FAQs

Soundproofing focuses on reducing unwanted sound traveling between spaces or entering a building from outside.

Common concerns include conversations between adjoining rooms, footsteps from upstairs, traffic noise, and sound from neighboring properties.

Not every soundproofing concern involves the same type of noise, and complete silence isn't a realistic guarantee for most buildings.

At Soundproof San Diego, we work with residential and commercial property owners to address building-related sound transmission concerns.

Soundproofing and acoustic treatment address different concerns.

Soundproofing focuses on reducing unwanted sound transmission between spaces.

Acoustic treatment focuses on how sound behaves within a space, including echo, reverberation, and speech clarity.

For example, hearing conversations from an adjoining office is different from experiencing excessive echo inside a conference room.

We provide both services, depending on the needs of the property.

Yes. Professional soundproofing services can be provided for many existing residential and commercial spaces.

Homeowners may contact us about bedrooms, home offices, condominiums, or rooms affected by outside noise.

Commercial clients may be concerned about adjoining offices, tenant spaces, conference rooms, or other occupied areas.

The possibilities depend on the building and the noise concern. We encourage property owners to speak with our team before making construction decisions.

Two common categories of building-related noise are airborne sound and impact sound.

Airborne sound includes voices, television audio, and music.

Impact sound includes footsteps, dropped objects, and other activities involving physical contact with a building surface.

Sound also has different frequencies, measured in hertz (Hz). Lower-frequency sounds may be described as deep or rumbling, while higher-frequency sounds may be perceived as sharper or higher-pitched.

Understanding these differences helps explain why two noise complaints may involve very different acoustic concerns.

STC stands for Sound Transmission Class. It is a rating used to describe airborne sound insulation performance under specified conditions.

OITC stands for Outdoor-Indoor Transmission Class. It describes how well certain building elements reduce sound associated with outdoor noise, including lower-frequency transportation noise, under standardized conditions.

Both ratings are used in building acoustics, but they measure different aspects of performance.

A published rating doesn't guarantee how quiet a completed room will sound.

For more information about STC and related terminology, read our guide to understanding sound measurements.

NRC stands for Noise Reduction Coefficient.

It is a standardized rating describing sound absorption characteristics over specified frequency bands.

NRC is associated with acoustic treatment and how sound behaves within a room. It is not a rating of how effectively sound is prevented from traveling between adjoining spaces.

For example, excessive echo inside a room is a different concern from conversations being heard through a shared wall.

Learn more in our article explaining NRC and other acoustic measurements.

IIC stands for Impact Insulation Class.

It describes the impact-sound insulation performance of a floor-ceiling assembly under standardized test conditions.

Impact noise commonly includes footsteps and objects contacting a floor. These concerns frequently arise in condominiums, apartments, hotels, and other multistory properties.

A higher IIC rating generally indicates better performance under the applicable test conditions, but it doesn't guarantee that every footstep will be inaudible.

IIC differs from STC, which concerns airborne sound insulation.

Our article on IIC and sound transmission ratings explains the distinction.