Many of us who own a consulting office or work in a consulting office were there: We do everything to ensure that the personal information of our customers is secure. We train employees on confidentiality, buy expensive cabinets to house customer charts and related documentation, and may even have an electronic health record system to help us comply with all data protection laws. But then when we sit in our office, we notice that we can practically hear the clinician's heartbeat in the office next door. How can we protect our customers' privacy when the sound transmission is so bad?
If you are building or remodeling, there are many things you can do and we will examine some of these ideas in a moment. But what if you already have an office and cannot or cannot afford a complete renovation? Do not be afraid, there are a few things you can do to reduce sound transmission without breaking the bank. The best part is that most of them can be easily undone if you leave your current excavations.
Ideas for reducing sound transmission in offices that cannot be converted
White noise machine or radio: If you place a white noise machine or radio in a waiting area, others will be less able to hear what is being said in your office. Depending on the level of sound transmission, these items can be stored in the advice center if required.
Carpets: If you cannot use carpeting, carpets can help absorb noise. A thick carpet is best, but be sure to consider trip hazards and customer mobility. Wheelchairs, walking sticks and walking aids work well on flat surfaces, while shaggy or flaky carpets can impair mobility. So think about it before buying.
Seating arrangement: Do not stand directly at the door as this directs the sound to the door opening, which is the most vulnerable in most offices. Instead, place the seat on a wall so that the sound reaches the walls rather than the door openings. This will help reduce sound transmission through vulnerable door area gaps. This is especially important if you have a hollow core door.
Placement of fabrics: Curtains or wall hangings can help absorb sound and reduce transmission. Also add pillows to furniture – the more the better as long as they're out of the way.
suspended ceilings: If your office has suspended ceilings, you can insulate the ceiling panels to reduce noise transmission.
Waiting times: One way to reduce the likelihood of people hearing what is happening in the clinical office is simple and free: move session times so that a session is likely to end before the next customer arrives. This works regardless of the number of offices and requires little coordination.
Construction or redesign of offices with a view of the sound
You can rent or lease a building that allows you to build an office that suits your needs. In certain cases, the builder can even assume part or all of the costs. In other cases, you own the building and can convert it as you wish, provided that you follow the building regulations and obtain the appropriate permits. Regardless of whether you do the work yourself or simply oversee the project, keep the following in mind to reduce sound transmission and improve overall privacy.
Acoustic replacement for wall panels: In some areas it can be advantageous not to use traditional wall panels (sheet rock) and instead to use one of the special acoustic panels available on the market. Each offers excellent sound absorption, but can be expensive (five to ten times the material cost of conventional wall panels). In all the offices that I converted, we decided to use these products on a very sensitive wall.
Acoustic putty, seals, etc.: Acoustic putty is often used with the replacement plate to seal cutouts in the plate such as sockets, lights, etc. The seal is applied to all wall posts and any surface that the wallboard comes into contact with. It reduces sound transmission. I've only used this in the most problematic areas where I've used acoustic wallboard.
Whole-core doors: Although they are more expensive than hollow-core doors, full-core doors offer greater sound absorption / sound deflection. Some solid core doors are made of solid wood, while others have a composite interior that blocks more sound. The choice is yours because both have a lot to offer. If your office is very problematic, doors that block the sound are the right way. In the recent renovations, we decided to install curtain-type exterior doors with sealing strips for our offices. They are designed to keep the air out, but offer superior sound insulation compared to the general interior doors available on the market, and still cost about the same as a high quality interior door.
Wall to wall carpeting: Hardwood or other hard surface floors are beautiful and can last a lifetime compared to wall to wall carpeting, but carpeting absorbs more sound than hard surfaces.
Soundproofing insulation: If the walls have not yet been built or are to be opened, soundproofing insulation is a must. Medium-sized office materials cost hundreds of dollars, but also offer the most effective noise reduction. When designing new walls, the building codes may allow the wall posts to be 24 inches apart. However, it is often far less expensive to stick to the 16-inch configuration in the middle, which means that each wall post is installed 16 inches from the adjacent one, measured from the center of the post. This is the most commonly used distance for walls that are insulated. Therefore, the cost of insulation for 16 inches is much cheaper.
It is important to machine all walls, including the interior walls, to achieve effective noise reduction in the office. Whenever possible, also soundproofing insulation in the ceilings and floors.
Placement of the doors: Doors can be one of the largest sources of sound transmission. If you have the opportunity, avoid opening office doors directly into waiting areas. Instead, try to have a hallway in between so that any noise that may come out does not get directly into the waiting area. If this is not possible, see the previous suggestions for seating arrangements and white noise machines.
Avoid trend: More and more old buildings are being converted from factories into office space. These areas are often beautifully urban and ultra-trendy. However, one of the biggest disadvantages of these rooms is the trend to build the walls only 8 feet high, although the ceilings can be 14 to 20 feet.
Our current office was once designed to look like a barn, so part of the room was once two and a half stories high. Instead of 8 feet outdoors, we added a blanket. It helped prevent sound transmission and added additional office space on the new floor.
If you don't close the overhead area, you'll get a glorified cabin because the sound can move freely through the gap between the walls and the ceiling. In a way, these rooms are even worse than cabins because cabins often have soft materials on their walls to absorb sound. Some even have doors and ceilings for extra privacy. No sound machine, carpet, or other objects can cross multiple feet of open space (unless the noise machine is set very loud, and this would also affect the boardroom).
If your room has very high ceilings, spend the money to get the walls up, or have a lower ceiling built over the walls.
Monitor the construction: Some of us will do all or most of these tasks ourselves and do a good job. However, many of us lack the time or ability to perform some of these tasks. If you outsource all or part of the work to contractors, do not hesitate to announce your requirements and wishes. Go to the construction site and monitor every aspect of the build. Make sure soundproofing insulation is used in every area (there are many brands with different levels of damping, so make sure you use the right one for your project).
Sometimes a busy crew neglects some of the cavities that require custom cuts on the insulation. In other cases, they may honestly forget to install something you ordered. In any case, you can use the plans to ensure that the build goes as desired. Remember that in most cases, this is just a mistake – present it to contractors in a polite manner and without charge. If possible, find a contractor with experience in sound insulation, as this should increase the likelihood of the process running smoothly.
Sound transmission remains a big problem for many offices, whether profit-making or non-profit. With a little research and planning, a lot can be done. A little elbow grease and some creativity can take you far.
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"Doc Warren" Corson III is a consultant, educator, and author, founder, developer, and clinical and executive director of Community Counseling at Central CT Inc. (www.docwarren.org) and Pillwillop Therapeutic Farm ( www.pillwillop.org). He is certified as a consultant and advisor in the United States and Canada. Contact him at [email protected].
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