Acoustic Design & Sound Test Package

To try and help our clients achieve compliance with Approved Document E, we offer the following 4 step acoustic design & sound test package:

1. Site Survey Visits – This allows us to check for potential problematic construction such as inclusion of lightweight blocks in the existing construction. It also lets us check that the installation teams are installing the acoustic materials as per manufacturer’s guidelines.
2. Sample Sound Insulation Testing – This offers an accurate overview of the acoustic performance of the existing partitions which enables us to offer a targeted acoustic design using the sound insulation performance of the existing construction.
3. Acoustic Design Review – we can undertake a full design review of the party walls and floors on the development.
   
4. Pre-completion Sound Insulation Testing – To satisfy Approved Document E and achieve building control signoff. 

APT Sound Testing can advise on all types of acoustic design, whether it’s accomplished during initial construction or during a refurbishment/renovation project. We also undertake UKAS accredited sound testing providing a ‘one stop’ solution for all your acoustic testing and design requirements throughout London and the South East.

APT Sound Testing – Acoustic Design & Sound Test Package
Sound insulation testing is usually required on all London development/s between rooms or spaces that share a common area of separating wall and/or floor as stipulated in Building Regulations Part E for the passage of sound. The main aim of sound insulation testing is to ensure that minimum standards of sound resistance have not been compromised by poor workmanship and/or poor design.

The most common buildings that require sound Insulation testing are:

1. Dwelling-houses, flats or rooms for residential purposes created by conversion of existing buildings or new build rooms for residential purposes.
   
2. New build dwelling-houses and flats

APT Sound Testing can advise on all types of acoustic design, whether it’s accomplished during initial construction or during a refurbishment/renovation project. We also undertake sound insulation testing, providing a ‘one stop’ solution for all your acoustic testing and design requirements throughout the South East.

You are normally required to undertake sound testing to a 10% sample of the individual type of partition. For instance, if you have a project with 9 flats you would be required to do 1 x 6 packs of tests; each 6 pack contains 2 airborne wall, 2 airborne floor and 2 impact sound tests; however, if any test failures occur, then the number of sound tests may need to increase on the development.

When sound test failures occur we study the design and construction of the failed partitions to try and evaluate the reasons for the failure; thereafter, agreement can be reached on how to rectify problem.  We have carried our hundreds of acoustic design reviews, so we are well placed to help you overcome any potential problems to achieve compliance with Building Regulations Part E.

If you would like more information in regards to sound testing please follow our blog at: http://soundtestinguk.blogspot.co.uk or contact us at: info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk and 07775623464 or visit our website at: www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk  

Sound Proofing Walls for Precompletion Sound Testing

Many people who phone us with noise complaints, say they can hear the neighbours talking to each other across the and they are not even shouting! Excess noise can be debilitating, distressing, and upsetting which can lead to health problems if left unchecked.

Sound transfer between walls and floors in dwellings is a common problem of attention to detail in many cases has resulted in poor-quality construction – this is often down to the contractors installing party walls and floors being on price work resulting in poor workmanship.

Excess sound transfer occurs as a result of airborne noise (tv, voices, music, etc). 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 on the other side.

The main issue is often due to the lack of mass of the masonry wall construction.  If lightweight (thermalite) blockwork has been used (or a single 70mm metal partition) there is a much higher chance that the wall will fail a sound insulation test due to its lightweight construction. Taking the above into account it’s critical that the acoustic design of the party wall is considered from the start of the project.

The 4 main elements of good soundproof design

There are 4 main elements of soundproofing that need consideration throughout the process, all of which have a direct relation to the conduction and transmission of sound vibrations.

1. Adding 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.

• Adding Decoupling: with decoupling, you can introduce a cavity between two layers of drywall which separates the two wall constructions. By doing this, a layer of air is created in-between the walls which provides good sound insulation.

• Adding Absorption: acoustic Insulation material such as RW3 mineral wool (min mass 45kg/m3). The material is placed into the wall in order to absorb these soundwaves, but the insulation is not compressed.

• Adding Damping: such as acoustic underlay There are several products that are used for this, and Green Glue (check my review) is a popular option. Green glue helps in converting some of the sound energy to heat energy.

All elements of soundproofing are major influences for the way in which soundwaves and vibrations behave within the space. The best results come through the inclusion of all of these four elements in relation to the physical properties of the wall.

What can you do retrospectively of the wall fails the sound insulation test? It is difficult to soundproof an existing party wall particularly around adjoining partitions such as floors and ceilings.

Sound Proofing Masonry Walls

In all, there are three main ways to soundproof a masonry party wall:

1. For High mass Masonry – apply a layer baton to the wall, then add resilient bars and a later 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 – apply a layer baton to the wall, then add resilient bars and a later of 15mm sound insulation board. This needs to be done to both sides of the wall, where low mass masonry has been used.
3. Where high levels of sound insulation are required – 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. Unfortanly, this reduces the width of the room by up to 125mm.

Sound Proofing Metal Walls

In all, there are three main ways to soundproof 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.

• For dividing metal walls – fill the metal frame (min with 100mm) with acoustic insulation (min mass 60kg/m3) and attach “resilient channel” to the studs and install 2 x 15mm sound board to either side of the wall.

• For high spec dividing metal 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.

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. 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.

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

Searching for SoundTesting Services in London
London is a huge capital city containing over 5 million properties. In this overcrowded environment, it is essential that noise transference between properties is kept to an absolute minimum for the occupant’s wellbeing.

We undertake UKAS accredited Part E sound testing throughout London, including soundproofing of walls in London. We have extensive knowledge regarding the way different materials and construction methods can influence the results of a sound test, to ensure your company achieves complies with Sound Testing Regulations Part E.

Pre-completion sound testing under part E has been a mandatory requirement since July 2003. All new build properties and conversions that were built after this date require 10% of each party wall/floor construction type to be tested. Sound Testing is to be carried out between pairs of rooms separated by party walls or floors. In usual circumstances, the room/s to be sound tested will be the living rooms and bedrooms, which are classed as the two main habitable rooms.

The sound Test Procedure
The sound test procedure involves setting up a noise source in a room on one side of the party wall or floor and measuring the noise on both sides of the partition.

Airborne sound tests may also be required between horizontally and vertically separated pairs of rooms. The sound tests are undertaken by using a sound source, amplifier and loudspeaker to generate a high noise level in one room (the source room). Noise measurements are then taken in both the source and receiver rooms using a prescribed number of source and microphone positions. The background levels in the receiver room are measured and the reverberation time in the receiver room is also measured. From the results, the airborne sound insulation (DnT,w + Ctr) is calculated and compared to the requirements of Approved Document E.

For vertically separated rooms, an Impact sound test may also be required. This sound test is undertaken using a tapping machine that drops a series of weights onto the floor of the upper room. The noise level in the lower (receiver) room is measured for a prescribed number of source and microphone locations. The background levels in the receiver room are measured and the reverberation time in the receiver room is also measured. From the results, the impact sound insulation (LnT,w) is calculated and compared to the requirements of Approved Document E.

Our sound test engineers carry all the latest Norsonic equipment, which are class one rating and all of our acoustic testing/sound testing, is completed to a strict quality controlled standard. We provide full UKAS Accredited sound testing.

Pre-completion sound testing is generally carried out at the request of the Building Control Officer. The guidance contained within Approved Document E gives detailed recommendations for the partitions to be tested and for the number of sound tests that should be carried out. We recommend that the proposed sound testing is agreed in advance with the Building Control Officer prior to the London sound testing.

We can undertake both acoustic airborne sound testing to allow for speech, television etc, and impact sound testing to allow for footfall etc. This is in accordance with the requirements of Approved Document E of The Building Regulations and the relevant European and International standards.

The testing methods for airborne and impact sound insulation testing in London are in full accordance with: the suggested methods presented in BS EN ISO 140-parts 4 and 7: 1998.

Sound Testing in London
If you are in the construction stage of a new project and are not sure if your design will pass the building regulations then contact us on 01525 303 905 and we will check your acoustic design and offer advice (if required) for the wall or/and floor partitions. Alternatively, if you require sound testing for your London project please contact APT Sound Testing services today.

Professional acoustic testing and consultancy

We provide an extensive range of acoustic services from APT Sound Testing Our team of experienced acoustic engineers and technicians can assist you with independent acoustic design advice and compliance with Building Regulations and Code for Sustainable Homes requirements.

We work with our customers to provide effective acoustic solutions whilst saving you money. Whether you are an architect, developer, or private self-builder, we can provide advice in terms of Building Acoustics for your New-build, Conversion or Material Change of Use projects such as HMO.

We can offer all types of advice from a quick site visit to provide verbal advice, through to a fully-fledged design review of all relevant details for a larger development. Not only do we review the separating construction but also the junction details considering potential noise flanking issues.

Following the design stage advice, we can then carry out the sound insulation testing at the pre-completion stage so our clients can achieve building control sign off for the acoustic element of the development.  We provide our acoustic services for all types of projects from small housing developments to the largest residential developments.

What is Part E of Building Regulations?

Approved Document E of the Building Regulations requires that new attached homes are designed and constructed to provide reasonable resistance to the passage of sound via the party walls and floors and that, unless the homes are registered with Robust Details Limited, a sample of 10% of dwellings on every new development will have to be sound tested.

Our acoustic engineers have carried out over 10,000 sound insulation tests and have the experience to help you on any scheme. Using our pre-completion testing service gives you:

1. quick response, fast results – the sound testing is arranged around your build schedule, and you will receive an immediate indication of test performance on site, with a full certificate/report sent electronically shortly afterwards.
2. expert remedial acoustic advice – if your project fails any of the sound tests, we try to help you achieve compliance as quickly as possible. We will, whenever possible, undertake re-tests during the same visit to help you get the pass you need.
3. complete compliance signoff solution – if you combine your sound insulation testing with our air leakage and energy assessment services. We will ensure swift communication between teams to clear outstanding technical conditions.

We provide an impartial, professional acoustic consultancy and design advice service.

In our experience, achieving good acoustic performance in buildings is not always easy, especially if:

• your building is a conversion project.
• the performance requirements are set higher than the standard Part E minimum.
• you have already failed the sound insulation testing.
• there are issues with the onsite construction, such as the inclusion of lightweight masonry in the perimeter wall.

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:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• all in one acoustic solution, that considers sample sound testing, acoustic design and final pre-completion sound testing.

Our roadmap to acoustic success

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.

Professional Acoustic Testing & Consultancy
APT Sound Testing can provide telephone advice, quote to undertake an acoustic design review of your architect’s drawings to help the likelihood of passing the sound insulation test at the first attempt, reducing the risk of costly remedial works to your project prior to handover. If you require sound insulation testing to party walls, or you need an acoustic design review on your development, please contact us now or visit our acoustic design page.

We are also a UKAS accredited sound testing, so you can be sure of a friendly and professional service providing a ‘one stop’ solution for all your acoustic requirements.

If you would like more information in regards to sound testing service and/or acoustic design services in London, please contact us on 01525 303905 or info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk, for more information please visit our website at www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk or download our sound test checklist.

Tips on How to Pass Sound Testing for Party Walls

There are many reasons why party walls fail the pre-completion sound testing. To try and help our customers we have written this article, which should help you achieve a sound test pass at the first attempt and avoid expensive remedial works.  

What is airborne sound?

Airborne noise/sound is defined as any sound that is transmitted via the air, like speech or music. Sound waves are picked up and carried by air until they hit something solid, like a wall, floor, or ceiling. The collision sends vibrations through the wall and into the space beyond it. This is why you are able to hear music or shouting from neighbours as if it were inside your home; the sound waves created are carried by air until they reach your walls and vibrate through them which can be a real pain.

Under Approved Document E you are only required to undertake airborne sound testing for party walls. For floor partitions you are required to carry out both airborne and impact sound testing. The airborne sound insulation test is carried out by means of a loudspeaker emitting a steady source of noise on one side of the partition (wall or floor) to be measured.

The main acoustic design considerations for party walls in flats

To improve the chance of a successful sound test and reduce the chance of noise flanking you will need to ensure that you allow for the following five acoustic design considerations, when upgrading an existing floors and walls in flats they are:

• Mass
• Isolation
• Absorption
• Resilience
• Stiffness

Items to action prior to the undertaking of sound testing through Walls.

1. The whole building envelope and internal walls and floors should be fully completed.
2. All service boxings should be in place – usually located around kitchens/ bathrooms etc.
3. All electrical fittings must be completely in-place, and fully functional. Poor electrical installation can lead to excess noise.
4. Electrical sockets should never be placed back-to-back in walls as this can cause an acoustic weak point.
5. If kitchens are constructed on party walls it is a good idea to introduce a service liner so excess services penetrations holes are not cut through the party wall.
6. All internal and external doors and windows should be installed and closing properly.
7. No carpets or laminated flooring should be fitted at the time of the testing. These materials can affect the movement of noise, and as a result could impact on whether a building passes the sound check test.
8. The building skirting board should not touch the floating floor – an acoustic flanking strip should be installed.
9. All gaps in walls and floors should be sealed. Noise can leak out through any gaps, affecting the movement of sound and impacting on the space’s performance.
10. All noisy works should be stopped for the duration of the testing as this can have a negative effect on the sound test results.

A simple acoustic upgrade for existing party walls

If you have an existing party wall that is being retained in your conversion project, one quick and simple way to improve the acoustic performance of existing dividing wall partition can be achieved by installing a 70mm met-sec partition in front of the existing wall – it is usually best to install this in the largest room. Leave approx. 25mm gap between the back of the met-sec and the wall. Then install 50mm acoustic wool with a minimum mass of 45kg/m3 to the inside of the met-sec. This can then be fished by adding two layers of 15mm soundboard to the outside of the met-sec frame – ensure all boards are properly lapped and the perimeter joints are filled with acoustic mastic.

How APT Sound Testing can help with your acoustic requirements 

It can be very time-consuming trying to identify the cause of a failed sound test. Therefore, it is always best to hire an experienced consultant. APTs acoustic consultants have years of experience and will advise you on the best course of action to rectify any problems with the acoustic design on your project. We are also a UKAS accredited company, so you can be sure of a friendly and professional service providing a ‘one stop’ solution for all your acoustic requirements.

APT can advise on all types of acoustic design to help you pass your sound testing to party walls and floors in flats, whether it is accomplished during initial construction or during a refurbishment or renovation project. Whatever the problem we can usually find an acoustic solution that will help you achieve Building Regulation compliance, reducing the risk of costly remedial works to your project prior to handover.

If you require sound insulation to party walls or floors, or you need an acoustic design review on your development, please contact us now or visit our acoustic design page.

For further advice on acoustic design and sound testing services please contact our expert acoustic consultants today on 01525 303905 or email us at info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk for friendly advice about building party walls and floors and/or sound insulation testing on your construction project.

Frequently Asked Questions for Room Integrity Testing

Server rooms and data centres that have gaseous fire extinguishing systems are required to be tested on an annual basis; however, not all clients are aware that they need to undertake a room integrity test, let alone what is involved. It’s also worth noting that if your protected enclosure suffers fire damage, it may not be covered by the building’s insurance if you don’t have up-to-date Fire Integrity Certification.

For your fire suppression system to work properly, the room must have sufficient integrity to retain an extinguishing concentration for a specified period after discharge – usually 10 minutes. If the enclosure cannot adequately hold the extinguishment the fire may reignite causing further damage to protected enclosure and critical assets.  

To try and explain what is involved in a room integrity test, we have written the following question and answers article:

Q – Why do I need a room integrity test?

A – The test is a requirement of the British Standard for gaseous fire extinguishing systems – BS EN:ISO 14520. Most fire insurers will require evidence that the test has been conducted and the result is satisfactory.

Q – How quickly can a room integrity test be arranged?

A – We can usually undertake an integrity test within a few days of our client’s enquiry; however, in the case of an emergency we do offer a 24-hour service.

Q – How do I prepare my protected enclosure for the integrity test?

A – We send out an informative checklist with all our quotations, to help clients prepare for the integrity test.

Q – How long does it take to carry out a room Integrity test?

A The room integrity test usually between 1 and 2 hours for a single enclosure.

Q – Will the enclosure integrity test set off alarms?

No, the enclosure test is completely independent of the detection system; however the room should be isolated and the system turned to manual in-line with our room integrity checklist.

Q – Is the room integrity test disruptive?

A – No, it is only necessary to stop access to the room for 10-15 minutes. Personnel – such as IT staff can continue to work in the room. The enclosure test can be paused if immediate access becomes required.

Q – Does equipment such as servers need to be switched off during the room integrity test?

A – No, the servers can carry on running throughout the room integrity test.

Q – Does air conditioning need to be switched off during the enclosure integrity test?

A – Recirculation (chiller) units may continue to run. Air supply/extract ducts passing into the enclosure will need have the fire dampers closed and/or be temporarily sealed throughout the duration of the test.

Q – Will I get a certificate if I pass the room integrity test?

A – Yes, the certificate will be issued within a few days. This should be retained for possible inspection by the authorities/insurers. We will verbally let you know if the enclosure test has passed or failed whilst on site.

Q – What happens if the room fails the room integrity test?

A – A low impact smoke test can be undertaken along with a corresponding report to identify the leakage paths for remedial sealing.  Once the remedial works have been undertaken a retest must be conducted to confirm the adequacy of the retention time along with the corresponding pass certification.

Q – Can remedial sealing be done at the time of the enclosure test if its initially failed?

A – Yes, provided the leakage can be swiftly remedially, or temporarily, sealed.

Q – Does APT undertake remedial sealing?

Yes, we can undertake the remedial sealing if so required, or the client can arrange the works themselves. 

Q – How often should the room integrity test be done?

A – The relevant British Standard (BS EN:ISO 14520) specifies that the test should be conducted within a 12-month period and/or if any works have been undertaken to the enclosure envelope i.e., new service penetrations are made to the walls, floors, or ceilings.

Q – Is there any corresponding standards for room integrity testing.

A – Yes, the following standard apply to room integrity testing: ISO 14520, NFPA 2001 and ISO 15004

Why use us for your room integrity test?

We offer a friendly and cost-effective one stop solution for all your integrity test requirements. Using the very latest blower door technology, we provide thorough retention reports as well as informative assessments concerning highlighting areas of leakage, advice and recommendations. We even offer a remedial sealing service should it be required. 

If you would like more information on our server room integrity testing, please visit us at  info@airpressuretesting.net or visit our Room Integrity Page.

Sound Insulation Testing Terminology
Developers and landlords may need to improve sound insulation over a wide range of houses and flats. This may be due to the fact they have just built a new development that requires sound insulation testing under Part E or as part of a general refurbishment programme, i.e. changing houses into flats.

Often confusion can arise from the large amount of ‘terms’ used in conjunction with acoustic design and sound insulation testing. To help with this we have made a list of the following terms for clarity:

Absorption
This is the conversion of sound energy into heat, often by the use of a porous material.

Absorbent Material
This is a material that absorbs sound energy, such as acoustic mineral wool.

Airborne sound
This is sound which is propagated from a noise source through the medium of air. Examples of these are speech and sound from a television

Airborne Sound Transmission
This is direct transmission of airborne sound through walls or floors. When sound energy is created in a room, for instance by conversation, some of the energy is reflected or absorbed by room surfaces but some may set up vibrations in the walls and floor. Depending on both the amount of energy and the type of construction, this can result in sound being transmitted to adjacent parts of the building.

Air Path
This is a void in construction elements, which adversely affects the performance of sound resisting construction. Examples of air paths include incomplete mortar joints, porous building materials, gaps around pipes and shrinkage cracks – this can also effect the air tightness results.

Bonded resilient cover
This is a thin resilient floor covering normally of minimum 3-5mm thickness, which is bonded to the isolated screed surface to reduce impact sound transmission such as footfall noise, however it has a lesser effect when it comes to airborne noise.

Cavity stop
This is a proprietary product or material such as mineral wool (fibre) used to close the gap in a cavity wall.

Composite Resilient Batten
This is composed of a timber batten with a pre-bonded resilient material to provide isolation between the flooring surface layers and floor base.

Cradle/Saddle
This is an intermediate support system (with a resilient layer base, either pre-bonded or already integral) using levelling packer pieces to support a timber batten, isolating it from the floor base.

Decibel (dB)
This is the unit used for different acoustic quantities to indicate the level with respect to a reference level.

Density (kg/m3)
This is the mass per unit volume, expressed in kilograms per cubic metre (kg/m3). Blockwork is commonly referred to by industry in terms of strength (in Newtons). However, it is the density that has the important role in terms of sound insulation.

Direct transmission refers to the path of either airborne or impact sound through elements of construction.

DnT,w
This is the weighted standardized level difference. A single-number quantity (weighted) which characterises the airborne sound insulation between two rooms, in accordance with BS EN ISO 717-1:1997

Façade Testing
This Standard – ISO 140-5:1998) specifies the testing methods to evaluate the sound insulation in buildings and building elements for facades. Three rounds of a proficiency testing scheme for airborne sound insulation measurements have been performed according to the methods specified in the standard for a whole facade by using an external loudspeaker as the noise source.

Flanking element (flanking wall)
This is any building element that contributes to the airborne sound or impact transmission between rooms in a building which is not the direct separating element (i.e. not the separating wall or separating floor).

Flanking strip or edge strip
This is a resilient strip using foamed polyethylene normally 5 mm thick, which is located at the perimeter of a floor to isolate the floor boards from the walls and skirtings.

Flanking transmission
This is airborne or impact transmission between rooms that is transmitted via flanking elements and/or flanking elements in conjunction with the main separating elements. An example of a flanking element is the inner leaf of an external wall that connects to the separating ‘core’ of a wall or floor.

Flexible closer
This is a flexible cavity stop or cavity barrier which seals the air path in cavities linking adjoining dwellings.

Floating floor treatment (FFT)
This is a timber floating floor system which may use battens, cradles or platform base, all of which use a resilient layer to provide isolation from the base floor and adjacent wall elements.

Gypsum based plasterboard
This is a dry lining board applied to walls, ceilings and within floating floor treatments which has gypsum content. It may also have fibre reinforcement within the board.

Impact sound
This is sound which is propagated from a noise source through a direct medium. An example of this is footfall on a floor.

Impact sound transmission
This is sound which is spread from an impact noise source in direct contact with a building element.

Isolation
This is a strategy to limit the number and type of rigid connections between elements of construction.

L’nT,w
This is the weighted standardized impact sound pressure level. A single-number quantity (weighted) to characterise the impact sound insulation of floors, in accordance with BS EN ISO 717-2: 1997.

Mass
This is a physical quantity that expresses the amount of matter in a body. Walls and floors may be described in terms of the surface density (mass per unit area, kg/m2) of the wall face or the floor surface, which is the sum of the surface densities of each component of the construction. The density of materials is expressed as mass per unit volume, kg/m3, which can be provided via the core structure and linings such as in-situ concrete or solid dense block walls.

Mass per unit area (or surface density)
This is is expressed in terms of kilograms per square metre (kg/m2). This is often used to describe boards, panels, flooring and dry linings (see gypsum based board).

Resilience
This can reduce structural vibration transmission and still maintain material performance and overall dimensions, examples include floating floor treatments such as resilient battens or cradles, or resilient ceiling bars.

Resilient ceiling bars
This acoustic solution is generally metal based and vary in thickness from 11 mm to 30 mm. They are mounted perpendicular to the joist span direction and can increase both airborne and impact sound insulation. Care should be taken to ensure that the ceiling board fixings into the resilient bar do not come into contact with the joists and reduce the potential performance.

Resilient noggin
This is a small section of resilient ceiling bar which is used to assist in bracing non load bearing partitions.

Rw
This is a single-number quantity (weighted) which characterises the airborne sound insulation of a building element from measurements undertaken in a laboratory, in accordance with BS EN ISO 717-1: 1997

Sound Insulation Testing
Sound Insulation Testing is required near the end of a development to show that the performance of the party wall and floor partitions meet the standards as stipulated in Building Regulations Approved Document E. The testing methods for airborne and impact sound insulation is in full accordance with the suggested methods presented in BS EN ISO 140-parts 4 & 7: 1998.

Stiffness
This is can improve low-frequency sound insulation, for example in floors, by reducing the potential for deflection or movement of the primary structure, therefore the correct spacing and depth of joists is important. If you have a project that requires acoustic design and/or sound insulation testing please let us know. APT Sound Testing will ensure you will have direct contact with the allocated acoustician from the start of the process, through to the successful completion of the sound insulation testing. 

If you would like more information in regards to acoustic services, please contact us on 01525 303905 or visit our website at: www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk    

The Secret to Successful Sound Testing
There are many considerations to achieving successful sound testing on your development. The main areas that need to be addressed are the dividing wall and floor construction.  When dealing with walls you normally just need to worry about airborne sound; however, with walls, it’s both airborne and impact sound which can be far more difficult to deal with.

The usual noise problems associated with airborne sound transmission is TV noise, music and speech. This can be dealt with by applying ceiling treatments as well as mass and isolation to the building components. Impact sound (footfall) performance is increased by the used of resilience layers and isolation of components to prevent noise flanking through the partition.

Successful Sound Testing
For airborne sound testing Building Regulation Part E requires you achieve at least 45dB for new build properties and 43dB for conversion developments, this applies both to party walls and floors between properties. This level is the difference between the source level and the receiver level during sound testing. Therefore, if the source level in one flat is 110dB and the receiver level in the neighbouring flat is 55dB, the level difference (or sound reduction performance) is 55dB.

The measurement is corrected for several factors such as background noise, room characteristics and frequency weighting, giving the final sound insulation performance value of the tested partition. In this case the higher the number the better the sound insulation performance. The measurement is done by using a Class 1 Analyser and the associated equipment.

Impact Sound Testing
For impact sound testing Building Regulation Part E requires you achieve at least 62dB for new build properties and 64dB for conversion developments. Impact insulation performance only applies to party floors and related to the effectiveness of the floor construction in absorbing shock such as footfall noise. The measurement is done by using a Norsonic tapping machine (as shown below). The machine has 5 weights which tapping in regular succession on the tested floor which emulates footfall noise. The noise levels are taken in the receiving room below, which are then measured and averaged for different tapper positions, which then gives the sound reduction rating of the floor. In this case the lower the figure, the better the performance.

Good Acoustic Design
To try and ensure you meet the standards stipulated within Building Regulations Part E, careful consideration should be shown to the acoustic design detailing from the stat of the project. offset. Tackling the acoustic design for both new build and conversion project requires two different construction techniques and acoustic design detailing. With new build properties you have a blank canvas in terms of the overall design whereas with conversions you usually need to work with the existing’ onsite’ construction which can be quite difficult.

We offer an acoustic design package, which contains the following elements:

a.            Sample Sound Testing – of the existing construction. This offers an accurate overview of the acoustic performance of the existing partitions which enables us to offer a targeted acoustic design using the sound insulation performance of the existing construction.

b.            Acoustic Design Review – a full design review of the proposed developments party walls and floors.

c.             Site Survey Visits – to let us view the existing site construction. This allows us to check for potential problematic construction such as inclusion of lightweight blocks in the existing construction. It also lets us check that the installation teams are installing the acoustic materials as per manufacturer’s guidelines.

d.            Final Precompletion Sound Testing in compliance with Building Regulations Part E.

Useful Acoustic Design Considerations

a.            Avoid the use of lightweight blocks in the inner envelope construction and/or stairwell construction etc. as sound will travel both vertically and horizontally from dwelling to dwelling.

b.            The use of resilient suspended ceilings will help improve the performance of the floor partition.

c.             Ensure all support steels/timbers are carefully boxed out where they travel from flat to flat vertically and horizontally.

d.            Use a high quality resilient acoustic membrane on top of the floor to improve the impact performance of a floor.

e.            Ensure all penetrations are fully sealed where they terminate through floors and they are adequately boxed with acoustic quilt and two layers of plasterboard.

In our experience the main 5 considerations when designing for separating walls and floors between dwellings are: If used together or in various combinations they will improve sound insulation properties over a wide range of frequencies. The main factors are:

a.            Mass

b.            Isolation

c.             Absorption

d.            Resilience

e.            Stiffness

If used together or in various combinations they will improve sound insulation properties over a wide range of frequencies and should achieve compliance with Building Regulations Part E.

In our experience if the acoustic design is taken into consideration from the offset of the project, then it usually results in compliance with Building Regulations Part E.  In Some cases sound test failure can also be down to the poor workmanship rather than the acoustic design that is why we offer a full‘4 step’ acoustic package.

If you have a project that needs acoustic design advice or sound insulation testing, then please visit the APT Sound Testing website or phone us directly on 07775 623464.

Room Integrity Testing on Server Rooms and Data Centres
Room integrity testing is required for a wide variety of types of rooms using many different types of fire suppression systems, whether it is part of a system installation or annual inspection or intermediate post work testing.  We undertake the integrity test using the latest high powered fan technology to test all types and sizes of enclosure from small server rooms to large data centres.

It is a requirement that a room Integrity Test be carried out at the time of the fire suppression installation. It is also a recommendation that a room Integrity Test is carried out on an annual basis as part of the routine maintenance schedule. This test is designed to ensure that an extinguishing concentration is held for a sufficient time (normally 10 minutes) to prevent re-ignition in the event of a fire.

The main two types of protected enclosures we test are Server Rooms and Data centres; however, we often get asked the question “what’s the difference between a Data Centre and Server Room?”

What is a Server Room?

A server room is ‘as it sounds’ a room that stores the servers. A data centre on the other hand is usually much bigger and is usually a whole facility dedicated to containing a vast amount of computer racks in an ultra-secure environment. The most identifiable difference is the size.

Almost any modern office that use computers will possess a server room, however, larger bodies such as large-scale businesses, universities and retail operations almost always invest in purpose built data centre infrastructure, as they all need to process much larger amounts of data; this has to be done in a secure and controlled environment.

What is a Data Centre?

Date Centres usually consist of the following three key elements:

• Building Elements – Cooling System, Air Economisers, Fire Prevention & Suppression systems and Access Flooring
• I.T. Elements – Equipment Racks, Air Containment System, Cooling Monitoring, Cabling, PDUs and Environment Sensors
• Power Elements – UPS, Generators, Switchgear, Panel Boards, Meters, Breakers and Transformers.

All this requires a facility that’s very secure along with a large physical space to house the entire collection of infrastructure and equipment. Data Centres are arguably the most important asset for any company, with this mind isn’t it essential that data centres are designed, run and maintained in the safest way possible and why room integrity testing should be used as part of every companies ongoing maintenance plan.

Due to the potential issues associated with fire damage, it is essential that your main asset can contain the gas suppressant for as long as possible to prevent the fire reigniting. To enable this it is important to ensure that good room integrity is established at the end of the enclosures construction and maintained throughout the life cycle of the enclosure.

The other 3 man questions we often get asked when it comes to testing Server Rooms and Data Centres are:

1. Does my Server Room need an Integrity Test?

Yes, you should have a room integrity test if you have any gaseous fire suppression system installed as per BS ISO 14520-1 and BS EN 15004-1, if you are unsure if your system falls under this category, please Contact Us to discuss further

2. How often do I require a Room Integrity test on my Server Room?

British Standards recommend that a Room Integrity Test is carried out at least annually and/or if the room has changed due general building work as small holes may be created or room sizes changed, due to new cable trays, pipework, vents etc.

3. How long does the Server Room Integrity Test take?

A Room Integrity Test will take around 1-2 Hours if the room is well sealed. The room will be blocked throughout the duration of the Integrity test. It will not affect any equipment within the room. After the Integrity Test you can use the room as normal.

It is with noting that the annual integrity inspection and testing are also required by the BFPSA and are routine practice at most major commercial institutions such as banks and data storage companies. The benefits of ensuring good room integrity are recognised by insurers and regulatory authorities, who frequently insist on such testing.

We undertake Room Integrity Testing on all types of protected enclosures such as small server rooms right up to the largest data centres. Our Engineers have undertaken hundreds of room integrity tests throughout the UK and using our combined experience within the Fire Suppression Industry and are able to provide help and advice on your Room Integrity Test requirements.

It is our ongoing aim to provide clients a ‘one stop’ Room Integrity Testing service to cater for their most exacting requirements. We only use high quality equipment that is UKAS calibrated – a basic requirement of a UKAS accredited testing laboratory.  We are also certified to Level 2 for Room Integrity Testing.

For further information on our room integrity testing services, please download our Room Integrity Test Checklist to help you prepare fr the testing. If you have any further questions please contact our technical manager Darren on 07775623464 or email us at info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk

What is Room Integrity Testing and do I need one?
Room integrity testing is required wherever a gaseous fire suppression system is installed to a room within a building. A gaseous fire suppression system is a highly effective and proven way of protecting your building against a fire, however it is not effective if your protected enclosure is not airtight, otherwise the agent may escape too quickly. The system works by releasing a gas agent into an enclosure which reduces the oxygen levels to suppress or put out the fire. 

To ensure the whole system works effectively, a Room Integrity Test should be completed at the point of install and not more than 12 months thereafter. A Room integrity Test works by creating pressure within the room or enclosure where the Fire Suppression System has been installed. The Test then measures the integrity of the room to ensure the gas does not dissipate to quickly before being able to extinguish the fire. For the Fire Suppression System to work effectively the enclosure needs to hold the gas and protect the equipment for a set period – usually 10 minutes. Here is some more information for Room Integrity Testing.

The most common protected rooms are Server Rooms and Data Centres, and the most Common Fire Suppression Systems are FM200, Inergen, IG55, NOVEC 1230. If you are unsure if you have one of the above systems, please Contact Us for further info. 

Does my Room need an Integrity Test?

Yes, you should have a room integrity test if you have any gaseous fire suppression system installed as per BS ISO 14520-1 and BS EN 15004-1, if you are unsure if your system falls under this category, please Contact Us to discuss further

How often do I require a Room Integrity test?

British Standards recommend that a Room Integrity Test is carried out at least annually and/or if the room has changed due general building work as small holes may be created or room sizes changed, due to new cable trays, pipework, vents etc.

How long does the Room Integrity Test take?

A Room Integrity Test will take around 1-2 Hours if the room is well sealed. The room will be blocked throughout the duration of the Integrity test. It will not affect any equipment within the room. After the Integrity Test you can use the room as normal.

What if the Room Fails the Integrity Test?

Unsurprisingly, many rooms fail an Integrity Test, due to construction works being undertaken to the room envelope, this is usually due to running new services through walls, floors or ceilings. If the room does fail don’t panic as we can undertake a smoke survey and produce a full report detailing the air leakage paths and we can even provide a bespoke room sealing service, should it be required. Once the leakage is identified this will be sealed using specialist sealing products with the associated certification.

How quick can I get my results?

The Room Integrity Test results can be sent to our clients Electronically within 24 hours, whether the rooms have passed or failed. If the room fails, a cost will then be sent over for any associated sealing works and a further Room Integrity Test.

How many Room integrity Tests do I need?

As a Gaseous suppression system can cover multiple rooms You would require a test for each of these rooms. In many cases a building will have a server room and an associated UPS (Battery) Room which are both protected, in this instance 2 tests would be required.

Why use APT for your Room Integrity Test

APT was formed to meet the increasing demands of Building Regulations. We are a multi UKAS accredited company so you can be sure our reportage is of the highest quality. We undertake Room Integrity Testing on all types of protected enclosures from huge power station turbine enclosures, through to server rooms and data centres. We are now one of the leading Room Integrity Companies in the UK.

Our Engineers have over 40 years combined experience within the Fire Suppression Industry and are able to provide help and advice on your Room Integrity Test needs. We can also help if you have previously failed your integrity test, we can visit site and undertake localised smoke testing with air leakage reports. We can even undertake the fire sealing works if so required.

It is our ongoing aim to provide clients a ‘one stop’ Room Integrity Testing service to cater for their most exacting requirements. We only use high quality equipment that is UKAS calibrated – a basic requirement of a UKAS accredited testing laboratory. 

If you have a protected enclosure that requires a room integrity test, please contact us at: info@airpressuretesting.net or call Darren direct on 07775623464. We undertake testing throughout London and the South East.