What type of material should be used to sound proof a grow room? +rep for help

[tibberous]

Safe and sound by Roxul, or even just regular Roxul insulation are decent choices - not incredibly overpriced, very water resistant and fire resistant to damn near anything short of thermite.

Few things to consider though...

1) I doubt many people hear a fan and assume it's a grow op. You might just be paranoid.
2) A fan controller, or a bigger opening and a different fan would probably work, and be a hell of a lot cheaper than insulating/soundproofing a room. A TV / whitenoise machine could mask the fan, although might be annoying.
3) If your close enough to strangers that your worried about a fan, you probably shouldn't be growing there at all. Even if you don't want to pack up shop now, give it some real thought next harvest - you can expand your operation and get more security at the same time, either by moving or buying a grow house (doesn't have to be expensive, you can get ghetto houses for 5-10 grand, rural trailors for 10-15) Plus, if you don't destroy it or get it seized, you can always resell it, for generally the same or more than what you paid for it.

 

[FilthyFletch]

I agree with building a simple baffle box for the fan to be put into. Basically you make a box out of wood with a top that is hinged for access and then 2 holes for in and out take. I used the baffle foam ie the egg crate foam and line the box walls inside with it just using sparay adhesive. Then put the fan inside and close it up pretty much silent.

 

[Rrog]

Done but expensive and unnecessary. No disrespect intended, but soundproofing mainly boils down to mass. Standard drywall is plenty cheap and plenty heavy. Perfect.

Mylar is a film, with very little mass, so is essentially invisible to all but the highest frequencies that we don't care about.

Also, you should use the insulation that's cheapest. In this instance (between two surfaces) mineral fiber won't perform any better than fiberglass insulation.

 

[dangledo]

this was the eastiest that i found from researching, made it, works great. more to mine, but same idea

 

[Rrog]

Was there a link to the how-to?

 

[AltarNation]

I agree with building a simple baffle box for the fan to be put into. Basically you make a box out of wood with a top that is hinged for access and then 2 holes for in and out take. I used the baffle foam ie the egg crate foam and line the box walls inside with it just using sparay adhesive. Then put the fan inside and close it up pretty much silent.

Ahhh, I am going to break down and make one very soon, but I'm working in this awkward ass shaped space so I'll have to be real careful about what the dimensions can be. (It's a tall eve closet with one slanted wall, so at the ceiling there's like 5 inches total width, but it quickly widens as you go down--I have the fan hanging from the top, as close as it can get to the ceiling. I am leaving a little bit of buffer space already to prevent vibration, (it's hanging from bungees already) but it's just echoing around up in the space above and to the sides, unfortunately.

And btw, tibberous, for what it's worth, there are some middle ground situatons... I mean, I'm not worried about anyone else hearing my fan, I just don't like hearing it myself, and have to work with a space that's directly adjacent to my work space.

 

[dangledo]

no, i just saw the picture, and i had a used can 66. just google how to duct muffler...

 

[Sr. Verde]

Hey all.. I've been super busy with some shit, I didn't forget about this thread.. I'm going to do more research and reply and +rep when I get a few hours..

Thank you all for the replies you guys are awesome ! kiss-ass

 

[AltarNation]

Hey all.. I've been super busy with some shit, I didn't forget about this thread.. I'm going to do more research and reply and +rep when I get a few hours..

Thank you all for the replies you guys are awesome ! kiss-ass

If anyone's looking for an insulation solution for a box that doesn't involve handling fiberglass, I came up with this product, I'm gonna give it a try:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202709974/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=ultratouch+insulation&storeId=10051#.UL4kvoXfa2w

I think it'll work well enough. I'm considering using a 5 gal bucket for the outer case instead of building a box, because a) I'm lazy, and b) the space I'm fitting it into isn't square.

 

[Sr. Verde]

Yes. And you want the weight / mass. Drywall is heaviest per inch, followed by OSB, then plywood. MDF is heavier (denser, really) than all of these but it's harder to work with

The room is pretty decent as it is for noise levels, surprisingly. It's all dry walled up already, it's a bed room. I'm now thinking the majority of the sound is leaking through the door, and through wall vibrations so I might have to put something on the door to reflect the sound back.

Few things to consider though...

1) I doubt many people hear a fan and assume it's a grow op. You might just be paranoid.
2) A fan controller, or a bigger opening and a different fan would probably work, and be a hell of a lot cheaper than insulating/soundproofing a room. A TV / whitenoise machine could mask the fan, although might be annoying.
3) If your close enough to strangers that your worried about a fan, you probably shouldn't be growing there at all. Even if you don't want to pack up shop now, give it some real thought next harvest - you can expand your operation and get more security at the same time, either by moving or buying a grow house (doesn't have to be expensive, you can get ghetto houses for 5-10 grand, rural trailors for 10-15) Plus, if you don't destroy it or get it seized, you can always resell it, for generally the same or more than what you paid for it.

Your approaching this from the wrong direction. I'm not worried so much about stealth, but I have roomates sharing the same wall as the room, and I don't want them to be disturbed by noises. Also I'd rather it be on the quiet side for guests. I don't need an entire house, I'm growing for personal. This is already in a 13x10x8 bedroom wired with 30 amps 240, 30 amps 120 .

I agree with building a simple baffle box for the fan to be put into. Basically you make a box out of wood with a top that is hinged for access and then 2 holes for in and out take. I used the baffle foam ie the egg crate foam and line the box walls inside with it just using sparay adhesive. Then put the fan inside and close it up pretty much silent.

That is starting to sound like the best idea. Right now it's mounted to the wall, and it's vibrating into the walls. I think for now I'm going to put a couple hooks into the stud in the ceiling, and suspend the fan with bungee cord. The sound of the whooshing air can be heard from outside of the door, so to solve that I think I'm going to use weather sealing for doors. The piece of rubber that sits over the cracks. Also I might hang up some type of insulation on the door. So that the sound doesn't vibrate through the thin wood in the door as easily.

Foams, regardless of the shape, will only stop low-volume noise, and only higher frequency noise. So anything loud will not see much benefit from foam, and and any low bass won't be affected at all by the foam, since the foam is very low mass. Foam and similar materials are used to reduce echo in a room but are not used for soundproofing.

If I'm dealing with the whooshing sounds of the AC, and carbon filter fans, would foam be a good option? There is really no low bass sounds, just high frequency vibrations and whooshing noises coming through the door.

The biggest amount of noise is coming from your 8" fan and its mounting position.

You can build a wooden box around it and fill it inside with expanding builders foam. (Crazy foam I think USA calls it) then you can bungee cord the entire box from hooks mounted in the ceilings. This alone will help reduce noise levels. So to will insulated ducting.

J

That's a great idea, much appreciated. My ass is kicked this week though, so I think I will just mount hooks into the ceiling stud and hang the fan with bungee cord. Another week I will certainly build some type of baffle box. Do you have any suggestions for materials as far as hooking the fan up to the ceiling studs? Rubber mounts or something special? Otherwise I think I'll just go with 1 & 1/2 inch screws with hooks.

 

[Sr. Verde]

Should I think about replacing the door with something thicker and more sound proof? It's a really cheap wooden bedroom door. The kind you can punch through. I notice now that some of the noise leaks through the shoddy door and into the hall way. The tile floor echos the sound into the rest of the house. I was thinking about weather stripping, but would it just make more sense to replace the whole thing? Any ideas?



Thank you all for the replies, and sorry for my late reply. I've been busy as heck all week, you guys know how that goes. +rep has been distributed!

 

[AltarNation]

Hey Verde

I hit the door to the room the closet with strips of weather stripping between the door and the trim, and a door sweep at the bottom to get the under-door leakage.

This helped a lot, but I also have a heavier door, it's the solid wood kind, but it does have the floating panels in the middle that are a thinner wood. Still, it works pretty good. I have another layer of the same on the closet door itself, which I made out of plywood, 1/4".

I am going for as close to dead silent as possible. I want dead silent IN the bedroom the closet is in.

I've got a duct muffler on the way, and plan to contain my fan as well.

I may also do the inside of the closet door in insulation.

 

[Rrog]

Insulation does little, but costs a lot. If given the choice of extra drywall or insulation in a wall, you would choose extra drywall.

 

[ourhiddenpassion]

The biggest amount of noise is coming from your 8" fan and its mounting position.

You can build a wooden box around it and fill it inside with expanding builders foam. (Crazy foam I think USA calls it) then you can bungee cord the entire box from hooks mounted in the ceilings. This alone will help reduce noise levels. So to will insulated ducting.

J

Great idea ,On top of that get some 5" reflective insulation also put rubber under any fixing screws/plates that ur fans are on it reduces noise .

 

[idontknowshit]

Check these guys out:
http://soundproofing.org/infopages

Lots of great free advice.

 

[Sr. Verde]

Hey Verde

I hit the door to the room the closet with strips of weather stripping between the door and the trim, and a door sweep at the bottom to get the under-door leakage.

This helped a lot, but I also have a heavier door, it's the solid wood kind, but it does have the floating panels in the middle that are a thinner wood. Still, it works pretty good. I have another layer of the same on the closet door itself, which I made out of plywood, 1/4".

I am going for as close to dead silent as possible. I want dead silent IN the bedroom the closet is in.

I've got a duct muffler on the way, and plan to contain my fan as well.

I may also do the inside of the closet door in insulation.

Just did that and it really helped.. Fucked up the door skirt though, have to get another one tomorrow.

Did you cut around your handle/lock for your weather stripping? I didn't and it's a little hard to pull closed.

Also found rubber tie down straps with hooks to hang the inline fan from the ceiling. Hoping that will help with vibrations into the walls.

 

[AltarNation]

Just did that and it really helped.. Fucked up the door skirt though, have to get another one tomorrow.

Did you cut around your handle/lock for your weather stripping? I didn't and it's a little hard to pull closed.

Also found rubber tie down straps with hooks to hang the inline fan from the ceiling. Hoping that will help with vibrations into the walls.

No, I just push hard on it to click it closed. Hanging will definitely help...

 

[Rrog]

http://www.soundproofingcompany.com/soundproofing-installation-manuals/sim-doors/ These guys are the real deal. That previous link has some bad / incorrect info.

 

[Sr. Verde]

I've been doing lots of work. Perfectionist here so everything takes a lot longer.

Thanks for the help and suggestions. You guys were certainly right about what materials are best, and where to approach the problem.

The door certainly was causing 70% of the noise I was hearing outside. Once I sealed it up and put on the door sweep I swear noise was reduced like 80%. Now that I've got the fan off the wall, and mounted with a rubber strap to the ceiling the noise has been lowered even more.

I can totally live with this. Standing outside of the door it sounds like a single desk fan pushing air around. Very dull and quiet. Once you open the door though, it's like entering a wind tunnel!

Thanks for all the help, folks.

 

[dangledo]

sound proof ducting and a muffler takes care of the problem inside and outside of your grow room... duct booster may be needed