Pool Soundproofing

For many people, an outdoor pool is a place to go for serenity. In contrast, anyone who has visited an indoor pool knows they can be very loud places. While it’s certainly less relaxing, loud noises in indoor pools can also make it hard for lifeguards and swimmers to communicate. In addition, they can become overwhelming for those with sensory sensitivities.

Many of the reasons that pools are so loud are unavoidable — such as their high ceilings and hard surfaces. But there are also ways to combat these features. However your pool is laid out, there are tools to minimize the noise. Let’s dive in and look at how you can soundproof an indoor pool.

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Pool Sound Absorption Products

Common Sound Problems in Pools

Pools create the perfect storm of loud noises due to the way they are constructed. They’re surrounded by hard tile and other surfaces that reflect sound waves. You can’t get rid of many of these materials because you need them to resist water.

While water slides off these surfaces, sound waves reflect off of them and travel back into the middle of the room. All the activity in a pool causes sounds to compound in the middle, creating a cacophony of sounds that may be difficult to control.

Other issues that plague indoor pools include:

• High ceilings: High ceilings create ample space for sound waves to zip around your building and echo many times over. It can make every sound feel overwhelming, but it’s part of the nature of an indoor pool.
• Loud pool equipment: If your pumps and other equipment aren’t separated from your pool by a soundproofed room, they likely add to the din and make for a noisy environment.

Fortunately, pool soundproofing is an effective measure, even if it’s one you’ve never thought about before.

Reasons to Soundproof Your Pool

Pools are places for exercise, play, relaxation, education and many more tasks. They need to support the goals of each of those activities. For instance, during education and exercise, communication is key, and playtime can be a little louder without drowning out the lifeguards’ voices. If swimmers can’t get the benefits of whatever they came to the pool for, they may be quick to try another location that has a safer, quieter environment.

Below are some of the most pressing reasons you might want to soundproof a pool:

• Difficulty communicating: Communication issues can impact how enjoyable a pool is and how safe it is. Screaming to talk to your friend two feet away is frustrating, and so is not being able to hear the lifeguard above all the noise. Instructors might struggle to reach their classes, too.
• Safety issues: Lifeguards are often a critical part of maintaining a safe pool environment, and with too much noise, it can be hard to hear their instructions or warnings. Pools that welcome a lot of children should view this as a particularly serious issue. Ensuring people can hear each other allows for necessary communication. Avoiding dangerous situations is essential, and lowering the pool volume can significantly boost safety.
• Overwhelming environment: For many people, loud environments can be distressing and hard to enjoy. Sensitive kids and adults looking for a peaceful experience won’t appreciate the noise.
• High noise levels for neighbors: If you have any neighbors, the sounds of the swimming pool might be distracting or unpleasant for them. Soundproofing helps you reduce noise pollution for those around you.

One convenient part of soundproofing a pool is that it is incredibly unobtrusive. Most options can hang from the ceilings or attach to the walls. They won’t interrupt swimmers or staff members as they go about their day. Often, you can find options that match the designs within your facility and serve as a part of interior decorating. For instance, panels can match school colors or display a brand’s signature image.

Best Soundproofing Products for Pools

There are several types of sounds you’ll find in a pool environment. They can be high-pitched or low-pitched, and some facilities will have more problems with echoes than others. We have products that can help in all types of sound situations.

Here are a few products you can use to soundproof your pool:

• Quiet Board™ Water-Resistant Panels: Acoustic panels are an excellent way to absorb noise in a room, but traditional designs aren’t meant to get wet. With Quiet Board™ water-resistant panels, you don’t have to worry about ruining your materials if placed around water. They’re also resistant to bacteria, chemicals and fungi. If you line your walls with these panels, you can keep sounds to a minimum. As the sounds of the pool reach a panel, much of the sound is absorbed and won’t reflect back to the swimmers.
• Udderly Quiet™ hanging baffles: Don’t neglect all that empty ceiling space you have — it’s the perfect location for noise-absorbing baffles. These vibrant-colored panels have a waved texture that boosts their surface area and sound-absorbing capabilities. They can suck up extra noises like a sponge before the sound waves bounce around your ceiling. Plus, they look artistic and can add to the decor of the room.
• Acoustic foam panels: Acoustic foam panels are an excellent sound-dampening product for absorbing a variety of frequencies and minimizing reverberation. These panels work well in a pool equipment room to absorb the noises from the room and keep them away from the general swimming area. They are easy to install and heat resistant, so you can confidently place them near hot-running machines. You can greatly limit the impact of loud mechanical sounds with a setup involving Quiet Board™ water-resistant panels.

Soundproofing a pool might sound like a daunting task. After all, that’s a lot of space and a lot of sound to take care of. But it isn’t overly complicated when you have the right tools. With panels and baffles, you can quickly reduce the sound bouncing around a pool facility without extensive reconstruction or hard-to-install components. With these changes, a safer, quieter pool is easy to achieve.

Purchase Pool Soundproofing Products With Soundproof Cow

For high-quality pool soundproofing equipment, Soundproof Cow has you covered. Whether you want to increase safety in the pool area, improve communication or simply create a less raucous atmosphere, our materials can help. At Soundproof Cow, we carry products that can help block, dampen and absorb sounds of all types, so you can manage them all and create a more enjoyable pool environment.

Explore Soundproof Cow’s online selection of pool soundproofing products today. If you’re not sure what your pool needs, or are looking for other ways to reduce sounds, get in touch with a member of our herd today. We can provide a free acoustic analysis and are always ready to help solve whatever acoustical problems come our way.

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