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. 

For more information about Sound Insulation Testing Terminology or with regard to acoustic services, please contact us at via our APT Sound Testing website or call us today on 01525 303905.

Why we are a UKAS Accredited Air and Sound Testing Laboratory

APT Sound Testing is UKAS accredited for both sound insulation testing and air tightness testing. Being a UKAS accredited laboratory for air and sound testing, provides an assurance of the competence, impartiality and integrity of the testing body. UKAS accredited testing reduces the need for testing company to be assessed by each of their customers.

UKAS’ involvement in international groups such as EA, IAF and ILAC, provides for mutual recognition. This reduces the need for multiple assessments of suppliers, and as a consequence helps to reduce barriers for testing companies that have UKAS accreditation.

Most businesses – big or small within the industry they operate in, require some form of certification. This is the ultimate mark of quality and professionalism within their sector. With so many types of accreditation to choose from nowadays, it can be difficult to know what type would be best for your company. One place to start is by making sure that the testing consultancy you use is UKAS accredited. This is something you simply cannot afford to overlook.

What is UKAS accreditation?

UKAS stands for the United Kingdom Accreditation Service. It is the only government recognised national accreditation body in Britain. It has been designed to evaluate the competence of all organisations that supply services relating to certification, calibration, inspection, and testing. If a certification body meets their standards, they will then be accredited. If an organisation has reached this status, it means that they have the ability to deliver results while being reliable, impartial, and competent. Therefore, if you choose a UKAS accredited certification body, you can be certain of the highest levels of quality. APT Sound Testing is UKAS accredited for both sound insulation testing and air tightness testing, so you can be sure of the highest quality testing services and reportage at all times.

Why are not all companies UKAS accredited?

Unlike many other certification bodies, UKAS is a non-profit organisation, meaning their sole purpose is to ensure that companies are regulated properly and high standards are achieved at all times. This offers customers ultimate peace of mind. Other companies that don’t have UKAS certification, may have lower prices in some instances as they are not bound by the more stricter guidelines put in place by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service. If the company you are using is not UKAS accredited it may mean that you are taking a massive risk, as the quality of product testing and auditing quality may vary. If the company you are using for your air tightness and/or sound testing has not sought UKAS certification, it can be a good indicator that the quality may be lower.

Why it’s important to be UKAS accredited

There are also a lot of non-accredited air and sound testing companies that offer their service on a no certificate no fee basis; however, although this may seem great on the surface it usually means is that a certificate is barely ever refused. This does not say a lot for the quality of the testing company if they are simply allowing anyone to achieve their certification. It goes completely against the international standard that UKAS adheres to. Also, their accreditation isn’t worth much when you consider that they do not have to adhere to any regulatory constraints, and thus they offer little assurance in terms of accountability, impartiality, or integrity. Hats why it’s really important to use UKAS accredited testing laboratories like APT Sound testing for all your air tightness and  sound insulation testing.

How can I tell if an organisation is UKAS certified?

So, how can you tell if an organisation is UKAS certified? Well, all accredited businesses are allowed to use the Royal Crown symbol. Thus, you simply need to look out for this. Alternatively, you can head to the UKAS website at www.ukas.com , and you will find a list of all certified bodies under the ‘Accredited Bodies’ tab on the homepage. For peace of mind here is a direct link to APT sound testing’s UKAS accreditation.

We are a UKAS accredited company

Here at APT Sound Testing, we are happy to prove our UKAS certification. As a UKAS accredited laboratory we are committed to providing quality consultancy services to your business. If you want to know more about how we can help you with our UKAS accredited air and acoustic testing services, please contact us on 01525 303905 or email us at info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk  and we’ll be happy to talk you through our precompletion testing services or supply a free no obligation quote.

APT Sound Testing – Our Air Tightness Testing Service

Air tightness testing, also known as blower door testing, is the process of measuring the amount of air leakage from a building through the building envelope. To try and help our clients better understand and prepare for their air tightness testing, we have tried to explain and answer our customer’s most common questions. For more information on our air tightness testing services you can also visit our Services Page.

What is Air Tightness Testing for Building Regulations?Air Tightness Testing What is Air Tightness Testing for Building Regulations?

Air testing is mandatory in the United Kingdom and is governed by Part L of the Building Regulations, this split into two parts; for domestic properties Part L1A should be used and for commercial properties Part L2A should be referenced.

Building Regulations Part L states air tightness testing should be carried to check the air leakage that occurs through a buildings envelope. The air leakage test checks the amount of air that escapes through gaps or air leakage paths through the building fabric. If the building is more air tight, less energy will be being needlessly lost, thus lowering the carbon emissions of the building. Air testing also shows how efficient a building is at retaining conditioned air which will also put less straight on your mechanical and ventilation system. Failing to maintain adequate air tightness can lead to up to 50% of heat loss from within a building to the outside atmosphere.

What air leakage target do I need to achieve?

Most new dwellings and commercial buildings need to achieve an air leakage of 3m3/hr/m2 to 5m3/hm2, this rate would usually be acceptable by building control and your SAP assessor as an acceptable result, although you need to check each your designed SAP assessment as there may be items within your buildings design that that may affect this figure.

How long does the air test take?

Most air tightness tests can be completed in 1-2 hours if they pass straight away; however, tests can take much longer if they initially fail. It usually speeds up the process if customs prepare their buildings in-line with our air tightness checklist as its means we can start the testing as soon as we arrive on site instead of waiting for the client to tape up areas, or make upgrades to the building envelope.  We also offer a smoke testing service to locate the air leakage paths within a building envelope which can also take extra time; however this often allows our clients to seal and pass their building at the first attempt even if their building initially fails the air test.

How do you undertake an air tightness test?

The air tightness test is undertaken in-line with Building Regulations Part L1 & L2 and ATTMA TS1 & TS2. Basically we measure the pressure differential across the envelope of the building by means of the temporarily installation of a large fan inside a door panel. Thereafter, a range of static pressures and environmental readings are taken. The fan is switched on and the air pressure in the property is gradually increased or decreased and the differential pressure is recorded at each step, usually from 25 Pa to 70 Pa. The total air flow required to achieve a pressure differential of 50 Pa is calculated and divided by the total building envelope area to provide the leakage rate in m3/h.m2@50Pa.

How do I prepare my building for the air test?

The more complete you’re building the more chance you have of passing the air tightness test at the first attempt. We send our and air test checklist with every quotation to help our client prepare for the testing. It is our aim to help clients pass their air test at the first attempt.

Basically you prepare the building in-line with our checklists and the items below, you will generally have a much better chance of passing the testing at the first attempt.

1. The building envelope should be fully complete; this includes walls, floors and ceilings.
2. All doors and windows must be fully fitted and able to shut tightly against their seals.
3. All electric fittings must be installed and functional.
4. All mechanical fittings must be installed and functional.
5. Gaps within walls and floors must be sealed.
6. All service penetrations must be fully sealed through the building envelope. 
7. Bathrooms and kitchens must be fully fitted and all service penetrations sealed.
8. All mechanical ventilation turned off with grilles sealed.
9. All trickle vents to windows and doors must be sealed.
10. All fireplaces must be sealed.
11. Ensure water is present in soil pipes.
12. 240v power must be available on site.

Whether you need air tightness test please contact us on info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk  to obtain a no obligation quote. If you need more information on how to prepare your building for the air test please download our air tightness testing checklist. 

Alternately, please visit our website at www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk, for more information on our precompletion testing services

Air Tightness Testing in Reading

There is no air tightness testing job too big or small APT Sound Testing in Reading.

From our local office, we provide our air tightness testing service throughout Reading

Below is a quick description of Reading and the surrounding areas where APT Sound Testing supplies our air tightness testing service:

A Description of Reading and the Surrounding Areas

Reading is is a large, historic university and minster town in Berkshire, South East England. As Reading has grown, its suburbs have spread: to the west between the two rivers into the foothills of the Berkshire Downs.

Here is a more detailed list of all the locations in Reading and the surrounding areas that we carry out our air tightness testing services. We carry out our testing in Caversham, Caversham Heights, Caversham Park, Coley, Coley Park, Emmer Green, Katesgrove, Southcote, Whitley, Whitley Wood and Tilehurst

The local authorities in and around Reading are Reading North, and Reading South. Since the 2010 general election, Reading has been divided between the parliamentary constituencies of Reading East, Reading West, Wokingham,  Shinfield, Earley and Lower Earley) and Maidenhead and Woodley).

Our air tightness testing equipment in Reading

Preparing your Reading site for the Air Tightness Test

One of our team will take measurements of the building from the architectural plans as well as undertaking physical site check of the measurements, prior to the air tightness test which allows us to determine the building envelope area. This is an essential stage of the air testing process as the building envelope area is one of the main parameters that the result is based upon.  The measurements will be verified onsite by APT Air Tightness Engineer on the day of the air test to ensure that the measurements and calculations are correct.

We then set up the blower door equipment as follows.

1. We’ll temporarily install a blower door fan system (depending on building size) in a suitably placed doorway.
2. We then take a series of environmental measurements such as internal and external temperatures as well as barometric pressures.
3. We then turn on the fan equipment and take measurements between 25-70Pa in 5Pa increments, recording the pressure differential at each step.
4. Finally, our technicians will calculate the total air flow required to achieve a pressure differential of 50 Pa, divided by the total building envelope area –  this calculation will show leakage rate in m³/h.m² @ 50 Pa.

APT Sound Testing usually allow 2-3 hours to complete each commercial air tightness test, meaning there should have plenty of time to address any unexpected problems that may arise. We will guide you through the entire air testing process. In addition, we provide an air tightness review consultancy service to help you pass your air tightness test at the first attempt.

For more information about our Air Tightness Testing in Reading, please visit us at www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk or contact us on 01525 303905 or info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk for a FREE Quote.

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 flor 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.

Airborne 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’s needs acoustic design advice or sound insulation testing, then please visit the APT Sound Testing website  or phone us directly on 07775623464.

Improving Air Tightness in Buildings
Darren Helliwell of APT Sound Testing looks at how construction companies can improve the air tightness of their buildings to ensure they pass their airtightness test first time.

With the Building Regulations and planning requirements and energy assessments pushing buildings towards ever-lower energy use it has become more important than ever to ensure your building is constructed as air tight as possible.

One of the most important steps to improve energy efficiency and occupiers wellbeing in both dwellings and the workplace is by reducing air leakage.

Detail showing a blower fan test equipment

Although the worst allowable air permeability stated in Building Regulations guidance has remained unchanged for some years at 10m3/hr/m2, the actual designed air leakage figure is much lower usually between 3 – 5m3/hr/m2; however, many construction companies are struggling to attain this lower air leakage figure.

If sufficient attention isn’t paid during the design and construction stages of a project, then the lower air leakage rate may be difficult to achieve and there is a much higher risk that the building will fail its airtightness test. Carrying out remediation sealing work and retesting when when a building fails can be a major headache, often leading to delays and cost over-runs.

In our experience, designing and constructing for Airtightness is not rocket science. While many things contribute to a building achieving its airtightness target, one of the biggest factors is usually down to the quality of on-site workmanship.

The key principles of achieving airtightness are as followings:

1. Having a simple air tightness design and construction strategy defined at design stage.
2. Drawings/details clearly identifying the location of the air-line from an early stage (the air-line is basically the elements that serve to provide an airtight envelope around the building).
3. Using building envelope components that are specified as airtight, such as windows, doors, curtain walling, roof lights etc.
4. Using common, easily repeatable details so reduce the chance of buildability issues.
5. Ensuring the building is correctly prepared in line with the air tightness checklists
6. Assigning a single individual to be the air tightness champion with overall responsibility for airtightness during the build and site preparation prior to the test.
7. Communicating the importance or airtightness throughout the entire project team and involving also trades that interface with one another.
8. Making it clear who is responsible for sealing in each instance and produce a sealing closing off sheet, so this process can be accurately monitored

In our experience air leakage commonly occurs at interfaces between construction elements, such as service penetrations and wall-to-roof junctions. Also, air leakage paths may be circuitous, meaning air may travel some distance through the building fabric between the points of entry and exit such as wall cavities etc.

The main areas of Air Leakage:

1. Seal all ducts and penetrations where the main services enter the building – we have encountered many tests where a water pipe duct has been left unsealed underneath kitchen units. After services have been installed in the duct, seal the rest of the duct.
2. Seal behind kitchen and utility room units at the wall/floor junction.
3. Seal all SVP and waste pipe penetrations passing through external walls and ceilings.
4. Make sure that the tops, sides & ends of all pipe/SVP boxing’s are sealed to prevent air leaking into the boxing, and escaping through SVP/waste pipe penetrations. This is particularly important for SVP boxing’s behind kitchen unit. Often the bottom of the SVP boxing is not sealed to the bottom of the floor so the air can escape straight out.
5. Bath and shower tray panels should be fitted and fully sealed.
6. All penetrations through floors & ceilings should be sealed.
7. The boiler flue must be sealed where it penetrates walls or ceilings.
8. Make sure all external door/window seals (if applicable) are installed.
9. In some houses, storage cupboards have been built into the roof space. The doors when closed should seal the room from the roof space. Fit draught excluder if necessary to top, bottom & sides of door/frame.
10. In houses constructed from Timber Frame or where DOT & DAB plasterboard has been fixed to the inside face of block work perimeter walls, the gap.
11. In between the bottom of the plasterboard and floors needs to be sealed at every floor level. Alternatively the gap between the bottom of the skirting board and floor can be sealed with mastic. This prevents air leaking behind the wall board and passing above the ceiling board, into the roof space.

Detail Showing the Main Air Leakage Paths

If you carefully check and prepare your building in-line with our air leakage checklist, it should help you pass your air tightness test at the first attempt. We have helped thousands of individuals and companies achieve their airtightness targets. Using our airtightness know how over many years of air testing and smoke surveys.

Whether you need air tightness test please contact us on info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk  to obtain a no obligation quote. If you need more information on how to prepare your building for the air test please download our air tightness testing checklist. 

Alternately, please visit our website at www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk  for more information on our precompletion testing services.

What is a Floor Plenum Test?
A floor plenum is a void between a building’s floor structure and a raised access floor. The floor plenum is used for distributing conditioned air to the spaces above.

It is important that conditioned air in a floor plenum flows into the occupied zone and does not leak into cavities, risers, stairwells, heating trenches or other adjacent zones. A properly sealed floor plenum will allow the floor grills and diffusers to fulfil their primary role of delivering air at the correct flow rate. As a result, the airtightness of floor plenums (or lack of) can be a serious energy efficiency issue and is essential for the whole air conditioning system to work.

Testing procedure BG65 / 2016, addresses these issues and places upper limits on the air leakage of floor plenums. Distinctions are made between air leakage to adjacent spaces – normally referred to as plenum leakage, and uncontrolled air leakage into conditioned zones – normally referred to as raised access floor leakage.

How is a floor plenum test carried out?

In brief, we remove a box a temporary a tile is removed from the plenum and our fan housing is installed directly above the opening. A fan is then installed into the box and this is all sealed against the floor. Any air handling ducts serving the test zone need to be turned off, isolated and temporarily sealed, stopping the passage of air to outside of the test zone via duct-work. Thereafter another tile is removed and a mock floor tile with a drill hole for the high pressure tube is installed in its place. After the equipment is set up a series of tests is undertake and the readings recorded and then checked against the floor plenum air tightness specification.

If the plenum test fails, you’re APT plenum test engineer will carry out a smoke test to look for air leakage paths. If you have floor or ceiling plenums in your building you need to be aware that a staggering 70-80% fail their first air tightness test. APT Sound Testing has years of experience of raised access floor plenum testing and can work with you to ensure you pass your floor plenum air test at the first attempt.

We can ensure that an onsite air test site audit is arranged as soon as the floor is in place; we can then undertake an initial floor plenum air test and smoke survey to check the air leakage result and check for air leakage paths within the plenum envelope. Once we have assessed the air leakage paths we can then supply a smoke survey report for your sealing contractors to use as reference to ensure your plenums are adequately sealed.

The most common air leakage paths within floor plenum construction

In order to create an effective airtight floor plenum and achieve a successful floor plenum air test, all mechanical and electrical penetrations and perimeter joints must be properly sealed. An evaluation of the following areas/components that can typically create Inefficiencies should be undertaken during the early design phases:

1. All service penetrations through the access floor, walls and subfloor including:
2. Cable bundles and cable trays
3. Pipes
4. Fire/plenum barriers
5. Cable trunking – must be internally sealed within the void
6. Masonry work – incomplete or poorly jointed masonry walls will result in greater air leakage. All masonry joints must be filled and masonry paint applied as a finish.
7. Risers need to be properly sealed throughout all plenums/ducting need to be sealed.
8. Plasterboard on studs at board edges and the ends below the raised floor level need to be sealed.
9. Gaps between compartment barriers, top of raised access floor and sub floor respectively need to be sealed.
10. Gaps between any curtain walling/glazing need to be sealed.

What happens if I fail my Floor Plenum Test?

A large number of floor plenums (70-80%) fail the initial air tightness test so don’t panic!

If we undertake the floor plenum test and it fails UKAS accredited test engineers will undertake a targeted smoke survey to highlight the main air leakage paths. We will then issue a detailed smoke survey report for your contactors to reference during the remedial sealing works. This will help us the remedial sealing works at they can quickly target the main air leakage paths within the floor plenum construction. We can also undertake thermal imaging surveys to pinpoint the main air leakage paths on the day of the plenum testing.

We also allow for the option of visiting site during the sealing works to ensure your contractors are adequately sealing the plenum prior to the second air tightness test. If you would like more information in regards to the most common air leakage paths visit our Plenum Testing page or call us on 01525 303905. Supporting document BG65 / 2016 also contains lots of information on how to design, constructing and test floor plenums.

Alternatively, for more information on all our services please visit our website at: www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk  

Sound Insulation Testing in London

London is a massive city containing over 9 million people density and high rise apartments. With many living in this overcrowded environment it is essential that noise transference between adjoining properties in kept to a minimum for the occupant’s wellbeing. One way of ascertaining that a building is in compliance with Building Regulations Part E for the prevention of noise transference, is to undertake Sound Insulation Testing in London.

We have undertaken thousands of sound insulation tests throughout London and the South East on all types of projects from simple flat conversions to large developments containing hundreds of flats. We also undertake Sound Insulation Testing where a lease holder dispute has arisen, i.e. where the buildings lease stipulates that wooden floors should not be used instead of carpets and as a result of the change of floor finish the noise levels have increased – especially the impact noise. We can also undertake sample sound testing to highlight the existing noise levels so a targeted acoustic design can be undertaken.

Plate A – Tapping Machine for Impact Sound Testing

Currently we are also experiencing a rise in the amount of sound testing required to existing blocks of flats, such as existing council stock. This is hardly surprising as the amounts of noise complaints have more than doubled within the last 10 years due to residents experiencing excess noise between the dividing wall and floor partitions.  By utilising our extensive knowledge of different materials and construction we can forward a simple, explanative cost effective solution for wall and/or floor upgrade. Where our clients have followed our advice they have achieved a 100% success sound test pass rate, ensuring compliance with Part E of Building Regulations.

The Sound Testing procedure is fairly simple and our engineer will be happy to explain this on site. Essentially, for party walls there is one type of sound insulation test which is airborne sound test and for compartment floors there are two types of sound insulation tests which are airborne and impact sound insulation tests. 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 corresponding sound level is measured on the other side of the partition. Impact sound insulation tests are carried out by means of a tapping machine placed on the floor sample to be measured and the noise measured in the room or space below

All our engineers carry out the sound test measurements in full accordance with the measurement procedures of BS EN ISO 140-4:1998[3] for field measurements with a single figure DnTw and LnTw in accordance with BS EN ISO 717.

Ongoing problems with airborne and structure borne sound are often associated with direct noise flanking transmission through floors and supporting walls and other associated structures. One common cause of noise flanking is often associated with the inclusion of lightweight blocks within the construction of the building envelope and/or blocked cavities. It all cases it is essential to establish if your problem is due to direct transmission, flanking transmission or a combination of both so that the most cost effective remedial treatment can be chosen.

Unwanted noise travelling along flanking paths will make the building structure vibrate which causes the sound to radiate into your room. One simple cost effective 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) so it provides isolation between materials.

One way to reduce the chance of flanking transmission is through careful consideration to the design at the start of the project.  Unfortunately, by simply specifying high performance wall and floor partitions it is no guarantee to adequate sound isolation and successful sound testing.

Sound Insulation Testing in London
APT Sound Insulation Testing offer both preconstruction and post construction design solutions if a project has failed the sound testing. We also offer onsite inspection services to ensure that the sound insulation elements are being installed as per manufactures guild-lines.

If you require pre-completion sound testing and/or you would like acoustic design advice on your project, please contact us now at info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk.

Four Steps to Successful Sound Testing

New homes are built to high standards; however, acoustics and noise control are important factors requiring careful consideration during design and specification, as well as pre-completion commissioning testing. Why choose APT Sound Testing? We provide full turnkey solution to help our clients achieve Building Regulations Part E compliance. We provide a professional acoustic consultancy service to help developers tackle the key issues. We have carried out thousands of sound insulation tests since 2006 so we have a large amount of experience in regards to Building Regulations Part E compliance.

Our Four Stages Areas of expertise of tackling sound are:

1. Acoustic Design

During early design and construction process, we visit site to conduct a comprehensive acoustic design survey and review, we also take this opportunity to meet; where possible, the site/project manager, architects etc. The first stage of the acoustic design is to send through the design drawings – to include sections etc. so APT Sound Testing can review the design to check that the construction details proposed are capable of passing the sound tests. This usually takes place straight after planning has been approved as increased cost savings can be realised at the earliest stage.

APT Sound Testing will evaluate the construction methods and materials specified to ensure that they are capable of meeting the acoustic requirements of Approved document E. The typical areas we check are:

• There are no flanking points, where isolated partitions are wrongly mechanically fixed together to caused noise bridging.
• The walls and floors design are acoustically robust, to comply with Building Regulations Part E.
• 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 areas that get usually missed.
• Acoustic floor treatments are compatible with the proposed floor finishes i.e. Carpets, Laminates, Floor Tiles and under floor heating systems.

• Ongoing Site Construction

We provide the site team with on-going design support service, so you will have direct contact with the allocated acoustician from the start of the process through to the successful completion of the project. One of the most important services is the going site survey visits which allow our clients 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.

• Precompletion Sound Testing

Sound Testing for Part E of Building Regulations has been a mandatory requirement since July 2003. All new build dwellings and conversions which were built after this date require 10% of each party wall/floor construction type to be tested. Sound testing needs to be carried out between pairs of rooms separated by party walls and/or floors. In most cases the rooms to be sound tested will be the two main habitable rooms, i.e.  living rooms and bedrooms. 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.

There are two types of sound insulation testing – airborne and impact. Airborne tests may 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.

For vertically separated rooms, an Impact sound test may also be required. Impact testing is undertaken using a “tapping machine”, (as above) which 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.

All APT’s test engineers carry the latest Norsonic equipment, which are class one rating all of our acoustic testing/sound testing is completed to a strict quality controlled standard. We provide full ISO & UKAS complaint sound testing.

• Post Occupancy Sound Testing and Advice

We have carried out sound insulation testing and investigative/diagnostic work can help identify problems, especially if the specific properties of concern were not tested as part of a programme of precompletion testing. We also carry out sound testing and offer acoustic design advice where clients may have not followed the rules of their buildings lease agreements and installed timber floor etc. instead of the usually specified carpet finishes.

If you would like more information in regards to our acoustic design and/or sound insulation testing, please contact us at: info@aptsoundtesting.co.uk  or visit our website at: www.aptsoundtesting.co.uk. Alternatively you can call Darren on 07775623464.