The Vital Role of Acoustical Door Seals
When most people think of door seals they think of weather-stripping to stop the cold air from coming into their homes. What most people do not realize is that a one percent opening around a door will also let through fifty percent of the noise. Acoustical door seals are ideal for home theaters, offices, bedrooms, media rooms, medical buildings for HIPAA compliance, recording studios, apartments, industrial plants and anywhere else privacy or noise reduction is desired.
(PRWEB) June 3, 2005 -- The importance of acoustical door seals is derived
from a fundamental property of sound: Sound waves travel through any opening
with very little loss. While the amount of air flowing through a gap increases
in proportion with the size of the gap, the size of the gap in a sound barrier
does not matter. A tiny hole transmits almost as much sound as a much larger gap
or hole. For example, a one square inch hole in one hundred square feet of
gypsum board partition can transmit as much sound as the rest of the
partition.
Because of this phenomenon, any unsealed gaps and clearances
in door assemblies effectively cancel out the noise reduction benefits of sound
rated doors. The performance loss is especially serious at medium to high
frequencies, where normal conversation levels usually take place.
For
acoustical door seals to be effective at blocking sound, the seals around the
head, jamb, and sill of the door must be complete, uninterrupted and airtight
throughout the service life of the door. For uninterrupted contact, the door
seals must be installed all on the same side of the door and frame. Performance
also depends on good surface contact between the seals and the door edge or
frame, which can usually be achieved using compression seals.
However,
gaps caused by imperfect door alignment are a common problem in newly installed
seals and can also surface later on as buildings shift and settle and doors
cycle through changes in temperature and humidity. For consistent performance
over time, the most advanced acoustical door seals are designed with adjustable
features to restore a sound-tight seal when clearances increase for any reason.
As with the door itself, the mass of the sealing material used in
acoustical gasketing is a major factor in achieving higher sound reduction
ratings. Combining complimentary materials can also provide better performance.
Ultimately, the quality of the acoustical gasketing or seal is the biggest
factor in overcoming any installation hazards and determining how close the
actual sound performance of an assembly will come to the published rating of the
door.
Acoustical door seal kits are available that include an automatic
door bottom, which is spring operated, dropping a neoprene seal onto a threshold
effectively sealing off the bottom of the door. In addition to that, door seal
kits include high-grade neoprene door jambs for the vertical sides and the top
of the door. Custom kits are available for oversized, undersized doors as well
as double doors.
For more information on acoustical door seals, please
contact Acoustical Solutions at 1-800-782-5742 or visit them at http://www.acousticalsolutions.com
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/6/prweb246817.htm