5 Most Common Myths of Float Tank Soundproofing

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There are a lot of preconceived notions about what good soundproofing consists of. If you remember the egg-crate lined jam room you had for your college rock band and you think the same soundproofing tools will work in your float center, you’ll be sorely disappointed.

Here are the 5 most common myths when it comes to soundproofing your float center:

1. White noise will block sound

If I put a white noise machine outside of the rooms, it will distort the sound from coming into the float room. I’ve had this conversation with a lot of people, and while it seems like this might slow down or distort sound from coming in, that’s simply not how white noise machines work. They are designed to muddy sound to your ear (so you can’t hear a conversation for example), but the level of sound is still there.

2. Absorbing echos blocks sound

I think there is a lot of confusion out there about this. The idea is that if you catch sound bouncing around a room, it will keep it from getting to the room you are trying to soundproof. This may involve hanging curtain, putting up egg cartons, or putting soft fabrics on your ceilings. While this will change the acoustics of your room (and make for  a great podcasting studio), the actual benefits will not be as successful as you may have hoped. Attention towards blocking sound will prove much more effective.

3. If science says it works, it will work for you

There is some great (and very helpful!) scientific testing that can go on to ensure that soundproofing products are effective, however it’s also very possible for the installation to be done incorrectly. Ensuring you understand how your product works and how to perform the installation is pivitol in getting the most out of your soundproofing techniques.

4. Green Glue

As we learned recently with our interview with Tobin Cooley, sometimes products can be sold as being incredibly effective, but understanding the mechanics behind it can proof not only applicable, but can result in lots of financial savings. Green Glue may not have anything in it that makes it much (if any) better than any non-hardening caulk, but regular caulking companies don’t get testing done for how effective they are at soundproofing.

5. Vibration and Sound are the same thing

Okay, you could definitely make the argument that sound is a vibration, and you would be correct. However the main difference between vibration and sound is how we perceive them. Vibration we feel, sound we hear. This may seem obvious, but consciously applying this to your building is crucial. Big trucks hitting potholes directly outside your business is going to cause some major vibrations that will travel through the pavement, through the ground, up through your floor and into you tank. These will need to be absorbed before they reach the water. A train from a mile away can still whistle so loud that it goes through a regular buildings walls. You will not feel these train whistles, but you better block them form passing through your walls and ceiling so that floaters can’t hear them.

If you want to continue growing your knowledge of soundproofing to benefit your float center or make sure you design your float center appropriately, join Art of the Float and other float community members for our Soundproofing Roundtable on Wednesday June 28th!

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