think that some emerald cedars planted like this would work? I know that home depot currently has 48 inch ones on sale for $19.99. Would that block out the noise and when they get taller help with privacy?
Thank you for your help!
Thank you for your help!
#8
it will take a few yrs for them to get high enough to be beneficial.
#9
My neighbor likes to stand on his porch and look over and watch me swim,
#10
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I have always heard that you really need mass to block noise like that. By mass I mean a block wall. I don't think an emerald cedars will give you anything but visual privacy (which would be great, "watching you swim"? yech!) , sound will go right through that. I read that an emerald cedar can grow 1 foot a year. Short of that I go for the fountain, that will mask a great deal, especially close to you.
#11
Originally Posted by Norm201
". . . Or is it the adults who are Peeking Tom's? If so that can be stopped by legal means . . ."
#12
I beg to differ on that. Shrubby is a very good noise blocker. It does not block but absorbs sound. Whereas a solid wall will bounce noise around. I don't think a person would want to absolutely block out noise but cushion or subdue it.
Now if a person wants to fight the noise that the kids make, one could run the lawn mower at the same time as the kids are out and for the duration. But that is just mean.
I'd be more concerned about the staring from the neighbors.
Now if a person wants to fight the noise that the kids make, one could run the lawn mower at the same time as the kids are out and for the duration. But that is just mean.
I'd be more concerned about the staring from the neighbors.
#13
Greenery wont do much!
Had houses next to road with large amount of trees between, we convinced ourselves all that green would help, no real difference in summer winter except the windows were closed more!
Look at highways, they always install big tall concrete walls to redirect noise from neighborhood,
Bigger taller wall is about the only quick way to gain some improvement now!
Had houses next to road with large amount of trees between, we convinced ourselves all that green would help, no real difference in summer winter except the windows were closed more!
Look at highways, they always install big tall concrete walls to redirect noise from neighborhood,
Bigger taller wall is about the only quick way to gain some improvement now!
#14
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Just a note, but the closer to you and the pool you place a screen or other the higher it blocks the view. Sail shades are decorative and act as a good visual screen.
Since his porch is providing a view of your pool it is probably reflecting some sound as well.
What kind of music do you like? A couple of speakers pointed towards your neighbor would mask some of the sound and send a message at the same time.
Bud
Since his porch is providing a view of your pool it is probably reflecting some sound as well.
What kind of music do you like? A couple of speakers pointed towards your neighbor would mask some of the sound and send a message at the same time.
Bud
#15
A couple of speakers pointed towards your neighbor would mask some of the sound and send a message at the same time.
#16
Look at highways, they always install big tall concrete walls to redirect noise from neighborhood,
Edit...I live on a corner lot. I have a wood fence and the noise from the street is still heard but not intelligible. My neighbor across the street up until this year had well grown evergreen hedges surrounding his yard. His yard looks more pleasing and the noise level although not necessarily reduced seems less annoying. I guess it all depends one's level of annoyance with outside noise. In an effort to gain more privacy for several other reasons he has since erected a fence in addition to the shrubbery.
Last edited by Norm201; 05-20-18 at 09:04 AM.
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I once had a neighbor who wanted to start a yelling across the yard chat every time we went outside. We erected three relatively low cost TALL lattice screens across that area of the yard and trained climbers on them. Something similar might work to maintain privacy while in your pool.
As for the children's noise, I'd just turn on some music. They won't be little for long.
As for the children's noise, I'd just turn on some music. They won't be little for long.
#18
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Those trees planted against the fence are WAY too close together. As they grow they will crowd out each other and simply die. At least every other tree should be removed.
I'm guessing that you are a woman as I don't think that I have ever met a man that would be fearful of someone watching him while he was swimming, unless he swam in the nude, in which case he would either call the police or he would go over and beat the crap out of the peeper. In my own case I feel that anyone that "spies" on me while I am in my back yard (or into my house) deserves to go blind if they see nekkid.
I like to observe the animals that frequent my back yard and occasionally I might even use my binoculars. I suppose that the neighbor that overlooks my back yard might think I am looking into their house but the truth is I wouldn't recognize either of them if they came to my front door or saw me in the supermarket. In fact, I once had a man walk up to me in the grocery store to say hello and it wasn't until he introduced himself that I realized it was the previous backyard neighbor.
So MAYBE the neighbor is simply looking out in his or her yard and NOT looking at YOU at all.
I'm guessing that you are a woman as I don't think that I have ever met a man that would be fearful of someone watching him while he was swimming, unless he swam in the nude, in which case he would either call the police or he would go over and beat the crap out of the peeper. In my own case I feel that anyone that "spies" on me while I am in my back yard (or into my house) deserves to go blind if they see nekkid.
I like to observe the animals that frequent my back yard and occasionally I might even use my binoculars. I suppose that the neighbor that overlooks my back yard might think I am looking into their house but the truth is I wouldn't recognize either of them if they came to my front door or saw me in the supermarket. In fact, I once had a man walk up to me in the grocery store to say hello and it wasn't until he introduced himself that I realized it was the previous backyard neighbor.
So MAYBE the neighbor is simply looking out in his or her yard and NOT looking at YOU at all.
#19
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There are sound barrier blankets for construction sites, and decorative cork sound absorbing panels for decoration, and sound absorbing panels available to add to existing fences.
One of the more interesting things I've seen are urban "vertical gardens".
The simplest ones are made with recycled wooden shipping pallets (cheap to free)
The combination of dirt + water + plants can be very effective at blocking out noise, and doesn't look that bad.
One of the more interesting things I've seen are urban "vertical gardens".
The simplest ones are made with recycled wooden shipping pallets (cheap to free)
The combination of dirt + water + plants can be very effective at blocking out noise, and doesn't look that bad.
#21
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Two points.
Sail shades can provide an effective visual block and be decorative at the same time.
Also, those kids are small now and one must be aware that they will soon be bigger and if you make enemies of them now you may not be able to deal with them in future years. I know of a couple of examples that went off the charts in terms of aggravation due to the teens.
Bud
Sail shades can provide an effective visual block and be decorative at the same time.
Also, those kids are small now and one must be aware that they will soon be bigger and if you make enemies of them now you may not be able to deal with them in future years. I know of a couple of examples that went off the charts in terms of aggravation due to the teens.
Bud
#22
If they're the kind of neighbors I'm imagining that kiddie glee noise will continue for years as momma cranks out more little ones. Then the noise changes to profanity-laced teen shouting & loud "music". Then you might get a short reprieve until the whole thing starts over as momma baby-sits the grandkids.
#23
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Originally Posted by Shadelady
But to buy enough plants and dirt for the large amount she'd need, would cost a small fortune.
The picture of cedars for screening was ~20 cedar trees @$19.99
so figure around $400 as a budget.
Pallets = $0 (used wooden pallets are often set out for free at industial parks)
Soil = $135 (based on local price for 5 cubic yards of mushroom soil delivered)
Privacy= $65 (three @ 3 gallon ornamental grasses (divide into multiples and plant on top)
That leaves
Plants = $200 (amount left for purchasing flats of plants, most likely vines and creepers)
If you go to a wholesale or plant nursery, you can get ALOT of plants for $200...