According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, “Approximately 15% of American adults (37.5 million) aged 18 and over report some trouble hearing.”
If you’re among the 15%, you may have noticed that the acoustics in your home can affect how well you can hear your family members. We review how your home’s acoustics can affect your hearing below.
Aesthetics & Rooms with Poor Acoustics
Unfortunately, many modern home aesthetics do not provide good acoustics. Popular trends include open floor plans, bare windows, hardwood floors and vaulted ceilings, but these designs allow sound to bounce around, making it harder to hear well.
Some of the most acoustically challenging rooms in your home likely include your kitchen, bathroom and laundry room, as these rooms tend to have the fewest absorbent surfaces.
How You Can Improve Your Home’s Acoustics
In order to improve your home’s acoustics so you can hear and communicate better, try:
- Adding carpet or rugs. One of the best ways you can make your home absorb more sound is to add carpet or rugs from Carpet Land in Omaha. If you add rugs, use carpet tape to prevent a tripping hazard.
- Incorporating padded furniture. Having lots of padded furniture is better for acoustics, so you should consider dining room chairs with cushions as well as heavily padded sofas and recliners.
- Using fabric strategically. If you have a lot of fabric in your home, there are fewer hard surfaces for sound to bounce off. Use fabric strategically by adding curtains, tablecloths and tapestries.
- Hanging wall art. Another way to create more absorbent surfaces is to hang wall art, from gallery paintings to children’s drawings.
- Putting up room dividers. Room dividers not only help absorb sound, but they make large, open spaces smaller to help reduce reverberation.
- Turning off background noise. When you’re trying to have a conversation with someone, eliminate any background noise, like music or the television. This way, you won’t be straining to hear speech over other sounds.
For more information about improving hearing and communication in your home or to schedule an appointment with a hearing expert, call Ear Specialists of Omaha & Bellevue today.