Designing Buildings to Pass Sound Testing
From the very start of the design phase of a new building, it’s extremely important that careful consideration is given to the acoustic element the building.

By getting us involved at the start of the design process we can undertake a comprehensive acoustic design reviews and on-going site surveys. We always advocate meeting with the design team at the earliest opportunity to go through all acoustic elements for the building’s design, taking into account the site constraints and the most cost effective method of achieving Part E of Building Regulations. We try to forward of any possible ‘onsite’ construction problems and difficulties in achieving successful acoustic construction and subsequently the sound testing for Part E.

Completing the Acoustic Design Review
Once we have completed the acoustic design review our services don’t finish there. We provide the site team with on-going design support and site visits. You will have direct contact with the allocated acoustician from the start of the process through to the successful completion of the project.

Once the first phase of the building is completed, we can undertake sample sound testing to ensure the acoustic design and onsite construction methods are sufficient to pass Part E sound testing.

When it comes to refurbishment projects i.e. house converted into flats and/or an office block into flats we can undertake a sample test of the existing wall and floor construction. Once we have established the sound levels for the existing construction we can then look at extent of the acoustic upgrades to attain Part E Complaisance. This is much more effective than just forwarding an acoustic design that may be to excessive and expensive when the existing construction is already ‘acoustically’ robust and therefore only needs to improve by a few dB.

One problem we often encounter (without our design input) is that the building marginally fails during the sound test. The potential problem that is often overlooked is that many types of acoustic design/materials have attained an acoustic rating within a laboratory. It is very difficult and extremely unlikely that the sound levels achieved on a construction site will be as good as in the confines of a stringent laboratory environment.

When the construction assembly is tested in the lab, it is also certified and an exact description of the materials and the installation techniques are described in detail and followed to the letter, obviously this should be replicated on the your site as closely as possible, however this seldom happens. This is one of the reasons why a 5dB point difference is allowed between the construction design on paper and the actual on site construction performance. When you consider that sound doubles every 10dB, then 5dB can make a huge difference to the overall performance of the dividing partition under test. If consideration is not allowed for during the design process then there will be a greater chance of a sound test failure on your project. 

Another potential problematic area of sound transference and potential sound test failures is down to flanking sound. Noise flanking is when travels along a continuous path due to insufficient isolation/break within the building wall & floor elements. One of the most common flanking paths is along the inner leaf of an external cavity wall. This may be due to lightweight block construction resulting insufficient mass to prevent noise transference.  

Unwanted noise travelling along flanking paths makes the building structure vibrate and this causes the sound to radiate into your room. One solution is to build another wall or ceiling in front of the original, but not connected to it (often called an independent wall or ceiling). APT can help to locate the flanking sound and propose a cost effective design that will pass the sound testing and satisfy Part E of Building Regulations.

For the smaller projects, we undertake a more simplified acoustic design service consisting of a review of the design drawings, such as to floor plans and sections. This usually takes place straight after planning has been approved as increased cost savings can be realised at the earliest stage. We can also undertake sample sound testing if the client is not sure of the existing onsite construction.

We can then evaluate the building design to ensure that it the walls and floors are capable of meeting the acoustic requirements of Approved document E.

Some of the main areas we consider are:

•             There are no potential flanking points, where isolated partitions are wrongly mechanically fixed together to caused noise bridging or the wrong materials have been specified such as lightweight blocks etc.

•             The acoustic treatments for Soil Pipes, Stair Cases Steel Beams etc. to ensure they are acoustically fit for purpose, as these are some of the many areas that get missed.

•             Acoustic floor treatments are compatible with the proposed floor finishes i.e. Carpets, Laminates, Floor Tiles and under floor heating systems.

•             The Lighting specification to, ensure they are acoustically complaint to the overall design i.e. down lighter design etc.

If you would like more information in regards to sound testing please follow our blog at: http://soundtestinguk.blogspot.co.uk or contact us on 01525 303 905 or visit the APT Sound Testing website.

Sound Insulation Testing for Part E – Common Questions & Answers
Over the last couple of years APT have collated and answered the most common asked questions in regards to sound insulation testing.

What is Sound Testing for Part E of Building Regulations?
Sound insulation is the property of a wall and /or dividing partition to resist the passage of noise. The sound Insulation testing is a method of quantifying the sound insulation performance of walls and/or floors. Sound Insulation testing can be carried out on party walls, party floors or facades of any building.

How many sound tests should I need on my Project?
Approved Document E states that one set of sound tests is required for every 10 units in a group or sub-group. A group or sub-group is defined where significant differences in construction or layout occur, for instance:

• For a pair of semi-detached Houses – a set of tests would usually comprise two airborne sound insulation tests of a separating wall.
• For Flats (up to 10 units) – a six pack would normally be required, this comprises of: two airborne wall tests, two airborne floor tests and two impact floor sound tests. The easiest way to work out the number of tests required is to multiply 1 x 6 packs for every 10 flats, i.e. if you have 22 flats you will require 3 x 6 packs which equals 18 sound tests in total
• For Rooms for Residential Purposes (student accommodation, hotel rooms, care homes etc.) – a set of tests would usually comprise: one airborne sound insulation tests of a separating wall; one airborne sound insulation test of a separating floor; one impact sound transmission test of a separating floor.
How are plots selected for sound testing?

APT will usually specify the amount of sound insulation tests that are required. We first look at the floor plans then work out a testing schedule taking into account testing through the projects ‘habitable rooms’ i.e. lounges & bedrooms where possible.

We will also try and undertake testing across walls and floors in different areas of the building and through different partition types i.e. if one wall is made of masonry and the other met-sec partitioning. When we have specified the sound testing schedule it should always be checked by building control and/or the client to seek their approval before the commencement of sound testing.

How do I Prepare my Site for Sound Insulation Testing?
APT always send out a checklist with our fee proposals to help you prepare for the sound testing, as we always want our clients to be fully prepared so they can pass their sound testing at the first attempt.

How long will the sound testing take?
The time taken to undertake the sound testing varies with site conditions, but generally a ‘6 pack’ set of tests on houses and flats takes about one to two hours. Obviously this depends on the site being fully prepared in line with our sound testing checklist.

Will the sound insulation testing disrupt work on site?
Relatively quiet conditions are needed to take accurate measurements. This means that anyone working in the testing area will have to leave temporarily and any noisy works in the vicinity of the test rooms will need to be halted i.e. using power tools or loud hammering etc.

How do I know if I’m ready for a sound insulation test?
We send out a checklist with all quotations to allow our clients to check they are ready for the sound testing. Basically the plots should be at least at second fix stage – for further details please refer to our checklist.

What if I only have 110V and not 240V on site?
Unfortunately we cannot undertake the testing; we will need 240V to undertake the sound testing.

Should I inform my neighbours of the impending sound testing?
If the building is attached in any way to occupied properties then you will need to inform the neighbours. We need to gain access to the neighbouring properties to undertake the sound test as we test the wall partition. You will also need to ensure that access is provided to the neighbouring properties throughout the sound testing.

Can you offer acoustic advice to help me to pass my sound testing?
APT offer an acoustic design service to help you design your buildings partitions to pass Part E sound testing. If you send through the relevant drawings such as sections and floor plans during the design stages of the project, we can check the design to see if there are any junctions or details where ‘noise flanking’ may occur, we can then advise if any changes are required to lower the chance of sound test failures.

Rest Assured. We believe in working with our clients on all types of projects from small end of terrace developments up to large blocks of flats. We believe that by being involved at the beginning of a project we can often save our clients expensive and difficult remedial works at the completion stage of a project.

If you would like more information on our full range of our acoustic services please contact us now at info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk or call us on 01525 303905.

Precompletion Sound Testing for Part E
Over the last decade the APT team has provided thousands of sound insulation tests across London and the Southeast, and using this amassed knowledge of how different construction types effects the acoustic performance of party walls and floors, we have managed to help customers such as architects, developers and homeowners to pass their sound insulation testing at the first attempt.  

Many people fail to achieve the minimum requirements of Building Regulations Part E, due to poor-design and construction. Good acoustic design is not difficult to achieve if the following four elements are considered during the design phase of the project. The four main elements are: Mass, Decoupling, Absorption and Damping – consider these from the beginning of your design and you will usually pass the sound test for Building Regulations Part E.

The usual culprits for excess noise are often televisions, music systems, and voices. Heightened airborne sound wave can strikes walls and floors, and the pressure variations cause the wall to vibrate resulting in noise. This noise (vibrational energy) is transferred through the wall and floor partitions, which is radiated as airborne sound into neighbouring dwellings.

The 4 elements of robust soundproof design to pass party wall sound testing

There are 4 main elements of soundproofing that need to be considered to pass sound testing through walls. It’s worth noting that all 4 elements throughout the process, all of which have a direct relation to the conduction and transmission of sound vibrations, they are: Mass, Decoupling, Absorption and Damping. If you incorporate all the four elements into your party wall design, then airborne sound transference should be kept to a minimum and you will pass your precompletion sound testing.

Here is more information on each of the four main elements:

Adding mass

The first (and often the most important) element of any acoustic upgrade is adding mass. If you add mass to the wall and floor construction the soundwaves will struggle to vibrate the wall/floor partition as it will have less movability, making it more tortuous for the sound vibrations to travel through the partitions.  One the most common ways to add mass to a new or existing wall is by adding soundboard to each side of the wall. Soundboard is quick to install and is one of the easiest ways to decrease sound vibration, although its’ not so good at reducing deep bass sound at lower frequencies.

Add Decoupling

The second element of good soundproofing design is the introduction of decoupling. The term ‘decoupling’ in acoustic construction,  is to separate objects or constructions such as introducing a cavity between two layers of drywall, thus separating the two main wall constructions. This provides a layer of air between the walls which provides good sound insulation and direct noise transference via noise flanking etc.  Decoupling can also be achieved with resilient sound clips and/or resilient acoustic bars or channels. Extra framing via double stud or staggered stud walls is also an efficient way to decouple walls. In almost every instance sound vibrations transfer easiest via solid connections, so decoupling reduces this risk.

Resilient sound clips are small metal and rubber connections that attach to the timber of blockwork with screws. Resilient bars are then installed to the clips and plasterboard is then fastened to the channel. Sound clips provide acoustic decoupling by suspending the plasterboard on the resilient bars approx. 25-40mm from the timber or blockwork wall. This type of system is often favoured by customers as provides a minimal build up in comparison to constructing double leaf walls.

Adding absorption

The addition of absorption is the third element of good acoustic design is the introduction of noise absorption materials such as acoustic slabs and roll insulation.

The introduction of acoustic insulation materials such as Gyproc RW3 mineral wool (min mass 45kg/m3) can be a good place to start. The material is placed into the wall to absorb soundwaves and is very good reducing low-level noise issues. The other good thing about acoustic insulation is it’s easy to handle and install.  The acoustic slabs are dense and effectively block out noise frequencies crossing the party wall and/or floors.

If you are installing a metal and/or timber stud wall/floor, you can simply insert the acoustic slab straight into the void, making sure it’s fitted neatly between the metal /timber wall studs, or timber/metal floor joists. Double check that there isn’t any sagging or holes in the material as you are installing the insulation and that should be it.

Add damping

The fourth element of robust soundproofing design is the introduction of noise damping within the party wall and floor. Noise damping materials can be acoustic resilient layers and rubber panels which help to reduce vibration within the partition construction. Dense rubber panel systems are high performance wall soundproofing solution aimed at providing good noise damping performance. The dense recycled rubber membrane is fairly easy to install and will provide a reliable soundproofing-barrier.

Noise damping materials such as Regupol, are usually quite easy to fit, as the acoustic rubber membrane just needs to be cut to size and stuck to the party wall and/or floor. also, the supplier usually provides an adhesive as part of rubber membrane system.  

Let us help you with your acoustic design and sound testing

Getting the soundproofing design right from the word go, is essential for building designers and construction companies. APT Sound Testing can help in all areas of acoustic design and sound insulation testing. For more information on our UKAS accredited sound testing or acoustic  design services, please contact us at info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk  or call us on 01525 303905. 

Alternately for more information on how to prepare for your precompletion sound testing please download our sound testing checklist, or visit our website at www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk

Please Note: although we take every care to ensure the information was correct at the time of publication. Any written guidance provided does not replace the user’s professional judgement. It is the responsibility of the duty-holder or person carrying out the work to ensure compliance with relevant building regulations or applicable technical standards.

Adding damping

The fourth element of robust soundproofing design (or acoustic design) is the introduction of noise damping within the party wall construction. Noise damping materials can be acoustic resilient layers and rubber panels which help to reduce vibration within the party wall construction. Dense recycled rubber panel systems are high performance wall soundproofing solution aimed at providing good noise damping performance. Unlike other acoustic solutions, this dense recycled rubber is fairly easy to install and will provide a reliable soundproofing-barrier

What is third party BREEAM Indoor Air Quality Testing

Its common knowledge that poor air quality within the indoor environment can result in occupants experiencing a number of symptoms ranging from fatigue to shortness of breath. Factors such as poor ventilation and air pollutants can be the main cause of what is commonly known as Sick Building Syndrome.

Achieving good Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is a major component of indoor environmental quality, which is a function of BREEAM for occupant wellbeing.  Quantifying indoor air quality through measurement and analysis informs building owners, operators, and occupants, of ventilation system effectiveness and the safety of the environment we live, work, and socialise in. 

APT provides high quality Indoor air quality testing to meet the requirements of schemes such as BREEAM, Leed and Well to identify, mitigate and implement IAQ strategies.

We can undertake accredited indoor air quality testing for the following:

• Sample Testing for formaldehyde (CH2O) to BS EN 16000-3
• Sample Testing for total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) to BS EN 16000-6.  

The indoor air quality sampling identifies the presence of volatile organic compounds TVOCs and formaldehyde. Where the levels of these compounds are found to exceed the prescribed limits, to claim the extra BREEAM credit for air quality it must be identified that appropriate measures have or will be undertaken in accordance with the IAQP to reduce the levels to fall within the limits.

When do I undertake BREEAM Indoor Air Quality Testing?

Your project must be nearing completion before an BREEAM Indoor Air Quality Test can be carried out. The sampling identifies the presence of volatile organic compounds TVOCs and formaldehyde. Where the levels of these compounds are found to exceed the prescribed limits, to claim the BREEAM credit it must be identified that appropriate measures have or will be undertaken in accordance with the IAQP to reduce the levels to fall within the limits.

What rooms/areas do I need to test during the IAQT

Indoor air quality samples should be performed only in rooms that are expected to be occupied for long periods of time such as bedrooms, living rooms, classrooms, offices, etc. A representative number of these rooms should be sampled. In larger rooms, such as open-plan office areas, additional sampling locations may be required.

What are the main chemical compounds you will be testing for?

When testing for the BREEAM standard the main compounds we will be testing for are Formaldehyde and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s). Formaldehyde is a commonly used chemical compound is a colourless, distinctive, strong and pungent smelling substance, it is also flammable. Formaldehyde is often used within industries for various purposes such as the manufacturing of building materials.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are gases that are given off by many indoor sources. Concentrations of most volatile organic compounds include a variety of chemicals that can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, shortness of breath, headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizziness and skin problems and are higher in indoor than outdoor.

What Indoor Air Quality Levels do I need to achieve for BREEAM

To meet the BREEAM requirements the formaldehyde concentration the indoor air at post-construction should not exceed 0.1mg/m3, averaged over 30 minutes. The total volatile organic compound (TVOC) concentration in indoor at post-construction should not exceed 0.3mg/m3, averaged over 8 hours.

How do I prepare my Building for the Indoor Air Quality Testing?

With every fee proposal we also attach our air quality checklist to help our customers prepare for the testing. Here is a quick summary of what action you need to undertake to prepare your building for the testing:

Restrict construction: if possible, at least 24 hours before air quality evaluation only minimal construction efforts should be taking place and no new volatiles should be introduced such as decorative finishes including water-based coatings, silicon seals, adhesives and others sealants.

Building flush out: flush out the inside air of the building with as much outside air as possible. This step can be accomplished by simply opening natural ventilation windows and/or running the HVAC systems. The building should be ventilated with 100% outside air. The building should be thoroughly ventilated for 24-48 hours prior to our attendance.

Finishes: All interior finishes should be installed, including but not limited carpeting, doors, paint, files. Movable furnishings such workstations and partitions are not required but should be in place at the time of the test.

Restrict cleaning: All activities likely to introduce volatiles into the indoor environment should be restricted. This applies to cleaning, the use of air fresheners, window, surface or other cleaners, polishes, waxes and other surface treatments.

What happens if we fail the BREEAM Indoor Quality Testing?

If we undertake the indoor quality testing and the building fails as the compounds are found to exceed the prescribed limits, to claim the BREEAM credit for air quality it must be identified that appropriate measures have or will be undertaken in accordance with the Indoor Air Quality Plan. Also, within our indoor quality test report we will make recommendations to reduce the levels to fall within the limits.

It’s worth noting that some compounds such as Formaldehyde, can persist in furniture for up to 6 months. VOCs can accumulate in buildings from a variety of sources, there are many cases where new build occupancy starts whilst VOCs are still high.

Will I receive a BREEAM compliant indoor air quality test report?

Yes, of course. After the indoor air quality test, we will send you a fully complaint BREEAM indoor air quality test report. The report will highlight which gases are present within your building, and where they are likely to have come from. Where we can, we will tell you what you can do to improve the air quality.

We can provide your BREEAM Indoor Air Quality Testing requirements

Here at APT we have significant experience in carrying out post-construction Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) testing across London and the Southeast. We are familiar with the stringent methods that are specified under BREEAM Hea02.

Our expert team will also provide free advice and guidance to your project manager to help to create the correct environment for the air quality tests, which is essential if you want to pass at the first attempt.

Call us on 01525 303905 or email us on info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk about our Indoor Air Quality Testing services. We are here to help! Alternatively, please visit our contact page here.

Complying with Stringent Air Test Targets
For many residential dwellings the new air leakage rate will drop to  5m3/hr/m2, however if you only undertake air testing to a sample of dwellings then you need to better this target by 2m3/hr/m2 resulting in an air leakage rate of 3m3/hr/m2.  This more stringent target, although difficult to achieve can be passed at the first attempt; although, careful consideration must be shown to the air tightness design and ‘on site construction’ from the start of the project.

Once of the main reasons of air tightness test failures, is not knowing where the air seal line is. It is usually the inner envelope of the building; however, sometimes it may be a new extension to the building so the air seal line may actually be an existing internal wall. If you are unsure about the air seal line on your building/s its best to ask your architect and/or contact us.

We offer the following air tightness services to help you

•           Air Tightness design reviews – to ensure the air seal line has been adequately designed. 

•           Air Tightness site visits – to ensure the onsite construction is correct.

•           The air tightness test

•           Dual smoke survey – in the event of an air test failure to highlight the air leakage paths. 

Good Tips for Air Tightness Design

Good detailing and materials selection needs to be high on the list of priorities for all members of the team, right from the start of the project to ensure that:

•           The airtightness barrier layer is identified

•           The correct products are used where required

•           The relevant areas are monitored throughout the construction phase

The use of certain types of ‘temporary’ products such as adhesive tapes or expanding foam should be avoided since these do not perform over the life of the building.

Tips for Walls

Dry-Lining (dot & dab) walls
Ensure that the external walls are completed and fully sealed prior to constructing internal stud partitions over them. The gap at the bottom of the plasterboard should be sealed to prevent air loss behind the board and into ceiling/roof spaces. Alternatively the gap between the bottom of skirting boards and the floor can be sealed. Avoid/minimise service outlets such as sockets, data outlets etc. in the dry lining of external walls as they are rarely well sealed.

Block-work
Standard block-work is not impermeable. The block density and standard of mortar joints have a significant impact on the overall permeability of the construction. Full mortar joints are preferable. Painting block-work reduces the permeability and two coats of emulsion can make a significant improvement. All gaps between block work and intermediate floors, roof members, windows/doors, steel columns, etc. should be sealed.

Timber Frame/Metal Studding
Ensure that the external walls are completed and fully sealed prior to springing internal stud partitions from them. Avoid/minimise service outlets such as sockets, data outlets etc in the dry lining of external walls as they are rarely well sealed. Like the dot and dab walls, the gap at the bottom of the plasterboard should be sealed to prevent air loss behind the board and into ceiling/roof spaces.

Tips for Floor Constructions

Cast In situ Concrete Slab
This type of floor usually provides the best type of airtight seal, since the concrete fills any voids, both horizontally and vertically.

Pre-cast Hollow Concrete Floor Planks
The hollow core of this type of floor can allow air to track horizontally and end up outside the airtight layer of a cavity wall. The problems are made worse with drainage and service penetrations, which if poorly sealed allows air to enter the hollow core and escape. Care should be taken to ensure all penetrations are sealed properly. it is also prudent to seal  the ends of the concrete planks.

Beam and Block Floors
This type of floor construction can lead to similar problems to those described for the pre cast planks above.

Timber Floors:
Any penetrations passing through the top of the floor layer or the underside layer of (e.g. radiator pipes, waste pipes, boiler flues) need to be sealed where they pass through the timber/plasterboard layer

Tips for Ceiling Constructions

Plasterboard & Lay in Grid Ceilings
Where roof/ceiling voids exist, lay in type false/suspended ceilings do not form an airtight barrier layer. Plasterboard type ceilings – if plastered and the edges sealed are significantly better than other types of lay in ceilings.

Tips for Doors And Windows 

Doors & Windows
Door and window frames need to be sealed to the internal air tight barrier and not just sealed to the external façade. Window sills are often an area which performs particularly poorly and should be fitted after the cavity has been sealed using an appropriate cavity closer. For Windows & doors, refer to BS EN 12207 Windows & Doors Air Permeability Classification & BS EN 6375 – Use class 4 or better 3m3/(h.m2)@ 100Pa. Lift shafts have a permanent vent to outside at the head of the shaft and should be fitted with effective doors seals at each landing. Any floor or ceiling voids adjacent to the shaft should also be adequately sealed to prevent leakage.

Tips for Mechanical & Electrical Systems:

The airtight barrier generally steps inside the building to include plant rooms as part of the external space. The plant room partition walls and sometimes service riser walls therefore require careful sealing around all mechanical and electrical service penetrations. Avoid using conventional fire stopping materials to form the airtight barrier, as these are seldom suitable. Particular care is needed to fill voids inside the electrical service trunking.

Tips for Sanitary Services

Careful consideration should be given to sealing the underside of all wall mounted toilets as the underside of the toilets are susceptible to air leakage where the SVP terminates through the wall. All drainage traps including floor gullies and air handling plant condensate traps should be filled with water prior to the air test.

Whether you need a full on-going air tightness design/consultancy service, or a simple air test, we have the knowledge and experience to ensure your building passes first time.

If you are unsure of the air tightness test service you require, please call us on 01525 303905 or visit theairpressuretesting.net website today and we will guide you through the process, ensuring that you receive the right level of advice at the right time.

Sound Insulation Testing & Consultancy
We offer a no nonsense professional proactive approach to acoustic design, onsite construction checks and pre-completion sound testing. Using our on-going, proactive approach we ensure clients receive professional advice every step of the way, with an on-going continual consideration of cost.

The importance of undertaking design reviews and on site construction checks is often forgotten resulting in sound test failures at the end of the project prior to building control signoff. This can be extremely costly in terms of programme and possible claims by the client. By undertaking careful acoustic design from the initial design stage through to completion it greatly reduces the risk of sound testing failure.

Acoustic Design
We have considerable experience in all matters related to architectural acoustic design and detailing. We can help develop the initial acoustic design of the project from the initial design scheme stage. Our approach is robust and does not leave any room for errors using our In-depth knowledge of acoustic materials, construction systems and Regulations we can provide the following:

>>> Provision of cost-effective and practical acoustic solutions

>>> Thorough understanding of the desired character of the space

It is essential that strong communication among the members of the design team members is essential, to facilitate this we can undertake design meetings and site inspections to finalise the acoustic solutions in full accordance with the project’s aims.

Specification of External Building Fabric and including walls, doors and windows in order to minimise noise break-in, or break-out for privacy and overall acoustic quality within dwellings.

Acoustic testing of existing wall façades to ISO 140-5, to check the existing sound levels so new targeted wall upgrades can be specified.

Acoustic Investigation and design of rooms/spaces for a wide range of environments such as schools, offices and commercial spaces.

Site Visits
We offer a site survey service which allows our clients to feel confident about the outcome of their sound testing at the end of the build. The site visits let us check that the installation teams are installing the acoustic materials as per manufacturers avoiding crucial onsite mistakes. You can often have a compliant design which still fails due to poor workmanship; the site survey visits negate the risk of sound testing failure.

A Few Simple Design Considerations
The use of suspended ceilings will help improve the performance of the floor partition. Including a resilient acoustic layer or adopting an “acoustic” flooring system will improve the impact and airborne performance of a floor

Avoid using lightweight blocks in the inner envelope construction as sound will travel along these both vertically and horizontally from dwelling to dwelling.

Use carpet in hallways/corridors to lower reverberation levels.

Key considerations of acoustic design are:

>>> Careful design consideration for all separating walls and floors

>>> Careful design consideration for all internal wall and floor performance

>>> Careful design consideration for the external/internal building façade.

>>> The specification of glazing/curtain walling

>>> The specification of doors

>>> The specification of ventilation

>>> The building/s orientation and layout

>>> Careful design consideration if using lightweight external walls and roofs

>>> Careful design consideration for all internal wall and floor performance

>>> Careful design consideration to reverberation control and room acoustics

>>> Acoustic screening from external noise such as fencing etc.

>>> Acoustic protection from plant rooms, communal areas etc.

>>> Noise exposure of outdoor spaces such as gardens, balconies.

Defect Diagnosis & Remedial Advice
We occasionally get involved with projects that have failed the sound testing – even though we weren’t initially involved with the project. Often it is due to the inclusion of inadequate materials or robust acoustic design and isolation of materials.

Using our considerable experience in building acoustics, we are able to diagnose the reasons for potential the sound testing failure and recommend a cost-effective solution. Often, the reasons for the partition failure are obvious to the test engineer in which case the advice will be minimal and subsequent design advice costs will be minimal; however sometimes, there are more technical issues which require detailed diagnosis and invasive investigation, such as the use of lightweight blocks throughout the inner envelope wall on a block of flats.

Whatever the acoustic problem we can usually find an acoustic solution that will provide a sufficient acoustic design to satisfy Part E of Building Regulations. If you have suffered a sound testing failure then get in touch with us as soon as possible, as we should be able to offer you an expedient solution helping you to achieve practical completion in the quickest time possible.

If you would like more information in regards to sound testing or acoustic design, please follow our blog at: http://soundtestinguk.blogspot.co.uk/, or contact us on 01525 303905 or visit our website at: www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk  

Designing Buildings to Pass Sound Testing
From the very start of the design phase of a new building, it’s extremely important that careful consideration is given to the acoustic element the building.

By getting us involved at the start of the design process we can undertake a comprehensive acoustic design reviews and on-going site surveys. We always advocate meeting with the design team at the earliest opportunity to go through all acoustic elements for the building’s design, taking into account the site constraints and the most cost effective method of achieving Part E of Building Regulations. We try to forward of any possible ‘onsite’ construction problems and difficulties in achieving successful acoustic construction and subsequently the sound testing for Part E.

Acoustic Design Services
Once we have completed the acoustic design review our services don’t finish there. We provide the site team with on-going design support and site visits. You will have direct contact with the allocated acoustician from the start of the process through to the successful completion of the project.

Once the first phase of the building is completed, we can undertake sample sound testing to ensure the acoustic design and onsite construction methods are sufficient to pass Part E sound testing.

When it comes to refurbishment projects i.e. house converted into flats and/or an office block into flats we can undertake a sample test of the existing wall and floor construction. Once we have established the sound levels for the existing construction we can then look at extent of the acoustic upgrades to attain Part E Complaisance. This is much more effective than just forwarding an acoustic design that may be to excessive and expensive when the existing construction is already ‘acoustically’ robust and therefore only needs to improve by a few dB.

One problem we often encounter (without our design input) is that the building marginally fails during the sound test. The potential problem that is often overlooked is that many types of acoustic design/materials have attained an acoustic rating within a laboratory. It is very difficult and extremely unlikely that the sound levels achieved on a construction site will be as good as in the confines of a stringent laboratory environment.

When the construction assembly is tested in the lab, it is also certified and an exact description of the materials and the installation techniques are described in detail and followed to the letter, obviously this should be replicated on the your site as closely as possible, however this seldom happens. This is one of the reasons why a 5dB point difference is allowed between the construction design on paper and the actual on site construction performance. When you consider that sound doubles every 10dB, then 5dB can make a huge difference to the overall performance of the dividing partition under test. If consideration is not allowed for during the design process then there will be a greater chance of a sound test failure on your project. 

Another potential problematic area of sound transference and potential sound test failures is down to flanking sound. Noise flanking is when travels along a continuous path due to insufficient isolation/break within the building wall & floor elements. One of the most common flanking paths is along the inner leaf of an external cavity wall. This may be due to lightweight block construction resulting insufficient mass to prevent noise transference.  

Unwanted noise travelling along flanking paths makes the building structure vibrate and this causes the sound to radiate into your room. One solution is to build another wall or ceiling in front of the original, but not connected to it (often called an independent wall or ceiling). APT can help to locate the flanking sound and propose a cost effective design that will pass the sound testing and satisfy Part E of Building Regulations.

For the smaller projects, we undertake a more simplified acoustic design service consisting of a review of the design drawings, such as to floor plans and sections. This usually takes place straight after planning has been approved as increased cost savings can be realised at the earliest stage. We can also undertake sample sound testing if the client is not sure of the existing onsite construction.

We can then evaluate the building design to ensure that it the walls and floors are capable of meeting the acoustic requirements of Approved document E.

Some of the main areas we consider are:

•             There are no potential flanking points, where isolated partitions are wrongly mechanically fixed together to caused noise bridging or the wrong materials have been specified such as lightweight blocks etc.

•             The acoustic treatments for Soil Pipes, Stair Cases Steel Beams etc. to ensure they are acoustically fit for purpose, as these are some of the many areas that get missed.

•             Acoustic floor treatments are compatible with the proposed floor finishes i.e. Carpets, Laminates, Floor Tiles and under floor heating systems.

•             The Lighting specification to, ensure they are acoustically complaint to the overall design i.e. down lighter design etc.

If you would like more information in regards to sound testing please follow our blog at: http://soundtestinguk.blogspot.co.uk/, or contact us on 01525 303 905 or visit the APT Sound Testing website.

Posted on May 20, 2022

In the field of acoustics and sound insulation testing, there are a large number of terms and abbreviations can be quite hard to follow.

To try and make this easier to understand, we have written the following list, which should help you to decipher the main terms and abbreviations relating to acoustics and sound insulation testing:

Pre-Completion Sound Insulation Testing (PCST) – A new requirement to Part E where structures not conforming to the RSD will be tested prior to completion to check they reach the required standards.

Decibel (dB) – The most commonly used unit to measure sound.

Ctr – The correction to a sound insulation quality to take into account low frequency noise.

DnT,w – The measurement used to measure the airborne sound insulation between two rooms (on site).

DnT,w+Ctr – See above, but with the low frequency correction factor included.

Rw – The measurement used to relate the sound insulation of a material or building element in a laboratory.

Airborne Sound – Sound that’s transmitted through the party wall and/or floor via speech, radio & TV etc.

Impact Sound – Sound that’s transmitted through the party floor via footsteps, jumping or moving furniture usually from the dwelling above.

Flanking Noise – Flanking noise transmission occurs when sound travels along elements shared by adjacent structures. Sound does not always travel straight through the building element. If the wall, floor, or partition concerned has good sound-reducing capabilities, the sound will travel from A to B by the easiest route, often around the sides, top or bottom of the party wall or floor. It’s worth noting that flanking transmission can exceed direct transmission and damage the overall capabilities of the construction if flanking constructions and details are not correctly specified and constructed.

Flanking Transmission – Sound transmitted between two rooms using an indirect path e.g., the top, bottom, or sides of a separating wall.

Frequency – The number of pressure variations per second that gives a sound its distinctive tone.

Hertz (Hz) – The unit of the frequency of the sound.

Impact Sound – Sound resulting from direct impact on a building element.

Internal Floor – Any floor that is not a separating floor.

Internal Wall – Any wall that does not have a separation function.

Separating Floor – Floor that separates flats or rooms for residential purposes.

Separating Wall – Wall that separates adjoining dwellings, houses, flats or rooms.

LnT,w – The measurement used to measure the impact sound insulation of floors (on site)

Lnw – the measurement used for laboratory impact sound testing.

Noise – Unwanted sound/excess sound

Pre-Completion Testing (PCT) – A new requirement to Part E where structures not conforming to the RSD will be tested prior to completion to check they reach the required standards.

Robust Standard Detail (RSD) – A collection of pre-approved constructions that, if used, negate the need for PCT

Sound Reduction Index (SRI) – A quantity measured in a laboratory that characterises the sound insulation properties of a material or building element in a stated frequency band.

Sound Proofing Design and Testing

Getting the soundproofing design right from the word go, is key, and APT Sound Testing can help in all areas of acoustic design and sound insulation testing. For more information on our UKAS accredited sound testing or acoustic  design services, please contact us at info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk  or call us on 01525 303905.

Alternately for more information on how to prepare for your precompletion sound testing please download our sound testing checklist, or visit our website at www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk

APT provides acoustic design and sound insulation testing and consultancy to help architects, developers and homeowners achieve the minimum requirements of Part E of the Building Regulations for new build and/or conversion projects. Sound transfer between walls  in dwellings is a common problem and its often down to poor-quality construction – this is often down to the contractors installing party walls and floors being on price work and not taking time and care during the construction process resulting in poor workmanship.

Sound Testing Walls & Sound Transfer
Excess sound transfer occurs as a result of airborne noise such as tv, music, voices. The airborne sound wave strikes the wall, and the pressure variations cause the wall to vibrate resulting in noise. This noise (vibrational energy) is transferred through the wall partition and radiated as airborne sound.

The 4 elements of robust soundproof design to pass party wall sound testing

There are 4 main elements of soundproofing that need to be considered to pass sound testing through walls. It’s worth noting that all 4 elements throughout the process, all of which have a direct relation to the conduction and transmission of sound vibrations, they are: Mass, Decoupling, Absorption and Damping. If you incorporate all the four elements into your party wall design, then airborne sound transference should be kept to a minimum and you will pass your precomplation sound testing.

If all four elements are undertaken to your project, then there is a higher chance  you will pass your party wall sound insulation testing at the first attempt.

Adding mass to pass party wall sound testing

The first element of a robust soundproofing design is the adding of mass.  if the wall construction has a higher mass, the soundwave will struggle to vibrate the wall itself in order to permeate through it as it will have less movability, making it less probable for sound vibrations to travel through.  One the most common ways to add mass by the inclusion of cement board or soundboard. This adds mass and makes the walls as heavy and thick as possible. Adding mass to walls is one of the easiest ways to decrease sound vibration, although will not reduce deep bass sounds from being heard.

Working out required mass required for wall to pass the sound insulation test can be quite difficult. For instance, the acoustic rating of a typical masonry wall increases from 45 dB to 50 dB when the thickness is increased from 100 mm (block laid on edge) to 215 mm (block laid flat). This doubling of mass does not need to be achieved by a doubling of thickness of a wall, as you can greatly increase the mass by opting for a masonry that has a minimum mass of 1900kg/m3 or (190/m2) whereas many lightweight blocks such as thermalite are only 500kg/m3 (50kg/m2), which can easily lead to sound test failure if used in the wrong situation such as the inner envelope construction and or a single skin construction for party walls.

It’s worth remembering for sound to conduct through a wall, it has to actually move or vibrate the party wall ever so slightly. A heavy mass wall is always much harder to move than a lighter wall. It is very important to note that a heavy wall will still vibrate, just not as easily as the lighter one, with this in mind we then need to use the 2^nd element of soundproofing design which is the Decoupling of materials.

If all the above updates relating to adding mass are undertaken to your project, then there is a higher chance  you will pass your party wall sound insulation testing at the first attempt.

Adding Decoupling to Pass Party Wall Sound Testing

The second element of a robust soundproofing design is decoupling. Basically, the term definition of decoupling is to separate objects or construction. With decoupling, you can introduce a cavity between two layers of drywall and/or masonry which separates the two wall constructions. By doing this, a layer of air is created in-between the walls which provides good sound insulation. Decoupling materials within party wall construction is mostly done with resilient sound clips, resilient acoustic channel, or extra framing i.e., double stud or staggered stud walls. In most instances, sound vibrations will transfer easiest from material to material with solid connections, rather than through open space such as cavities.

In our experience coupled wall constructions usually have the worst sound insulation performance, this is because the sound has a solid sound transfer path via the direct fixed plasterboard to the framing and then through the direct fixed plasterboard on the other side. To improve the sound insulation performance of the party wall you need to introduce acoustic decoupling by reducing the number of connections by installing resilient sound clips, or by breaking the path entirely via the introduction of a 2^nd wall leaf and cavity.

Resilient sound clips are small metal and rubber connections that attach to the timber of blockwork with screws. Resilient bars are then installed to the clips and plasterboard is then fastened to the channel. Sound clips provide acoustic decoupling by suspending the plasterboard on the resilient bars approx. 25-40mm from the timber or blockwork wall. This type of system is often favoured by developers as it has a minimal build up in comparison to constructing a double leaf wall with cavity and is much quicker to install.

If all the above decoupling updates are undertaken to your project, then there is a high change you will pass your party wall sound insulation testing at the first attempt.

Adding absorption to pass party wall sound testing

The third element of a robust design is the introduction of noise absorption materials within the party wall construction. In all cases, careful selection of good quality soundproofing insulation materials will contribute towards a successful sound test in compliance with Approved Document E. Absorption materials can be acoustic slabs and acoustic rolls.

The introduction of acoustic insulation materials such as Gyproc RW3 mineral wool (min mass 45kg/m3) can be a good place to start. The material is placed into the wall in order to absorb these soundwaves, but the insulation is not compressed. Acoustic insulation is good at removing low-level noise issues and can be quite easy to handle and install.  The acoustic slabs are dense and effectively block out noise frequencies across party walls and floors in blocks of flats etc.

When you’re working on metal of timber stud walls, you can simply insert the acoustic slab straight onto the wall, making sure it’s fitted neatly between the metal /timber studs with no sagging or holes in the material. You can then install the rest of your acoustic solution such as resilient bars and acoustic plasterboard and apply an acoustic sealant around all gaps and holes.

If all the above absorption updates are undertaken to your project, then there is a higher chance you will pass your party wall sound insulation testing at the first attempt.

Adding damping to pass party wall sound testing

The 4^th element of a robust soundproofing design (or acoustic design) is the introduction of noise damping within the party wall construction. Noise damping materials can be acoustic resilient layers and rubber panels which help to reduce vibration within the party wall construction. Dense recycled rubber panel systems are high performance wall soundproofing solution aimed at providing good noise damping performance. Unlike other acoustic solutions, this dense recycled rubber is fairly easy to install and will provide a reliable soundproofing-barrier.

Noise damping materials are usually quite easy to fit, as the acoustic rubber panels just need to be cut to size and stuck to the party wall covering the entire party walls surface. Proprietary adhesives are usually supplied with the rubber panels. The wall can then be finished off by adding two layers of acoustic plasterboard. When used correctly, this simple upgrade system, can improve the performance of a single skin brick wall by 7-10dB or achieve 46dB to 48dB Dnt, W +CTr which exceeds the requirements of Approved Document E for party walls 43dB Dnt, W +CTr in conversion projects.

If all the above damping upgrades are undertaken to your project, there is a higher chance of passing your party wall sound insulation testing at the first attempt.

Watch out for noise flanking transmission through party walls.

Flanking sound transmission occurs when sound is transmitted from one space to another indirectly, through adjoining parts of the structure. For example, impact sound may be transmitted from one room to another via a continuous timber floor, but also through the supporting wall. This can be as simple as the party wall been built straight off the top of the timber floor finish, so the noise travels under the party wall via the continuous timber floor.

Another common noise flanking issue encountered on many office conversions, is the inclusion of lightweight (thermalite) blockwork in the original inner envelope and party wall construction.  The mass of a blockwork wall should be approx. 1850kg/m2; however, a standard thermalite block may be as low as 450kg/m2, approx. one quarter of the recommend mass. This means the noise can pass to neighbouring flats via the lightweight walls, even when the party wall has been designed and built to pass Part E by a large margin.

Flanking noise transmission is always a potential problem within any structure buildings being converted and depending on the intensity of the acoustic energy received via flanking transmission paths, the effectiveness of sound insulation of separating partitions can be much lower than expected from their construction. We often carried out precompletion sound testing to wall partitions that should have achieved around 50dB, but only achieved 40dB, due to onsite noise flanking resulting in sound test failure.

Careful consideration must be given to the effect of flanking noise transmission within all party walls within new and conversion projects, and all potential flanking paths must be identified and eliminated prior to the installation of any sound insulation system.

If all the above noise flanking considerations are employed on your contract, then there will be a much higher chance you will pass your party wall sound insulation testing at the first attempt.

Sound proofing masonry party walls to pass precompletion sound testing

There are many soundproofing solutions for masonry walls; however, it depends on what types of masonry have been used for the existing/new wall construction. To try and help you on your soundproofing journey, I have listed four acoustic solutions for masonry walls; however, each solution should be carefully checked with the material manufactures prior to onsite installation.

Here are three ways to soundproof a masonry party wall:

1. For High mass Masonry – Check that all masonry and mortar pointing is complete, then apply a timber baton to the wall, then add resilient bars and a layer of 15mm sound insulation board. This only needs to be done to one side of the wall, where high mass masonry has been used.
2. For Low mass Masonry – Check that all masonry and mortar pointing is complete, then apply a layer baton to the wall, then add resilient bars and RW45 acoustic insulation. finish with 15mm Sound Board. This needs to be done to both sides of the wall, where low mass masonry has been used.
3. For Low mass Masonry (higher spec) – Check that all masonry and mortar pointing is complete, then apply a Gyproc G.L 1 wall lining solution to the wall, then add RW45 acoustic insulation to the inside of the metal frame. Then finish with two layers of Sound Board.

Where high levels of sound insulation are required – Check that all masonry and mortar pointing is complete, then creating a new partition wall using 70mm met-sec with a cavity void to the party wall, fill the metal frame with acoustic insulation (min mass 60kg/m3) and finish with 2 layers of Acoustic Plasterboard. Unfortunately, this reduces the width of the room by up to 125mm.We can help with the party wall sound proofing design

Sound Proofing Metal Party Walls to Pass Precompletion Sound Testing

Metal stud walls are the most common type of interior wall; however, they are also extremely popular when it comes to party walls between dwellings.  While metal walls are quick and easy to install, they’re really not very soundproof. Luckily, it’s possible to soundproof a stud wall, although it will take some acoustic design knowledge.

One of the simplest ways of soundproofing a metal stud wall is to isolate each side of the wall and add mass. To soundproof a stud wall effectively, you can either add a completely independent wall in from of the existing wall, although you can also attain the required soundproofing levels by upgrading the existing wall.

Here are three common ways to soundproof your metal party wall:

1. For internal metal walls –fill the metal frame (min width 70-100mm) with acoustic insulation (min mass 45kg/m3) and install 1 x 15mm layer of soundboard to either side of the metal frame – please note this will not comply with the levels required for Approved Document E.
2. For dividing metal party walls – fill the 100mm metal frame (with Rw45 acoustic insulation (min mass 45kg/m3) and attach “resilient channel” to each side of the studs and install 2 x 15mm sound board to either side of the wall.
3. For high spec dividing metal party walls – use 2 x 70mm met-sec wall, with a 50mm cavity. Fill both metal frames with acoustic insulation (min mass 45kg/m3) and finish with a single layer of 15mm Acoustic Plasterboard.

If the walls are existing i.e., it is a conversion project, you may need to gain access to the base and head of the party wall, to undertake the acoustic upgrades within floor and ceiling voids, this is also required to reduce the chance of flanking noise.

The importance of sample sound testing for Part E compliance

Unfortunately, retrofitting to improve sound insulation performance is difficult to achieve and not always 100 per cent successful. We always recommend you have sample sound testing undertaken between dwellings before embarking on expensive insulation works and on conversion projects as this provides an accurate overview of the sound insulation performance of existing walls and floors, as well as highlighting noise flanking issues. For block of flats, it’s worth remembering that you will need to consider require both airborne and impact sound tests to ensure compliance with the 2014 Building Regulations Technical Guidance Document E (Sound). For houses you just need to consider walls.

Our roadmap to sound testing success

APT Sound Testing works with hundreds of builders, architects and property developers helping them with the acoustic design of their developments. Consequently, we are well placed to understand the challenges that adequately sound proofing party-walls poses to new build and/or conversion projects.  Our roadmap to soundproofing success includes:

1. Sample Sound Insulation Testing – We undertake sample sound testing to identify the sound levels for the existing party walls and floors. Thereafter a more targeted acoustic design can be undertaken to the partitions saving time and money through the construction process.
2. Acoustic Consultancy – We have considerable experience in all matters related to architectural acoustic design and detailing. We can help develop the initial acoustic design of the project from the initial design scheme stage, in particular acoustic isolation, and interior acoustics. We also use the latest Norsonic equipment analysers and sound sources for conventional and binaural acoustic measurements.
3. Site Visits – we undertake site visits which allow you (the client) and your contractor to feel confident about the outcome of testing at the end of the build. The site visits let us check that the installation teams are installing the acoustic materials as per manufacturers avoiding crucial onsite mistakes. You can often have a compliant design which still fails due to poor workmanship; the site survey visits negate the risk of sound test failure.
4. Precompletion Sound Insulation Testing – We visit site and undertake the final pre-completion testing to ensure compliance with Building Regulations Part E and achieve building control sign off for the acoustic elements of the project.

Using our friendly and proactive approach our acoustic engineers will work with you to achieve the required level of performance, however complex the project. Using the APT Sound Testing team, you will benefit from:

1. all in one acoustic solution, that considers sample sound testing, acoustic design, and final pre-completion sound testing.
2. vast amount of technical knowledge gained from providing consultancy on a wide range of projects for over 25 years (from small housing developments to multi-residential, mixed-use, or commercial sites) as well as experience from carrying out over 10,000 sound insulation tests.
3. ongoing impartial independent advice – we are not affiliated with any acoustic manufacturers so the advice you receive is completely impartial. All correspondence with you remains strictly private and confidential.
4. we endeavour to provide the cheapest acoustic solution to try and reduce costs and buildability issues. This will an off the shelf solution wherever possible.

Getting the soundproofing design right from the word go, is key, and APT Sound Testing can help in all areas of acoustic design and sound insulation testing. For more information on our UKAS accredited sound testing or acoustic  design services, please contact us at info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk  or call us on 01525 303905. 

Alternately for more information on how to prepare for your precompletion sound testing please download our sound testing checklist, or visit our website at www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk

Please Note: although we take every care to ensure the information was correct at the time of publication. Any written guidance provided does not replace the user’s professional judgement. It is the responsibility of the duty-holder or person carrying out the work to ensure compliance with relevant building regulations or applicable technical standards.

Depending on the building certification standard you are wanting to achieve i.e., BREEAM, LEED and/or WELL certification, you may need to carry out an initial detailed assessment of air quality followed by ongoing long-term monitoring. Typical indoor air quality pollutants that require monitor range from volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) Formaldehyde to key gas indicators such as carbon dioxide.

In most instances, levels of VOC’s and Formaldehyde will typically be at their highest levels soon after a building is refurbished or constructed; however, during the lifespan of the building other common indoor air quality pollutants such as dust levels (PM 2.5 / 10), carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and humidity can be a problem for the building occupants.

• Independent Consultants – We undertake 3^rd party testing and do not carry out main contracting works ourselves and have no links to contractors. This means we can provide impartial advice free from bias and external pressures.
• Executive Summary – A simple, clear summary of the main findings of the report.
• UKAS Laboratory Analysis – Samples are analysed at 3^rd party UKAS accredited laboratories.

APT Sound Testing have the expertise to carryout indoor air quality testing to meet your building certification standard.  We can carry out one off in-depth assessments to achieve extra points for BREEAM etc. or install a range of air quality sensors for ongoing measurements over the lifecycle of the building.

What potential pollutants need to be monitored as part of the air quality check

There are a few potential elements and factors to bear in mind when undertaking a comprehensive air quality check – they are:

Measuring Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) – these are gases that are given off by many indoor sources. Concentrations of most volatile organic compounds are higher in indoor air than outdoor air. VOCs can include a nasty combination of chemicals that can cause nose, eye, and throat irritation as well as fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness and skin irritation.

Measuring Formaldehyde – this is a very common chemical compound that exists in various forms and at room temperature, is a colourless, distinctive, strong and even pungent smelling, flammable and gaseous substance and is heavily used in industries such as the manufacturing of building materials.

Measuring Mould – mould can affect offices and/or workplace environments, especially if there is water damage and there is high levels of humidity or dampness. There is a huge amount of different indoor mould types that can cause health problems if an individual is exposed to it during their everyday working activities.

Over exposure to moulds can cause symptoms such as nausea, coughing, wheezing nasal issues, stuffiness, and eye irritation. Also, it doesn’t stop there, many people can have more acute allergies to moulds which can result in more severe reactions and hospitalisation.

Measuring Carbon Dioxide – many air conditioning systems (HVAC) re-circulate indoor air to maintain comfort and reduce energy costs associated with both heating and cooling outside air. When building occupants sense air flow out of air supply ducts, it’s very difficult to check how much of this air is simply re-circulated or external air. Carbon dioxide is generated by the human respiration process and therefore high occupancy office environments often result in elevated levels of this gas.

Measuring Temperature – Air conditioning units are commonly found in offices across the UK. Some are used for purely cooling an office environment, whereas some are used to heat also.

Measuring Humidity – humidity levels should be kept between 40% and 60% in offices. Humidity levels below 40% will begin to cause problems for workers with nasal/breathing conditions such as asthma.

We can help with your indoor air quality testing

Apt use the latest technology to perform indoor air quality assessments in the workplace. Our expert air quality technicians will perform a series of exposure sample testing to determine whether your building poses a potential health hazard from VOCs etc.

We always strive to improve the standard of the services we offer, which is reflected within the company’s UKAS & ISO accredited quality systems and  industry approvals.

Providing both consultancy and laboratory testing services, you can rest assured that our dedicated team have the necessary industry knowledge to see the project through to successful completion, whatever the requirement.

If you require any further information on our indoor air quality testing services, please call APT on 01525 303905 or email us at: info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk