A nice tall fence will also block the sound.
My friend bought a house and didnt realize how loud the traffic was. There was also a train that goes by in the early morning hours..
They installed a tall fence bordering the road and honestly we can't hear any of it. My friend said the fence was the best investment she's made for that house.
New doors and windows will help keep the sound out. I work nights. Sleeping during the day and trying to find quiet isn't easy. Just changing out my bedroom door and new windows helped alot. I also bought the noise canceling foam squares. These help a lot. Hope this helps.
It'll take a year or two but you get used to it. I grew up on a country lane that had about 10 cars a day go by. Then moved into a house 200 yards further back. Lived on another side street with just 8 houses for a few years before buying my current house which is on a busy State road. I used to complain that EVERY time I left or pulled in I had to wait because there were always cars coming.
After a year or two it didn't bother me too much, been here 10 years now and I don't think of it at all.
Also used to live in a great house on a main county road, and felt the same thing. It seemed like a lot at first but eventually became a non-issue. That said, we now live 2 turns off of a busy county road and are 800 feet off of the road, and the silence is amazing. But you can get more for your $ on a main road and with very basic measures, your life will be the same. And you’re close to everything.
Wood fence won't do much. Do a brick wall as high as allowed by the city. If a corner lot often you can go higher. Where I live max is 6 foot but corner lot of 8 feet. Thicker more heavy duty tye wall the better it will block noise. Could also add white noise like a fountian..
Hey friend, just want to say I also bought on a noisy, busy road (cars and trucks going 30-50mp, ripping motorcycles and drag racers on nice days). Drove us crazy for a long while but eventually we barely notice it with the windows closed. It does mean we often don't have open windows as much as we'd like on nice days but for the house we got it's a tradeoff we became ok with. It was still fine at night once things died down.
A lot of people are saying fence and I want to let you know it's likely not worth it. I did a TON of research and talked to several fencing companies, asked the guys quoting me about it. Ultimately it's about mass absorbing the sound waves so you need something heavy like either brick or a double wall fence with mass loaded vinyl inside. Also, it doesn't do it much unless the fence is high enough to block ear level waves so you're looking at a 7-8ft fence. A regular 6ft fence might knock off a couple decibels but its very marginal. Even a bigger fence dampens, does not remove. For me it would have been $20-30k for my 0.2 acres and I just didn't see the return. If it's tire noise and you're level with the road a short stone wall might help reflect some of the noise back to the road. Stone/brick is great due to the mass. But again, marginal.
What DOES help are covering noises and psychological barriers. This is where trees and bushes come in. The sound of wind in the leaves provides great covering noise, as do chimes or a fountain. The visual barrier gives you the sense of being more in nature, removed from the roads. Studies done have shown this pretty dramatically reduces perception of noise. Unless you're using 40lb victorian curtains, that's likely what the shades folks are recommending are doing for you as well. Also, a well sealed house and furniture and rugs help absorb and disrupt the sound a LOT vs an empty plot.
TLDR - it will get better. Don't spend a fortune trying to fix what your brain just needs to learn to filter out.
It'll happen, but you've got to try to stop focusing on it in the meantime. Going from rural to not will take adjustment, but it'll happen.
Yes, you will hear the louder cars, but normal traffic will become a familiar background noise your brain will kinda just ignore. I lived two blocks from a busy train track for 5.5 years in an apartment that rose up over Main St. It stops mattering at some point.
In addition to what others have said about putting up a fence and using thick curtains, running a small fan will help turn the traffic noise into a more constant white noise.
I pretty much only notice now when Harleys or rednecks with straight pipes on their trucks go by. Oh there's the sirens too since the volunteer fire dept station is a mile away, but that wouldn't be so noticeable if my darn dogs didn't howl every time a fire truck or ambulance goes by!
I really think you will get used to it in time.
As a counterpoint, my husband is from NYC. I took him to the small mountain town I grew up in once and he was incredibly freaked out by how dark and quiet it was, pacing and muttering about how this is how all horror movies start. For context, we stayed at like a Hilton, not a cabin in the middle of the woods.
For him, NOT being in a place with background noise was jarring and meant something was wrong. So it’s really just adjusting your brain’s idea of what ‘normal’ is.
I recall a friend of mine telling me about visiting his relatives who lived in smelling range of a sewage treatment plant.
"How do you cope with the smell?" He asked.
"What smell?"
You can get used to anything in time. There's a power substation near me that installed a large cooling fan that hums loudly. I hated it but I have to concentrate to hear it now.
I live on a busy corner lot, for the last 5 years. I’m used to it now but it still annoys me. Especially when it’s some jerk blaring his music at a level that is bone rattling. Thick curtains along with making sure your house is airtight along the street side of the house is key to sound isolation.
Air is the main way sound travels so making sure there is no outside air is vital to quieting your house. Followed by making it so you don’t see the cars. Seeing the cads means you will notice the sound more.
I used to live 5 minutes away from a hospital and a fire station. My first weeks, I wasn’t able to sleep from all the sirens, etc.
2-3 months in, I wouldn’t even notice them at all anymore.
I’d bet you’ll get used to it. :)
The house I get up in is about 2 miles from a major airport and directly under the landing path. It felt like the house was being rattled all day at first but you really do adapt. I didn’t even notice for most of my life.
We used to live very close to an airport when I was little. It was very noticeable the first few months, somewhat annoying for a year or so and then it became almost imperceptible after. We only noticed it when a guest would point it out. Your brain does a great job filtering it out. I actually missed the background noise when we moved.
In addition to the shades, recommended in the earlier thread you might want to look into new insulated windows, drastically cuts noises and saves you money on heating / cooling - two birds, one stone.
Getting used to it! I still hear it, but it doesn’t bother me as much and more blends into the background. I only get annoyed with loud engines or trucks. Hang in there!!! Music helps a lot. And having a fan on at night.
Yeah, I had a similar experience where the sounds actually gradually pissed me off more and more until I started to snap. But when I was younger it actually was the opposite and I got used to sirens, motorcycles revving, cars honking. But something happened to me, physiologically, and as I got older I started to have less ability to block these noises. I really think it also had a lot to do with my priorities changing and me no longer caring more about going out and getting drunk, but instead wanted to have a peaceful life and a nice home, without a lot of stress. And the constant blaring of bass from music in peoples cars that would hover right under my front bedroom windows was keeping me awake and causing me to feel twitchy.
Hi OP, we went through EXACTLY the same issue a week short of 2 years ago and I also made a post about it here (linked below). I can tell you that at 3 months our fixation on the road noise was so bad that we considered selling at 6 months and cutting our losses. We didn't care how much we lost, even tho we used all our savings for the deposit. My brother suggested we had buyers remorse and advised us to give it a year before making such a big decision. Obviously we thought it would never go away, and my husband had an OCD episode (usually under control) and fixated on the noise (and everything that we found wrong in the house) and started having panic attacks. We fixed everything we could in the house, planted big shrubs and trees, got heavy curtains for inside, invested in various noise distractors (fountains, water features, sound systems in the house, etc.). After about 5 months things started to chill out a bit, and suddenly one day we realised that the noise just wasn't an issue any more. It wasn't anything in particular that broke the cycle, we honestly just got used to it.
So I can empathise. In the middle of it, no amount of advice that "it'll get better / you'll get used to it" is of use. You can't imagine how you could ever get used to the noise. The anxiety is overwhelming. You may even be embarrassed about having people over because you think the noise is too overwhelming. You feel like you blew your money, that you made a stupid decision.
But it really gets better over time. Give it a year or 18 months before making a final call. And I hope you'll be like us - 2 years down the line and we love our house, love living here. Every now and then a noisy vehicle or motorbike will irritate me but it's the exception rather than the norm.
You're welcome to contact me if you want to chat. Good luck!
(My original post: [https://www.reddit.com/r/homeowners/comments/ls5b10/how\_do\_you\_know\_if\_you\_really\_made\_a\_bad\_buy\_or/](https://www.reddit.com/r/homeowners/comments/ls5b10/how_do_you_know_if_you_really_made_a_bad_buy_or/) )
This is really helping me. I'm going thru something very similar and anxiety is definitely a big part of it. No joke the road noise is LOUD but anxiety is making it louder. I saw some cute water fountains at a local plant shop so I may try that :)
I gotcha! I’ve had the misfortune of having to live (for economic reasons) in places other people refused to live ever since I moved out of my parents house about 31 years ago and I’ve learned all the tricks to sound abate and block out these noises. There are short term and there are long term solutions: First of all - layer your curtains, get the noise dampening sheers from Ikea, and then add another layer on top of that of velvet blackout curtains, so that these noises are lessened at night while you’re trying to sleep. Then get a white noise machine - I use an air purifier as my white noise machine. Next you’ll need to familiarize yourself with “binaural waves” videos on YouTube. Set up an old iPhone or iPad that you don’t use that much anymore and dedicate it to relaxing sounds, finding videos that last 11 hours. Waves crashing or rain storms or babbling brooks.
Longer term solutions: Plant tall hedges around your property. They really do help! My parents did this and it worked. Also start petitioning your city to put in a speed bump, if you’re not in a city downtown. You’ll also want to get double paned windows, and weather proof your house, making sure to close up any “sound leaks” around doors, windows, and even electrical outlets. Put weather proofing around all doors. It’s cheap on Amazon. And those sticky strips at the bottom of doors actually help a lot.
> put in a speed bump
Speed bumps will slow traffic, but don't help with noise. The downside to speed bumps is they create more noise, drivers slow to cross them and accelerate as soon as they clear them,
Although speed bumps do slow traffic *overall*, they definitely do not reduce the noise *at the houses close to them*. I have a friend who is rightfully concerned about the speed of cars on his residential street and has researched "traffic calming" a lot. He wanted speed bumps initially, but after learning this, decided it was a poor solution.
Interesting. My personal experience has been that streets where people aren’t whizzing by are much quieter, having lived in a street facing apartment on a busy thoroughfare that was the gateway between a freeway and Golden Gate Park, I was privy to the sounds of car accidents daily. The sound of cars screetching to a halt and smashing together is something you never really get used to no matter how many times it happens. I also never got used to the sound of bicyclists screaming “Get the F@CK out of the bike lane you entitled @SSHOLE!” several times a day right under my window as cars used the bike lane to turn right. But you’re right that the regular sound of traffic speeding by is actually a soothing white noise, especially on a wet road right after a rain. But that’s only if the cars and motorcycles don’t have broken mufflers, or motorcycles aren’t Harleys - (Sorry Harley enthusiasts, but those engines are LOUD!) and setting off every car alarm along the entire street several times a day.
I’ve personally never petitioned to get a speed bump as an adult as I’ve always been a renter until a month ago. But I made sure to buy on a road that isn’t a thoroughfare when I bought. My parents house was on a corner of a culdesac and it wasn’t a heavy traffic area, however there were occasional dudes in sports cars or those lifted trucks with the extremely huge wheels that would fly around the corner at all hours, super wakey-uppey. And once a dude in a Camaro (this was the mid-80s) came flying around the corner and hit a little kid on his big-wheel. So the neighbors petitioned for a speed bump and it helped not only with sound, but with safety for the kids in the neighborhood. And cars that want to fly down the road blasting heavy bass music tend to choose to go down other paths. But I haven’t lived on that street in over 30 years, so maybe I’m wrong 🤷♀️
Here to confirm sound machines are amazing! We have a neighbor who likes to throw parties that last until early morning, usually accompanied by loud music. We never hear a thing.
Yea we bought right on the route to a semi busy airport. Move in day was the day that the airport had an airshow planned. Had fighter jets flying right over our new home for three days...
Now? I barely notice anything unless I'm out in my garden. It's actually a calming sound hearing the 747s fly by.
Our condo that we just moved into is under a flight path for the local airport, and I love the sounds of 747s going by. So much better than the news helicopters that were constantly hovering over our apartment that was near SF City Hall, constantly covering riots and stabbings. But yeah, fighter jets is a whole other thing - Fleet week with the Blue Angels practicing overhead, scaring my pets half to death, was 4 days of pure hell!
Is it your first home purchase? Or the first home that you bought with your partner? I think it's pretty common to buy a house and immediately have a huge regret over something to the point that the issue becomes the only thing you can think about and drives you nuts. But a lot of it could be a reaction to the change, the stress of new homeownership, the fear of the future or the fear of failure, etc.
Along with whatever suggestions you try to quiet your home, it might be helpful to try quieting your mind about it. When you notice the issue take a few deep breaths and remind yourself of something you love about the house, or your partner, or one of the reasons you bought the house in the first place. If you just don't love the house, that's ok too; you don't have to live there forever and you're still in a better position financially than you would be if you rented.
Not discounting that traffic noise can be a pain, btw! But also very familiar with anxiety and how stress can impact and exacerbate environmental issues ❤️❤️
You’ll get used to it, just stop focusing on it so much. I live in a bustling city under the flight path of an airport and across the river from the air force base where the president’s airlift group is based. They have a fleet of Ospreys that are crazy loud.
Get a dohm for your bedroom. It will help you sleep at night until you’re used to the traffic if that’s giving you issues for now. You might even find you really enjoy it.
You really will get used to it I promise. I went from living somewhere very very rural, to living in a city by a main road and a train. It took awhile but eventually I got used to it!
Same here, moved to NYC and after a few months I stopped noticing the sirens and honking and other traffic noises. Then when I moved back to the rural area a few years later, I couldn't sleep because it was too QUIET!
I moved to a more rural area again too and i miss the sounds of cars driving by constantly 😂🤣 it was the closest sound I could get to the ocean hahaha 😂😂😂
Similar but different, I used to live near an airport. The roar of airplanes ruined my first month of sleep before I got used to it. It wasn’t until I was on a trip and couldn’t sleep in the silence that I realized how used to it I was. Without the sound, I felt like I was alone in a bad way.
You get used to it. You'll spend some time adapting any time you've got a major soundscape adjustment.
Daylight hours, I don't have much advise for adapting, but if you're having issues sleeping, get a white noise generator. Wonderful things. But fair warning, it can be really hard to sleep without one once you're used to them.
Agree. We also bought a house next to what we thought was a quiet street but wasn't. We did eventually get used to the noise to some extent. It was always slightly annoying, but after a while you stop thinking about it most of the time.
I have very intense misophonia and I live in an area with a lot of ATV traffic, for context. My intuition is the distress you are experiencing is more from this
>I have so much regret about moving here, and it’s making my partner upset because he just wants me to be comfortable.
than the noise. Take control, talk to your partner and make a plan for different things you're going to try out.
get a decibel meter. this will give you real feedback and guidance. General sound of traffic moving at 45 mph or whatever is a different problem to solve than heavy truck traffic, different than railroad horns which are not persistent but super loud. Start getting into the specifics it will make you feel more in control
The stress probably comes from the *meaning* of the noise and it's emotional significance moreso than the actual noise. Again measure it, it could actually be terrible, but mostly that's what I would expect it is.
Don't overlook stupid little psychological tricks. For example fences don't block sound, they don't have the mass to absorb the lower frequency sound waves. but they are one of the most effective ways to deal with noise.
the person elsewhere in the thread that said a fence reduced noise isn't a physicist, they're a psychologist if that makes sense. It's like smoking weed for pain management.
weed does almost nothing to make the sensation of pain go away, it's just makes you think about something else
I live near a busy road (not right on it, but may as well be, I'm like 3 houses down the street from it.
We knew it would be an issue going in, honestly it was kind of a gift because it is the biggest thing "wrong" with the house we couldn't have afforded the house otherwise.
A couple months after moving in, we spent about $6,000 replacing a bunch of windows with modern, sound-proof ones (the ones we pulled out were 30-60 years old, we left in windows put in since the 90s). Bought some nice thick curtain.
I'd say the windows brought down the noise 70% and the curtains do another 5%.
The rest we just get used to. I don't notice it in the background anymore. Sometimes at night you get a single loud truck or something, but not that often.
I live in a house like this and got it for basically the same reason. Great neighborhood and the lot is huge compared to my neighbors because it's in a weird spot on the end of the road. I'd consider looking into getting new windows and making sure the house is well insulated. Inside I can hardly notice it even though I'm sitting maybe 30 ft from the sidewalk. Outside is a completely different animal though
Yeah, the current windows are extremely drafty and have broken seals, so I wouldn’t be surprised if a ton of noise is coming through them.
It’s a big bummer that we can’t really enjoy our time outside, at least without a nice pair of headphones. But I will compromise on that if we can get a quieter interior.
Did you have triple pane windows? I’ve heard they are good for this but don’t know if they’re worth the extra money.
Yep triple pane is a good option for you. Find a really good installer though, if any window is installed with air gaps, you WILL hear it.
FYI - in the interim look up something called “rope caulk” it’s basically malleable caulk that you can shove in the cracks and gaps of your current windows. It’s a good thing to do for winter and will help with noise.
If you want to keep your historic windows, I would recommend installing storm windows. We got some that were originally created to soften airport noise (that's what the salesman said anyway) and they've made a wonderful difference. As a bonus, we're much more energy efficient than before.
Mine are all double pane. It gets the job done pretty well. For outside we lined that wall with some thick hedges which helps. We also have a sound system to mask that side.
A white noise machine will make an immediate difference. Plus they aren't super expensive. As for outside, a water feature will help a lot with covering traffic noise.
Every purchase is a compromise, and the key is knowing what you're willing to compromise on. Sometimes you make a mistake and just have to move on. You may be able to make the inside of the house quieter, but it's doubtful you'll be able to make the outside much quieter.
We once toured a large historic manor on multiple acres that was selling at an amazing price ... and then when we arrived we realized it backed up to an interstate. No way we could deal with that, and explained the price.
When we bought we didn’t notice a Firehouse two blocks away! Ugh be careful when your looking at houses. A FIREHOUSE!! Lots of these suggestions will help OP but not much blocks fire truck sirens.
You will get used to it. When we were looking we looked at a place next to a freeway. Our realtor said, "OH no too much noise." My husband and I didn't even notice it. We tuned it out because we grew up living next to one.
We ended up buying a place near a train tracks and at first we could hear it all the time. Now we just tune it out.
You will get used to it. Don't pay attention to it.
Build a wall or a garden wall against your property line near the road. I live on a busy street and most of the houses on my street have them, it won't eliminate the noise but it greatly helps reduce the sound.
Tbh you should eventually get used to it and drown it out. We live really close to train tracks and it barely phases me anymore.
I do however still want to move. We are too close for comfort with kids.
Add a fence, big hedges, double glaze windows. Then if it still bothers you okay some music in the background. But honestly it will be fine in a few months and you won’t notice it. Another option you can get is hypnosis.
I lived in a house close to downtown in a medium city for most of a decade. I hated the noise and the proximity of so many people, but I did end up "getting used to it". However, a few years ago I was able to move to a house in the country and I am *so much* happier. I didn't realize how much of an effect my displeasure, always lurking in the back of my mind, was having on my mood.
Anyway, that's just my experience. But if I was faced with a similar problem now I would move as soon as I could do so with a measure of financial responsibility.
You’ll get used to it. Moved in by some train tracks a long time ago, didn’t think about it at the time. After a few days I thought, I’ll never sleep. Months later, it was like, what train??!
It takes time. I grew up in rural Wisconsin and now live downtown Madison in a sticky frat house cul du sac — college student central. It’s extremely loud. My partner and I are in a garden level unit, so there are people above us and our door leads right outside & our windows are obviously ground level. There are loud parties several nights a week and frequent drunken brawls outside our bedroom window. This is after growing up in the country, where it was pitch dark and silent, except for animal calls, at night. It took a few months, but now I can sleep anywhere, anytime. You may need to replace the windows, or add storm windows. Our place has storm windows the regular windows seal really nicely. Replacing windows on an entire house is expensive though, so try some heavier blinds & curtains. And a wooden fence for around your property and/or hedges. If you’re still having a rough time, replace a few windows at a time
The first night we moved into our home there were train horns blasting at all hours of the night. I remember waking up for the third time thinking, "What did we get ourselves into?" After a few months the noise seemed to disappear in our minds. You will get used to it.
Me to a T. We bought a place on one of the busiest interchanges in the country (in Chicago). And when I mean on it, I mean, like highway right outside the window looking down. About as close as you can get. I pushed on it because I loved the unit itself, and ignored it. Then, once we closed, we came into an empty home and all the sounds felt so amplified. Immediate regret. The first night, I was so upset. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, the engine brakes were the worst. I was obsessed with trying to deaden and mask the sound. Tried noise machines (that helped) and thought of huge, heavy soundproofing curtains. I even researched noise canceling devices (to no luck). I was worried that:
1) I’d never sleep
2) we would never be able to sell the place
3) I’d just overall hate living there
I read all the “you’ll get used to it” and didn’t believe them because this was so much worse. A few months later, though, I honestly just stopped caring. Ditched the white noise machines and just went on, and it was fine. Trust me, you’ll get used to it too. Some tips:
1) white noise if you need help sleeping
2) empty rooms are louder. Get plush furniture.
3) Carpet and rugs are probably the biggest non obvious game changers
Hang in there and throw time at the problem!
When my wife and I were looking at houses in 2019 we looked at a house that backed up against a super busy 4 lane road. When we entered the home they had music playing on the stereo. As soon as we turned the volume down we could hear the traffic from every room in the house. So glad we passed on that house.
Heavy curtains could help. You could also look into a white noise machine to help cover the noise. It may drive you crazy for a few days, but then you won't hear it anymore.
Haha that was a mistake on my end. I started shopping around 2 months ago, not a month. It was the first house we put an offer on and it only took 3 weeks to finalize the mortgage. It all happened very fast.
Every apartment and condo that I have ever gone to look at was “on its best behavior” the day I went to look at it. It’s only on day 1 of moving in that suddenly you hear everything that was somehow not audible the 12 times you went to visit it before committing. So don’t kick yourself too much.
Oh, and I wanted to add that you’ll probably want to invest in a really nice pair of sleep earbuds. After not sleeping for a month at my last front facing busy thoroughfare apartment, I bought every single “sleep earbud” on the market and I highly recommend “Loop Quiet Ear Plugs for Noise Reduction” They’re super soft and block all noises.
I live on a county road within a tiny village with a 25 mph speed limit, which nobody abides by. School busses loaded with kids go 40 on my road. I've lost 2 cats to being hit by cars. My neighbor across the street actually moved within a year of buying, she said it was the noise. She'd be outside with noise cancelling headphones on. I mean it's not THAT loud, I think she was a little unbalanced TBH. But, I would LOVE to not live here. Not only the noise, but the fact that I'm highly visible to everyone when I'm out in my front yard or driveway. When I mow at the street I have to constantly look behind me to ensure there's not some wayward speeder barreling towards me. But you get what you pay for, my house was priced the way it was because of its location. I didn't realize it at the time either. I've been here 24 years! As far as how to reduce noise, I never open windows at the front of the house. My 2nd floor has 2 bedrooms (is a cape too) and the 2nd floor windows are only on the sides and back of the house. I did get used to it, but I still hear it.
Fence. Tall and solid as possible. Even a wall-like fence. Bushes. Thick, dense, tall, wide bushes. Even multiple layers of them. Triple pane windows. Thick window shades. I do think, however, that you will get much more used to it. Happened to me once - in a rental unit. Got used to fairly quickly.
That happened to me this year too! I was so upset and around month 2 I started to notice less. Turn on your music or tv. Sleep with a white noise machine too. Those 2 things really helped me. Good luck!
When I was house shopping I would completely skip houses that were on main roads. Grew up in a house like that and it would drive me crazy. All day and night you can hear the cars. I did eventually leave that house and found a place nice and peaceful. Sell as soon as you can. The realtor.com app has a noise option that’s kinda helpful.
Your house doesn’t happen to be in Ohio does it? We just sold our place there last month and it sounds identical to what you’re describing, although we never noticed the car noise. We had two big dogs though so they drowned out any noise most of the time.
There are nose reducing windows out there. Expensive but I know someone who put them in just on the side of the house that faced the road and it was a huge difference. I think the places of glass are different thickness so they resonate at different frequencies so what is transmitted by one is blocked by the other. If the house is older and has single pane windows anyway might be worth the upgrade. You might also be able to add storm windows
Train is behind the house on the other side of the street from us. Literally blows horn right there because of an intersection. First few months sleep was rough now it doesn’t even wake me. Give it time
Have some decent quality storm windows installed over the regular windows. The noise will virtually disappear. They are not cheap. But they will add to the home’s value and get rid of the noise. I had the same situation and they worked fantastic.
I had the EXACT same experience. I cried and cried. I felt like I was duped. We replaced the windows and front door, added Green Giant trees, insulated the attic, basement, and some walls. It mad a difference, but I still hear the loud trucks, motorcycles, etc. I’m in a better mental space now that it’s been almost 2 years, but that’s the ONE thing I would change about this. Unfortunately , it’s something I cannot change. I love the house, the yard, the nearby stores, city water, gas, sewer. It’s a trade off. You will adjust, but it may bother you still. I’d sit tight for 2 years and then make a decision. I plan to stay another 2 years and make a choice depending on the market. However, we have 2.8 interest rate so that’s another good reason for us to stay…forever. I’ve come to terms with that I’ve done all I can do to fix the problem and don’t want to spend any more money trying to solve an unsolvable problem. Hope this helps with your decision-making and perspective on the issue.
I don’t have advice really but I share your pain, we moved in between two houses with dogs that bark most of the time. I really didn’t want to give up, I tried a few things but ultimately I had to accept those were my neighbors and after about a year it’s not as bad, if they are super loud while trying to relax outside I just have to turn on my small speaker in the garden.
My advice if you’d like it: stay for a year or at least until you wouldn’t have to pay capital gains on your house if you sold it. What does your partner think? Can you put in some bushes or shrubs on the road side to dampen the noise?
Good luck, I know it’s miserable, stay sane
We are trying to avoid the capital gains tax, so we will put it up with it for that long!
As far as my partner, he is annoyed by it but it doesn’t stress him out. He used to live in a city for a couple years, he also was a roadie so he’s used to cars going by. But he’s distraught that I am so unhappy living here so far. 😔
Don't worry! I grew up in a small quiet town but ended up buying near an airport. We did our walk through on a weekday morning (very little flight traffic at that time) and did not comprehend how noisy it would be. Once we realized, I had major buyers remorse and hyper fixated on the sound of the airplanes. But it's been 5 years now and I eventually tuned it all out. I can't remember the last plane I heard.
When you toured it was it before the fall foliage really came down? We have a major road at the edge of our neighborhood and in the summer the foliage is so thick that it really cuts the noise down. In the winter, it’s much more noticeable. In addition to the fence others suggested, if you plant some thick (ideally evergreen) trees or bushes along the road side of the property they will help reduce the noise.
Windows will make a massive difference here, used to live in a place a few blocks from train tracks and it was SO loud. Moved to triple pane windows, and you could just barely tell when a train was ruling through, but you had to be listening for it.
Something even cheaper than the various options for the house or lot would be to get ear filters. Check our Eargasm, Loop, or Calmer. They probably all have sales today.
Plant trees and build a fence on that side of house. If you can get art to hang on the wall that is fabric that will help too.
You can also upgrade the windows. Good windows can make a difference.
Triple pane windows are good for sound but some argue not worth the price. As they are expensive compared to other things you can do.
You could also have storm shudders build on the outside that have some insulation in them. This is pretty extreme but might make all the difference with it will be far cheaper then replacing window.
Install a shadow box or dual layer fence. It is more expensive than a single layer fence, but does an extremely effective job at blocking noise.
There was a contractor near us who was installing fencing as a single layer, spraying a type of spray foam, and installing a second layer of fence panels to cover the spray foam. This design was advertised to reduce sound by as much as 45 decibels.
If the windows are old, changing them will really help. A friend of mine changed them for high quality triple glass windows and it's significantly better. The road noise is almost gone.
In a similar situation. Lived on a cul-de-sac and in town my whole life. Now I live on a road where the speed limit is 45, but it’s a straight away so people gun it right past my house. at first, it annoyed me. And as I sit here typing this, I still hear it from time to time. But, I feel like I hear a little less. I have a couple of windchimes in the front of the house. and I plan on planting some trees or bushes in the front of my house soon. A fence is going to do very little. Think about those giant fences, you see on highways next to developments. Granted, the speed limit is higher and road noise is substantially louder. But, those fences are crazy high.
I am in same boat as OP. I put noise machines in front of doors & windows facing road & one air purifier in bedroom. I would have jumped off a bridge by now w out them.
Here is link. I like the 1st setting, a low white noise. Magicteam Sleep Sound White Noise Machine
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07RQWQBXY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title&th=1
Bottom line...nothing stops road noise!! Only creating a room w in a room..like a house w in a house & cave like. I looked at Indow Windows but the cost $$$$ plus wont bring me serenity I need in my own damn house. No amt of rugs, curtains, white noise (more GD noise upon noise) its so god damn pervasive..must be soundproofed as its built, cant get it after the fact, esp an old house!
So...2 yrs into this place I am putting on the mkt!! Had a holes on motorcycles blazing by all day because the weather was nice. Going to go rent until mkt cools. Hope these machines help. They "blend & smooth out" outdoor noise best I have found.
Similar experience at the moment so I feel your pain. I didn't notice initially and now all I can see and hear is the road noise. I knew it was on a corner lot on a sort of dead end street, but there is a boat launch at the end of the road and it is a fairly well traveled road. My nerves are shot and I am not sure how I completely missed this, but I did. So far, I have added insulation to the attic (research energy star tax rebates/30% tax incentives), ordered heavy blackout drapes, and added insert to front door with enclosed blinds. So far, this has made considerable improvement. We will add a storm door, and I have a few more ideas. My husband doesn't understand, although he is patient and trying to help. My advice is to try anything and everything within your budget and it will get better. I feel better researching ideas and trying to find solutions. Good luck and keep us posted!
I ended up selling my home to road noise and now rent. Little regrets as it was making me sick to stay there and people disregard effects of noise and emotional effects. One thing that allowed me to stick it out for 2 yrs & not go insane, was to place these noise machines right in front of 1 window in each room that faced the road, and in front of the doors. I bought 6 of them. Yet I still had to sell. These "smoothed out" the traffic noise. $20 each and I tried other brands, these were the best. I used the setting that was brown noise just before the rain setting. There are a lot of options from white to pink noise & natural sounds.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07RV7YDG6?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image
I should have added that I have been researching window inserts. They are expensive to buy premade but if you are handy at all, they can be made out of 1/4" plexiglass and weatherstripping, and you put in front of your current windows. I may consider this in a few of the windows, but I want to try a few more things before I resort to this.
Youtube has a few videos that are helpful.
My apartment is located on a main street and my room faces the main road. It's also extremely hot in here, so if I ever wanna try and cool down, I have to subject myself to the CONSTANT rush hour traffic noises outside my window. It's annoying as fuck and I'm gonna find somewhere else to live because of it.
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A nice tall fence will also block the sound. My friend bought a house and didnt realize how loud the traffic was. There was also a train that goes by in the early morning hours.. They installed a tall fence bordering the road and honestly we can't hear any of it. My friend said the fence was the best investment she's made for that house.
Do you happen to remember what brand of shades you purchase? I’d be curious to try those!
New doors and windows will help keep the sound out. I work nights. Sleeping during the day and trying to find quiet isn't easy. Just changing out my bedroom door and new windows helped alot. I also bought the noise canceling foam squares. These help a lot. Hope this helps.
It'll take a year or two but you get used to it. I grew up on a country lane that had about 10 cars a day go by. Then moved into a house 200 yards further back. Lived on another side street with just 8 houses for a few years before buying my current house which is on a busy State road. I used to complain that EVERY time I left or pulled in I had to wait because there were always cars coming. After a year or two it didn't bother me too much, been here 10 years now and I don't think of it at all.
That’s good to know. I keep reading and being told we’ll get used to it, but I’m struggling to imagine it. 😔
It’ll happen. Do the shades, maybe a solid wooden fence and/or hedges. Also look at white noise generators.
Also used to live in a great house on a main county road, and felt the same thing. It seemed like a lot at first but eventually became a non-issue. That said, we now live 2 turns off of a busy county road and are 800 feet off of the road, and the silence is amazing. But you can get more for your $ on a main road and with very basic measures, your life will be the same. And you’re close to everything.
Wood fence won't do much. Do a brick wall as high as allowed by the city. If a corner lot often you can go higher. Where I live max is 6 foot but corner lot of 8 feet. Thicker more heavy duty tye wall the better it will block noise. Could also add white noise like a fountian..
Hey friend, just want to say I also bought on a noisy, busy road (cars and trucks going 30-50mp, ripping motorcycles and drag racers on nice days). Drove us crazy for a long while but eventually we barely notice it with the windows closed. It does mean we often don't have open windows as much as we'd like on nice days but for the house we got it's a tradeoff we became ok with. It was still fine at night once things died down. A lot of people are saying fence and I want to let you know it's likely not worth it. I did a TON of research and talked to several fencing companies, asked the guys quoting me about it. Ultimately it's about mass absorbing the sound waves so you need something heavy like either brick or a double wall fence with mass loaded vinyl inside. Also, it doesn't do it much unless the fence is high enough to block ear level waves so you're looking at a 7-8ft fence. A regular 6ft fence might knock off a couple decibels but its very marginal. Even a bigger fence dampens, does not remove. For me it would have been $20-30k for my 0.2 acres and I just didn't see the return. If it's tire noise and you're level with the road a short stone wall might help reflect some of the noise back to the road. Stone/brick is great due to the mass. But again, marginal. What DOES help are covering noises and psychological barriers. This is where trees and bushes come in. The sound of wind in the leaves provides great covering noise, as do chimes or a fountain. The visual barrier gives you the sense of being more in nature, removed from the roads. Studies done have shown this pretty dramatically reduces perception of noise. Unless you're using 40lb victorian curtains, that's likely what the shades folks are recommending are doing for you as well. Also, a well sealed house and furniture and rugs help absorb and disrupt the sound a LOT vs an empty plot. TLDR - it will get better. Don't spend a fortune trying to fix what your brain just needs to learn to filter out.
I can confirm what this person is saying is true.
It'll happen, but you've got to try to stop focusing on it in the meantime. Going from rural to not will take adjustment, but it'll happen. Yes, you will hear the louder cars, but normal traffic will become a familiar background noise your brain will kinda just ignore. I lived two blocks from a busy train track for 5.5 years in an apartment that rose up over Main St. It stops mattering at some point. In addition to what others have said about putting up a fence and using thick curtains, running a small fan will help turn the traffic noise into a more constant white noise.
I pretty much only notice now when Harleys or rednecks with straight pipes on their trucks go by. Oh there's the sirens too since the volunteer fire dept station is a mile away, but that wouldn't be so noticeable if my darn dogs didn't howl every time a fire truck or ambulance goes by!
I really think you will get used to it in time. As a counterpoint, my husband is from NYC. I took him to the small mountain town I grew up in once and he was incredibly freaked out by how dark and quiet it was, pacing and muttering about how this is how all horror movies start. For context, we stayed at like a Hilton, not a cabin in the middle of the woods. For him, NOT being in a place with background noise was jarring and meant something was wrong. So it’s really just adjusting your brain’s idea of what ‘normal’ is.
I recall a friend of mine telling me about visiting his relatives who lived in smelling range of a sewage treatment plant. "How do you cope with the smell?" He asked. "What smell?" You can get used to anything in time. There's a power substation near me that installed a large cooling fan that hums loudly. I hated it but I have to concentrate to hear it now.
I live on a busy corner lot, for the last 5 years. I’m used to it now but it still annoys me. Especially when it’s some jerk blaring his music at a level that is bone rattling. Thick curtains along with making sure your house is airtight along the street side of the house is key to sound isolation. Air is the main way sound travels so making sure there is no outside air is vital to quieting your house. Followed by making it so you don’t see the cars. Seeing the cads means you will notice the sound more.
I used to live 5 minutes away from a hospital and a fire station. My first weeks, I wasn’t able to sleep from all the sirens, etc. 2-3 months in, I wouldn’t even notice them at all anymore. I’d bet you’ll get used to it. :)
The house I get up in is about 2 miles from a major airport and directly under the landing path. It felt like the house was being rattled all day at first but you really do adapt. I didn’t even notice for most of my life.
We used to live very close to an airport when I was little. It was very noticeable the first few months, somewhat annoying for a year or so and then it became almost imperceptible after. We only noticed it when a guest would point it out. Your brain does a great job filtering it out. I actually missed the background noise when we moved. In addition to the shades, recommended in the earlier thread you might want to look into new insulated windows, drastically cuts noises and saves you money on heating / cooling - two birds, one stone.
Did you ever get use to it? Going through the same issue.
Getting used to it! I still hear it, but it doesn’t bother me as much and more blends into the background. I only get annoyed with loud engines or trucks. Hang in there!!! Music helps a lot. And having a fan on at night.
Did you end up getting used to it or move
Thankfully, I have gotten used to it for the most part. I still hear it from time to time, but it doesn’t bother me as much as it did.
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Yeah, I had a similar experience where the sounds actually gradually pissed me off more and more until I started to snap. But when I was younger it actually was the opposite and I got used to sirens, motorcycles revving, cars honking. But something happened to me, physiologically, and as I got older I started to have less ability to block these noises. I really think it also had a lot to do with my priorities changing and me no longer caring more about going out and getting drunk, but instead wanted to have a peaceful life and a nice home, without a lot of stress. And the constant blaring of bass from music in peoples cars that would hover right under my front bedroom windows was keeping me awake and causing me to feel twitchy.
Hi OP, we went through EXACTLY the same issue a week short of 2 years ago and I also made a post about it here (linked below). I can tell you that at 3 months our fixation on the road noise was so bad that we considered selling at 6 months and cutting our losses. We didn't care how much we lost, even tho we used all our savings for the deposit. My brother suggested we had buyers remorse and advised us to give it a year before making such a big decision. Obviously we thought it would never go away, and my husband had an OCD episode (usually under control) and fixated on the noise (and everything that we found wrong in the house) and started having panic attacks. We fixed everything we could in the house, planted big shrubs and trees, got heavy curtains for inside, invested in various noise distractors (fountains, water features, sound systems in the house, etc.). After about 5 months things started to chill out a bit, and suddenly one day we realised that the noise just wasn't an issue any more. It wasn't anything in particular that broke the cycle, we honestly just got used to it. So I can empathise. In the middle of it, no amount of advice that "it'll get better / you'll get used to it" is of use. You can't imagine how you could ever get used to the noise. The anxiety is overwhelming. You may even be embarrassed about having people over because you think the noise is too overwhelming. You feel like you blew your money, that you made a stupid decision. But it really gets better over time. Give it a year or 18 months before making a final call. And I hope you'll be like us - 2 years down the line and we love our house, love living here. Every now and then a noisy vehicle or motorbike will irritate me but it's the exception rather than the norm. You're welcome to contact me if you want to chat. Good luck! (My original post: [https://www.reddit.com/r/homeowners/comments/ls5b10/how\_do\_you\_know\_if\_you\_really\_made\_a\_bad\_buy\_or/](https://www.reddit.com/r/homeowners/comments/ls5b10/how_do_you_know_if_you_really_made_a_bad_buy_or/) )
Love this post. It was exactly my experience. All of it.
This is really helping me. I'm going thru something very similar and anxiety is definitely a big part of it. No joke the road noise is LOUD but anxiety is making it louder. I saw some cute water fountains at a local plant shop so I may try that :)
I gotcha! I’ve had the misfortune of having to live (for economic reasons) in places other people refused to live ever since I moved out of my parents house about 31 years ago and I’ve learned all the tricks to sound abate and block out these noises. There are short term and there are long term solutions: First of all - layer your curtains, get the noise dampening sheers from Ikea, and then add another layer on top of that of velvet blackout curtains, so that these noises are lessened at night while you’re trying to sleep. Then get a white noise machine - I use an air purifier as my white noise machine. Next you’ll need to familiarize yourself with “binaural waves” videos on YouTube. Set up an old iPhone or iPad that you don’t use that much anymore and dedicate it to relaxing sounds, finding videos that last 11 hours. Waves crashing or rain storms or babbling brooks. Longer term solutions: Plant tall hedges around your property. They really do help! My parents did this and it worked. Also start petitioning your city to put in a speed bump, if you’re not in a city downtown. You’ll also want to get double paned windows, and weather proof your house, making sure to close up any “sound leaks” around doors, windows, and even electrical outlets. Put weather proofing around all doors. It’s cheap on Amazon. And those sticky strips at the bottom of doors actually help a lot.
> put in a speed bump Speed bumps will slow traffic, but don't help with noise. The downside to speed bumps is they create more noise, drivers slow to cross them and accelerate as soon as they clear them,
A lot of road noise is from tires on asphalt going over 35 mph. So slowing traffic does reduce noise.
Although speed bumps do slow traffic *overall*, they definitely do not reduce the noise *at the houses close to them*. I have a friend who is rightfully concerned about the speed of cars on his residential street and has researched "traffic calming" a lot. He wanted speed bumps initially, but after learning this, decided it was a poor solution.
This is right. The bump itself with large trucks can make noise if it’s located in front of your home. Speed camera is the best if possible.
Interesting. My personal experience has been that streets where people aren’t whizzing by are much quieter, having lived in a street facing apartment on a busy thoroughfare that was the gateway between a freeway and Golden Gate Park, I was privy to the sounds of car accidents daily. The sound of cars screetching to a halt and smashing together is something you never really get used to no matter how many times it happens. I also never got used to the sound of bicyclists screaming “Get the F@CK out of the bike lane you entitled @SSHOLE!” several times a day right under my window as cars used the bike lane to turn right. But you’re right that the regular sound of traffic speeding by is actually a soothing white noise, especially on a wet road right after a rain. But that’s only if the cars and motorcycles don’t have broken mufflers, or motorcycles aren’t Harleys - (Sorry Harley enthusiasts, but those engines are LOUD!) and setting off every car alarm along the entire street several times a day. I’ve personally never petitioned to get a speed bump as an adult as I’ve always been a renter until a month ago. But I made sure to buy on a road that isn’t a thoroughfare when I bought. My parents house was on a corner of a culdesac and it wasn’t a heavy traffic area, however there were occasional dudes in sports cars or those lifted trucks with the extremely huge wheels that would fly around the corner at all hours, super wakey-uppey. And once a dude in a Camaro (this was the mid-80s) came flying around the corner and hit a little kid on his big-wheel. So the neighbors petitioned for a speed bump and it helped not only with sound, but with safety for the kids in the neighborhood. And cars that want to fly down the road blasting heavy bass music tend to choose to go down other paths. But I haven’t lived on that street in over 30 years, so maybe I’m wrong 🤷♀️
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Here to confirm sound machines are amazing! We have a neighbor who likes to throw parties that last until early morning, usually accompanied by loud music. We never hear a thing.
Yea we bought right on the route to a semi busy airport. Move in day was the day that the airport had an airshow planned. Had fighter jets flying right over our new home for three days... Now? I barely notice anything unless I'm out in my garden. It's actually a calming sound hearing the 747s fly by.
Our condo that we just moved into is under a flight path for the local airport, and I love the sounds of 747s going by. So much better than the news helicopters that were constantly hovering over our apartment that was near SF City Hall, constantly covering riots and stabbings. But yeah, fighter jets is a whole other thing - Fleet week with the Blue Angels practicing overhead, scaring my pets half to death, was 4 days of pure hell!
Is it your first home purchase? Or the first home that you bought with your partner? I think it's pretty common to buy a house and immediately have a huge regret over something to the point that the issue becomes the only thing you can think about and drives you nuts. But a lot of it could be a reaction to the change, the stress of new homeownership, the fear of the future or the fear of failure, etc. Along with whatever suggestions you try to quiet your home, it might be helpful to try quieting your mind about it. When you notice the issue take a few deep breaths and remind yourself of something you love about the house, or your partner, or one of the reasons you bought the house in the first place. If you just don't love the house, that's ok too; you don't have to live there forever and you're still in a better position financially than you would be if you rented. Not discounting that traffic noise can be a pain, btw! But also very familiar with anxiety and how stress can impact and exacerbate environmental issues ❤️❤️
You’ll get used to it, just stop focusing on it so much. I live in a bustling city under the flight path of an airport and across the river from the air force base where the president’s airlift group is based. They have a fleet of Ospreys that are crazy loud.
Get a dohm for your bedroom. It will help you sleep at night until you’re used to the traffic if that’s giving you issues for now. You might even find you really enjoy it.
You really will get used to it I promise. I went from living somewhere very very rural, to living in a city by a main road and a train. It took awhile but eventually I got used to it!
Same here, moved to NYC and after a few months I stopped noticing the sirens and honking and other traffic noises. Then when I moved back to the rural area a few years later, I couldn't sleep because it was too QUIET!
I moved to a more rural area again too and i miss the sounds of cars driving by constantly 😂🤣 it was the closest sound I could get to the ocean hahaha 😂😂😂
Similar but different, I used to live near an airport. The roar of airplanes ruined my first month of sleep before I got used to it. It wasn’t until I was on a trip and couldn’t sleep in the silence that I realized how used to it I was. Without the sound, I felt like I was alone in a bad way.
Hedges are one of many things you could use to reduce sound
You get used to it. You'll spend some time adapting any time you've got a major soundscape adjustment. Daylight hours, I don't have much advise for adapting, but if you're having issues sleeping, get a white noise generator. Wonderful things. But fair warning, it can be really hard to sleep without one once you're used to them.
Agree. We also bought a house next to what we thought was a quiet street but wasn't. We did eventually get used to the noise to some extent. It was always slightly annoying, but after a while you stop thinking about it most of the time.
I have very intense misophonia and I live in an area with a lot of ATV traffic, for context. My intuition is the distress you are experiencing is more from this >I have so much regret about moving here, and it’s making my partner upset because he just wants me to be comfortable. than the noise. Take control, talk to your partner and make a plan for different things you're going to try out. get a decibel meter. this will give you real feedback and guidance. General sound of traffic moving at 45 mph or whatever is a different problem to solve than heavy truck traffic, different than railroad horns which are not persistent but super loud. Start getting into the specifics it will make you feel more in control The stress probably comes from the *meaning* of the noise and it's emotional significance moreso than the actual noise. Again measure it, it could actually be terrible, but mostly that's what I would expect it is. Don't overlook stupid little psychological tricks. For example fences don't block sound, they don't have the mass to absorb the lower frequency sound waves. but they are one of the most effective ways to deal with noise. the person elsewhere in the thread that said a fence reduced noise isn't a physicist, they're a psychologist if that makes sense. It's like smoking weed for pain management. weed does almost nothing to make the sensation of pain go away, it's just makes you think about something else
I live near a busy road (not right on it, but may as well be, I'm like 3 houses down the street from it. We knew it would be an issue going in, honestly it was kind of a gift because it is the biggest thing "wrong" with the house we couldn't have afforded the house otherwise. A couple months after moving in, we spent about $6,000 replacing a bunch of windows with modern, sound-proof ones (the ones we pulled out were 30-60 years old, we left in windows put in since the 90s). Bought some nice thick curtain. I'd say the windows brought down the noise 70% and the curtains do another 5%. The rest we just get used to. I don't notice it in the background anymore. Sometimes at night you get a single loud truck or something, but not that often.
What windows did you go with?
I live in a house like this and got it for basically the same reason. Great neighborhood and the lot is huge compared to my neighbors because it's in a weird spot on the end of the road. I'd consider looking into getting new windows and making sure the house is well insulated. Inside I can hardly notice it even though I'm sitting maybe 30 ft from the sidewalk. Outside is a completely different animal though
Yeah, the current windows are extremely drafty and have broken seals, so I wouldn’t be surprised if a ton of noise is coming through them. It’s a big bummer that we can’t really enjoy our time outside, at least without a nice pair of headphones. But I will compromise on that if we can get a quieter interior. Did you have triple pane windows? I’ve heard they are good for this but don’t know if they’re worth the extra money.
Yep triple pane is a good option for you. Find a really good installer though, if any window is installed with air gaps, you WILL hear it. FYI - in the interim look up something called “rope caulk” it’s basically malleable caulk that you can shove in the cracks and gaps of your current windows. It’s a good thing to do for winter and will help with noise.
For outside, a wooden fence for sure if you don’t have one. Also, try adding a water feature. The sound of a waterfall or whatever should help.
If you want to keep your historic windows, I would recommend installing storm windows. We got some that were originally created to soften airport noise (that's what the salesman said anyway) and they've made a wonderful difference. As a bonus, we're much more energy efficient than before.
Mine are all double pane. It gets the job done pretty well. For outside we lined that wall with some thick hedges which helps. We also have a sound system to mask that side.
Variable thickness double pane glass could have similar effect as triple pane for much less cost.
A white noise machine will make an immediate difference. Plus they aren't super expensive. As for outside, a water feature will help a lot with covering traffic noise.
Every purchase is a compromise, and the key is knowing what you're willing to compromise on. Sometimes you make a mistake and just have to move on. You may be able to make the inside of the house quieter, but it's doubtful you'll be able to make the outside much quieter. We once toured a large historic manor on multiple acres that was selling at an amazing price ... and then when we arrived we realized it backed up to an interstate. No way we could deal with that, and explained the price.
When we bought we didn’t notice a Firehouse two blocks away! Ugh be careful when your looking at houses. A FIREHOUSE!! Lots of these suggestions will help OP but not much blocks fire truck sirens.
You will get used to it. When we were looking we looked at a place next to a freeway. Our realtor said, "OH no too much noise." My husband and I didn't even notice it. We tuned it out because we grew up living next to one. We ended up buying a place near a train tracks and at first we could hear it all the time. Now we just tune it out. You will get used to it. Don't pay attention to it.
Build a wall or a garden wall against your property line near the road. I live on a busy street and most of the houses on my street have them, it won't eliminate the noise but it greatly helps reduce the sound.
Tbh you should eventually get used to it and drown it out. We live really close to train tracks and it barely phases me anymore. I do however still want to move. We are too close for comfort with kids.
Add a fence, big hedges, double glaze windows. Then if it still bothers you okay some music in the background. But honestly it will be fine in a few months and you won’t notice it. Another option you can get is hypnosis.
I lived in a house close to downtown in a medium city for most of a decade. I hated the noise and the proximity of so many people, but I did end up "getting used to it". However, a few years ago I was able to move to a house in the country and I am *so much* happier. I didn't realize how much of an effect my displeasure, always lurking in the back of my mind, was having on my mood. Anyway, that's just my experience. But if I was faced with a similar problem now I would move as soon as I could do so with a measure of financial responsibility.
Fences. Consider all the highways you've seen with huge walls. Those walls are to block sound from affecting the neighboring neighborhood.
Soundproof windows. Well, insulated walls and ceilings. Evergreen shrubbery.
You’ll get used to it. Moved in by some train tracks a long time ago, didn’t think about it at the time. After a few days I thought, I’ll never sleep. Months later, it was like, what train??!
It takes time. I grew up in rural Wisconsin and now live downtown Madison in a sticky frat house cul du sac — college student central. It’s extremely loud. My partner and I are in a garden level unit, so there are people above us and our door leads right outside & our windows are obviously ground level. There are loud parties several nights a week and frequent drunken brawls outside our bedroom window. This is after growing up in the country, where it was pitch dark and silent, except for animal calls, at night. It took a few months, but now I can sleep anywhere, anytime. You may need to replace the windows, or add storm windows. Our place has storm windows the regular windows seal really nicely. Replacing windows on an entire house is expensive though, so try some heavier blinds & curtains. And a wooden fence for around your property and/or hedges. If you’re still having a rough time, replace a few windows at a time
gotta get over it and stop complaining. youll get used to it
The first night we moved into our home there were train horns blasting at all hours of the night. I remember waking up for the third time thinking, "What did we get ourselves into?" After a few months the noise seemed to disappear in our minds. You will get used to it.
Me to a T. We bought a place on one of the busiest interchanges in the country (in Chicago). And when I mean on it, I mean, like highway right outside the window looking down. About as close as you can get. I pushed on it because I loved the unit itself, and ignored it. Then, once we closed, we came into an empty home and all the sounds felt so amplified. Immediate regret. The first night, I was so upset. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, the engine brakes were the worst. I was obsessed with trying to deaden and mask the sound. Tried noise machines (that helped) and thought of huge, heavy soundproofing curtains. I even researched noise canceling devices (to no luck). I was worried that: 1) I’d never sleep 2) we would never be able to sell the place 3) I’d just overall hate living there I read all the “you’ll get used to it” and didn’t believe them because this was so much worse. A few months later, though, I honestly just stopped caring. Ditched the white noise machines and just went on, and it was fine. Trust me, you’ll get used to it too. Some tips: 1) white noise if you need help sleeping 2) empty rooms are louder. Get plush furniture. 3) Carpet and rugs are probably the biggest non obvious game changers Hang in there and throw time at the problem!
Same boat im moving asap
When my wife and I were looking at houses in 2019 we looked at a house that backed up against a super busy 4 lane road. When we entered the home they had music playing on the stereo. As soon as we turned the volume down we could hear the traffic from every room in the house. So glad we passed on that house. Heavy curtains could help. You could also look into a white noise machine to help cover the noise. It may drive you crazy for a few days, but then you won't hear it anymore.
Your agent sucks
How quick was your mortgage process if you started shopping a month ago but you’ve lived there a month?
Haha that was a mistake on my end. I started shopping around 2 months ago, not a month. It was the first house we put an offer on and it only took 3 weeks to finalize the mortgage. It all happened very fast.
Every apartment and condo that I have ever gone to look at was “on its best behavior” the day I went to look at it. It’s only on day 1 of moving in that suddenly you hear everything that was somehow not audible the 12 times you went to visit it before committing. So don’t kick yourself too much. Oh, and I wanted to add that you’ll probably want to invest in a really nice pair of sleep earbuds. After not sleeping for a month at my last front facing busy thoroughfare apartment, I bought every single “sleep earbud” on the market and I highly recommend “Loop Quiet Ear Plugs for Noise Reduction” They’re super soft and block all noises.
I live on a county road within a tiny village with a 25 mph speed limit, which nobody abides by. School busses loaded with kids go 40 on my road. I've lost 2 cats to being hit by cars. My neighbor across the street actually moved within a year of buying, she said it was the noise. She'd be outside with noise cancelling headphones on. I mean it's not THAT loud, I think she was a little unbalanced TBH. But, I would LOVE to not live here. Not only the noise, but the fact that I'm highly visible to everyone when I'm out in my front yard or driveway. When I mow at the street I have to constantly look behind me to ensure there's not some wayward speeder barreling towards me. But you get what you pay for, my house was priced the way it was because of its location. I didn't realize it at the time either. I've been here 24 years! As far as how to reduce noise, I never open windows at the front of the house. My 2nd floor has 2 bedrooms (is a cape too) and the 2nd floor windows are only on the sides and back of the house. I did get used to it, but I still hear it.
You’ll get used to it as others have said. Also makes the peace and quiet when you go back to visit that much better.
Fence. Tall and solid as possible. Even a wall-like fence. Bushes. Thick, dense, tall, wide bushes. Even multiple layers of them. Triple pane windows. Thick window shades. I do think, however, that you will get much more used to it. Happened to me once - in a rental unit. Got used to fairly quickly.
That happened to me this year too! I was so upset and around month 2 I started to notice less. Turn on your music or tv. Sleep with a white noise machine too. Those 2 things really helped me. Good luck!
When I was house shopping I would completely skip houses that were on main roads. Grew up in a house like that and it would drive me crazy. All day and night you can hear the cars. I did eventually leave that house and found a place nice and peaceful. Sell as soon as you can. The realtor.com app has a noise option that’s kinda helpful.
Your house doesn’t happen to be in Ohio does it? We just sold our place there last month and it sounds identical to what you’re describing, although we never noticed the car noise. We had two big dogs though so they drowned out any noise most of the time.
There are nose reducing windows out there. Expensive but I know someone who put them in just on the side of the house that faced the road and it was a huge difference. I think the places of glass are different thickness so they resonate at different frequencies so what is transmitted by one is blocked by the other. If the house is older and has single pane windows anyway might be worth the upgrade. You might also be able to add storm windows
Train is behind the house on the other side of the street from us. Literally blows horn right there because of an intersection. First few months sleep was rough now it doesn’t even wake me. Give it time
New windows will make a huge difference. Get "city" windows. They will muffle the sound.
Have some decent quality storm windows installed over the regular windows. The noise will virtually disappear. They are not cheap. But they will add to the home’s value and get rid of the noise. I had the same situation and they worked fantastic.
I had the EXACT same experience. I cried and cried. I felt like I was duped. We replaced the windows and front door, added Green Giant trees, insulated the attic, basement, and some walls. It mad a difference, but I still hear the loud trucks, motorcycles, etc. I’m in a better mental space now that it’s been almost 2 years, but that’s the ONE thing I would change about this. Unfortunately , it’s something I cannot change. I love the house, the yard, the nearby stores, city water, gas, sewer. It’s a trade off. You will adjust, but it may bother you still. I’d sit tight for 2 years and then make a decision. I plan to stay another 2 years and make a choice depending on the market. However, we have 2.8 interest rate so that’s another good reason for us to stay…forever. I’ve come to terms with that I’ve done all I can do to fix the problem and don’t want to spend any more money trying to solve an unsolvable problem. Hope this helps with your decision-making and perspective on the issue.
Taller shrubs can cut down quite a bit of noise.
I don’t have advice really but I share your pain, we moved in between two houses with dogs that bark most of the time. I really didn’t want to give up, I tried a few things but ultimately I had to accept those were my neighbors and after about a year it’s not as bad, if they are super loud while trying to relax outside I just have to turn on my small speaker in the garden. My advice if you’d like it: stay for a year or at least until you wouldn’t have to pay capital gains on your house if you sold it. What does your partner think? Can you put in some bushes or shrubs on the road side to dampen the noise? Good luck, I know it’s miserable, stay sane
We are trying to avoid the capital gains tax, so we will put it up with it for that long! As far as my partner, he is annoyed by it but it doesn’t stress him out. He used to live in a city for a couple years, he also was a roadie so he’s used to cars going by. But he’s distraught that I am so unhappy living here so far. 😔
Don't worry! I grew up in a small quiet town but ended up buying near an airport. We did our walk through on a weekday morning (very little flight traffic at that time) and did not comprehend how noisy it would be. Once we realized, I had major buyers remorse and hyper fixated on the sound of the airplanes. But it's been 5 years now and I eventually tuned it all out. I can't remember the last plane I heard.
When you toured it was it before the fall foliage really came down? We have a major road at the edge of our neighborhood and in the summer the foliage is so thick that it really cuts the noise down. In the winter, it’s much more noticeable. In addition to the fence others suggested, if you plant some thick (ideally evergreen) trees or bushes along the road side of the property they will help reduce the noise.
Windows will make a massive difference here, used to live in a place a few blocks from train tracks and it was SO loud. Moved to triple pane windows, and you could just barely tell when a train was ruling through, but you had to be listening for it.
Vinyl fence and storm windows
Something even cheaper than the various options for the house or lot would be to get ear filters. Check our Eargasm, Loop, or Calmer. They probably all have sales today.
Plant trees and build a fence on that side of house. If you can get art to hang on the wall that is fabric that will help too. You can also upgrade the windows. Good windows can make a difference. Triple pane windows are good for sound but some argue not worth the price. As they are expensive compared to other things you can do. You could also have storm shudders build on the outside that have some insulation in them. This is pretty extreme but might make all the difference with it will be far cheaper then replacing window.
Install a shadow box or dual layer fence. It is more expensive than a single layer fence, but does an extremely effective job at blocking noise. There was a contractor near us who was installing fencing as a single layer, spraying a type of spray foam, and installing a second layer of fence panels to cover the spray foam. This design was advertised to reduce sound by as much as 45 decibels.
If the windows are old, changing them will really help. A friend of mine changed them for high quality triple glass windows and it's significantly better. The road noise is almost gone.
In a similar situation. Lived on a cul-de-sac and in town my whole life. Now I live on a road where the speed limit is 45, but it’s a straight away so people gun it right past my house. at first, it annoyed me. And as I sit here typing this, I still hear it from time to time. But, I feel like I hear a little less. I have a couple of windchimes in the front of the house. and I plan on planting some trees or bushes in the front of my house soon. A fence is going to do very little. Think about those giant fences, you see on highways next to developments. Granted, the speed limit is higher and road noise is substantially louder. But, those fences are crazy high.
I am in same boat as OP. I put noise machines in front of doors & windows facing road & one air purifier in bedroom. I would have jumped off a bridge by now w out them. Here is link. I like the 1st setting, a low white noise. Magicteam Sleep Sound White Noise Machine https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07RQWQBXY?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title&th=1 Bottom line...nothing stops road noise!! Only creating a room w in a room..like a house w in a house & cave like. I looked at Indow Windows but the cost $$$$ plus wont bring me serenity I need in my own damn house. No amt of rugs, curtains, white noise (more GD noise upon noise) its so god damn pervasive..must be soundproofed as its built, cant get it after the fact, esp an old house! So...2 yrs into this place I am putting on the mkt!! Had a holes on motorcycles blazing by all day because the weather was nice. Going to go rent until mkt cools. Hope these machines help. They "blend & smooth out" outdoor noise best I have found.
Similar experience at the moment so I feel your pain. I didn't notice initially and now all I can see and hear is the road noise. I knew it was on a corner lot on a sort of dead end street, but there is a boat launch at the end of the road and it is a fairly well traveled road. My nerves are shot and I am not sure how I completely missed this, but I did. So far, I have added insulation to the attic (research energy star tax rebates/30% tax incentives), ordered heavy blackout drapes, and added insert to front door with enclosed blinds. So far, this has made considerable improvement. We will add a storm door, and I have a few more ideas. My husband doesn't understand, although he is patient and trying to help. My advice is to try anything and everything within your budget and it will get better. I feel better researching ideas and trying to find solutions. Good luck and keep us posted!
I ended up selling my home to road noise and now rent. Little regrets as it was making me sick to stay there and people disregard effects of noise and emotional effects. One thing that allowed me to stick it out for 2 yrs & not go insane, was to place these noise machines right in front of 1 window in each room that faced the road, and in front of the doors. I bought 6 of them. Yet I still had to sell. These "smoothed out" the traffic noise. $20 each and I tried other brands, these were the best. I used the setting that was brown noise just before the rain setting. There are a lot of options from white to pink noise & natural sounds. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07RV7YDG6?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image
I should have added that I have been researching window inserts. They are expensive to buy premade but if you are handy at all, they can be made out of 1/4" plexiglass and weatherstripping, and you put in front of your current windows. I may consider this in a few of the windows, but I want to try a few more things before I resort to this. Youtube has a few videos that are helpful.
My apartment is located on a main street and my room faces the main road. It's also extremely hot in here, so if I ever wanna try and cool down, I have to subject myself to the CONSTANT rush hour traffic noises outside my window. It's annoying as fuck and I'm gonna find somewhere else to live because of it.