Q–We use the extra room near our living room as an office for my law practice. However, even with the door to this office closed, I can still hear music and conversation in the next room.
What can I do to keep this noise out, and to make sure conversations with my clients will not be heard in the next room?
A–If the door between the two rooms is hollow (most are), replace it with a solid wood door, which is a better sound barrier.
A solid, heavier door will do a better job of stopping sound transmission. Also, install foam weather-stripping around the top and sides of the doorway to further block out noise.
The best solution is to install two doors in that opening, with one door swinging into the office and one door swinging into the adjacent room. When both doors are closed there is a dead air space trapped between them, and this air space will greatly help cut down on the passage of noise between rooms. In addition, install weather-stripping at the bottom of each door.
Q–The flush mechanism in my new toilet tank makes quite a noise–like a hissing sound–just before it shuts off. Have you any idea what could be causing this?
A–Some brands of ball cock (the intake valve mechanism inside the tank) are much quieter than others. However, in some cases a louder than normal noise can be the result of too much water pressure coming into the tank. You can test for this by simply closing down on the shut-off valve on the intake line under your tank (to reduce the amount of water coming in). If this doesn’t help, then it could be that your only choice is to simply replace the ball cock entirely.
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Have a question about home repair problems? Write to Bernard Gladstone in care of Your Place, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611. Questions of general interest will be answered in future columns. Sorry, letters cannot be answered personally.
