Noisy Air Vent in Bedroom: Air Vents Noise Reduction Techniques

Looking for ways to reduce noisy air vent in bedroom that will facilitate air vents noise reduction?. Then you’ve come to the right place.

The type of heating and/or cooling system installed in your home determines whether you need air vents in your bedroom.

A ducted furnace or air conditioner requires supply vents in all major rooms, including bedrooms, and sometimes return vents as well.

noisy air vents in bedroom noise reduction

Though all these vents are good to enable proper circulation of heat during the winter, cool air in summer, and help you save on energy bills, there is a downside to having these vents in the house, which is they let out a bunch of noise from either side of the door.

The noise levels of some of these vents may outweigh the benefits that you get from using them. Hence the need to soundproof above door vents in the home has become important.

Seeing that you are reading this article, it is safe to assume that you want to soundproof a noisy above-door vent of your own.

Before we look at some of the ways to reduce noisy air vents, let’s first see some of the reasons why above-door vents may be necessary.

Some Reasons for Above-Door Vents

Vents in the house help to improve heating or cooling system effectiveness and efficiency. They either carry air to the room or allow air to escape the room.

Vents that carry air to the roo are known as supply vents. Vents that carry air away from the room are also known as return vents.

Jumper ducts can also function both ways.

Generally, above-door ents help to increase the overall airflow when an air conditioner or furnace is running.

This helps to ensure that the temperature throughout the home is maintained and that no one room – especially the baby’s room – becomes hotter or colder than another and keeps your home comfortable.

Does soundproofing the vents mean you are going to block airflow in the house?. 

Blocking airflow completely from the house is not advisable. What we will be doing is finding that middle ground where we can reduce the vent’s noise while still allowing airflow in and out of the home.

Of course, you have to keep in mind that the more space you leave – the more noise will still be coming from the air vent.

 Also Read:

How to soundproof a bathroom easily

How to soundproof jalousie windows

How to quiet noisy  air vent returns

How to Soundproof an Above-Door Vent: Reduce Airflow in Vents

1). Block Air Vents in the Bedroom

Blocking the air vents is one of the easiest and cost-effective ways to soundproof air vents in a room. Because it is not time-consuming and doesn’t involve a lot of money.

This will help to insulate the air vent and keep the noise away from your bedroom.

This process won’t take a lot of time. All you need is a sealant that you can allow for about 15 minutes.

Though there are many options available on the market still I would like to vouch for a GREAT STUFF gap filler.

Great Stuff is not only affordable but also blocks the external noise effectively.

You can get this sealant for less than $15.

So, once you have the sealant with you, all you need to do is to start the process of blocking the air vents.

First and foremost, remove the cover of air vents on both sides of the vent.

Secondly, use the sealant of your choice and coat the inside of your vent.

Remember, to seal all the gaps, cracks, and holes inside as well as in the vicinity of the air vents.

Even the smallest of the holes if left open can ruin all your effort.

Finally, replace the cover of the air vent and you’re done.

2). Home Renovation

Do you have enough cash at your disposal?. If yes, this method may be the best solution to your bedroom air vents reduction.

This will require you to spend money on different tools, drywall, and other accessories. You will also need to factor in the labor cost.

If you are willing to get your hands dirty too, why not. This reduces your costs.

You will need to knock down a portion of your home. This involves removing the above-door vents from your home to eliminate the noise completely.

By removing the vents and replacing the drywall above the door, you can almost completely guarantee that you can remove any and all the noise issues that the vents previously presented.

It’s a costly technique but it is worth it.

3). Create a Sound Maze

If you are not sure whether you want to block the air vents in your home, then the home renovation won’t be the best option for you.
Removing the air vents will somehow compromise the airflow.
Another technique you can try is to create a sound maze.
The sound maze has layers of insulation that leave openings on the ends in order to allow air to still flow through the vent.
This will reduce the noise levels while you still maintain the steady airflow through the vents in and out of the home.

With this technique, you will need items like:

  • Plywood that is about ¼ of an inch thick
  • A ruler
  • A wood glue
  • Wood saw
  • An acoustic cotton or foam material
  • Screwdriver to remove the screws on the vents if necessary

How to Create the Sound Maze

Below are some tips on how to create a sound maze.

Cut the wood into four pieces that are a few inches shorter than the inside of the vents. The reason for this is to ensure that there is enough space to fit the wood inside the vents to allow the air to flow through them.

Next, take the cotton or foam material that you are using and wrap the wood planks in the material, affixing them to the wood with glue if needed.

Thirdly, you need to put some wood glue on the end of the wood plank and place the first one inside the vent, attaching it to the wall of the vent with the glue.

sound maze

Repeat the above process using the other pieces of wood, ensuring that they are glued about half an inch apart from each other and with openings on opposite ends that create a zig-zag-like pattern.

Lastly, you can replace the vents cover on the vents and enjoy a much quieter bedroom.

4). Use Soundproof Curtains

This may be a temporary solution.  If you have some soundproof curtains or even blankets are home that you are not using then this will be the best time to utilize them.

If you don’t have some, check out this article on soundproof curtains here.

Noise reduction curtains are a good option if you are renting and can’t do permanent changes to the walls.

There are plenty of quality soundproofing curtains and blankets available, and if you’ve used them before – you already know that the installation is fairly simple.

Most homes already have one or two of these curtains or blankets laying around. You don’t need a lot of this material to block the noise.

If you choose this technique, keep in mind that the airflow may be compromised a little.

The installation shouldn’t take you longer than 20-30 minutes, but it’s definitely worth a try.

Final Thoughts on Air Vents Noise Reduction

Air vents are a great ventilation way for the home and sometimes are necessary for houses especially in hot and cold climates.

However, the only thing that sometimes makes them annoying to have is the noise they make.

The tips above are some good ways to reduce the noise coming from these air vents and to give you peace of mind.

Josephine

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