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Goal: To minimize the impact of noise
to and from the office and to ensure confidentiality and privacy.
- Related Codes & Standards
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- Tips/Considerations
- One of the biggest acoustic concerns in a home office is the transmission of noise either from the activities of the home into the office, or the noise from the home office impacting the rest of the home. The majority of the noise will always be transmitted through the weaker point (for instance, doorways). Before any effort is spent improving the isolation quality of the wall, the noise path should be controlled through the door. At least add weather stripping to the door, even though it is an interior door, and consider a drop seal.
- Excessive noise from air conditioning and heating units can cause distractions, especially when on the phone or engaged in an activity that demands quiet. Unfortunately, this is a condition that is best addressed in the design phase, as it is difficult to control after construction. A system upgrade might be the only solution.
- Although the reverberation time might not be an issue (since home offices are not usually large), typically a home office is four parallel reflective walls and a reflective ceiling. Therefore, annoying reflections could be problematic. Ideally, at least two non-parallel walls can be treated with acoustically absorptive material. It might not be necessary to completely treat the wall as long as the critical zone (normally from 3'-7') is treated with a material that has an NRC of at least 0.50, ideally at least 0.80.
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