Monthly Archives: May 2012

Builders, Construction, Construction Materials, Contractors, Environmental Construction, Products, Services, Supplier

Chiller Noise No Longer Problem After Acoustifence Barrier Installed

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Installation of a 24-foot noise barrier utilizing Acoustifence outdoor sound abatement material at the new Sheboygan Festival Foods store is complete, ending complaints from nearby residents over extreme levels of noise leaking from the store’s industrial refrigeration chillers into the community.

Folks in Sheboygen were celebrating when the popular Wisconsin-based Festival Foods grocery chain opened the 70,000 square foot mega store here on September 16, 2011. Less than two weeks later, the community’s warm welcome had grown icy as neighbors began to complain about noise from the store’s industrial refrigeration chiller that was so loud, it violated the city’s noise ordinance.

Festival Foods enlisted the help of Acoustical Engineer Eric Wolfram of Milwaukee-based Scott R. Riedel & Associates, LTD, who consulted with Acoustiblok’s Jay Boland to choose Acoustifence noise barrier material, a product of Acoustiblok, Inc. of Tampa Florida, to bring the decibel level down below the legal threshold and restore peace and quiet to the neighboring community.

When Wolfram first investigated the site in September, decibel readings ranged between 78.4 and 90.7, loud enough to be a risk for noise-related health problems to nearby residents and workers, had they been subjected to the noise over time. The Sheboygan Department of City Development demanded the level be reduced by at least five decibels, Wolfram said.

“The existing refrigeration pump and motor systems produce extreme noise levels,” Wolfram said. “This noise reverberates within the sheet-metal paneled enclosure interior and escapes through several different exhaust and ventilation openings.

“Additional noise was generated by the cooling and exhaust fans mounted above the enclosure.”

Working with sound consultants from Acoustiblok, Inc., Wolfram designed a two-step solution, creating a barrier with Acoustifence noise deadening material to block noise around the massive system, and incorporating another Acoustiblok product, QuietFiber, to help reduce sound from reflecting off of the taller adjacent building behind the chillers.

Minimal structural changes were required, as the â…›- inch Acoustifence was easily attached to an existing chain link fence and the outdoor-rated QuietFiber with a perforated metal cover was capconed to the building.

The results were better than Wolfram had hoped, with decibel levels reduced to 57.3 the moment the barrier was in place – well below the City’s legal threshold, and more than 20 decibels lower than before the Acoustiblok products were installed. Neighbors are no longer bombarded with the irritating chiller noise, now replaced with the ordinary ambient sounds that existed before.

“Sounds from local traffic and roadways exceeded that of the compressor equipment after installation of the Acoustifence and QuietFiber products,” Wolfram said.

Lahnie Johnson, founder and president of Acoustiblok, Inc., applauded Festival Foods’ quick action in addressing the noise complaints right away, stating that the product combination was the perfect solution for this particular type of noise challenge.

“The Acoustifence and QuietFIber treatments were the perfect solution for the Festival Foods chiller noise, as both of these materials are designed to hold up in inclement weather, and as you can see from the results, they do their job well beyond everyone’s expectations,” Johnson said. “The Acoustifence and Quiet Fiber are also substantially less costly than attempting a structural enclosure solution.”

For more information on industrial noise solutions, visit the Acoustiblok website, Email sales@acoustiblok.com, or call 813-980-1400.

Via EPR Network
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Acoustiblok Creates Damped, Expandable Acoustical Envelope in New York ITB Recording Studio

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Acoustiblok noise abatement material was installed in the nearly completed Artist Workshop Studios recording facility, an in-the-box (ITB) studio designed and built by Artist Workshop Studios owner Tom Donofrio. Acoustiblok was chosen to provide a sound barrier for the small, 12 foot x 12 foot basement studio that could drop decibels levels within the space and provide a neutral acoustical environment for recording.

Donofrio, an electrical engineer, and musician who has built recording studios in the past using different sound deadening materials, chose Acoustiblok for his newest project after consulting with Marilyn Myers of Acoustiblok, Inc., because of its sound damping and noise blocking qualities, as well as its thin, flexible structure that adds no volume to walls within the studio space. Attached to the studs before drywall is hung, Acoustiblok performs without the need to add layers of rigid drywall or modified drywall, a method Donofrio used in the past with mixed results and significant floor space reduction.

“I was looking for a product that would lower the decibels in the studio without taking up any additional space,” Donofrio said. “I was able to achieve the neutral acoustics desired in the space, which makes me extremely happy.

“I didn’t want a sound quality that was too dead or too live, so the Acoustiblok turned out to be an excellent choice.”

Donofrio and a friend were able to hang the 3mm Acoustiblok on the newly framed stud walls within the studio space, including cutouts around a window and electric sockets, and seal the seams according to installation recommendations, all in less than four hours.

The Artist Workshop Studios recording space was built for Donofrio to indulge his own talents as an acoustical guitarist and vocalist, and to be made available to artists on a budget who need an affordable studio with high quality production equipment and the expertise of a seasoned technician to record a song or album.

“Acoustiblok is a perfect choice for establishing sound quality within a sound recording studio like this one,” said Lahnie Johnson, president and founder of Acoustiblok, Inc.

“Unlike additional drywall or other solid rigid materials used for sound reduction, the 1/8-inch heavy, limp Acoustiblok allows the room to be a damped, expandable acoustical envelope. As such, a studio or home theater has less reflection and actually sounds significantly better.”

Via EPR Network
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Quiet Fiber® Used to Quiet Industrial Generator Noise at Galleria 360 in Santo Domingo

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Installation of 18,000 square feet of non-fiberlass Quiet Fiber® noise abatement material has been completed in the massive generator room of the newly constructed, 750,000 square foot Galleria 360 mall in Santo Domingo.

Quiet Fiber, a product of Acoustiblok, Inc. in Tampa, Florida, was installed on the ceiling and walls of the mall’s generator and substation rooms. These rooms house the industrial emergency generators necessary to keep power running in this coastal area of the Caribbean, plagued by frequent power outages.

The Galleria 360’s industrial generators, installed by Santa Domingo-based Edelca, are a staple in this island republic. Edelca owner Carlos Montos, Edelca consulted with Jay Boland of Acoustiblok, Inc., and used Quiet Fiber on the project after achieving excellent results with Quiet Fiber on a similar project at the La Sirna Superstore in the eastern coastal town of Higuey, Dominican Republic.

“Even though Quiet Fiber is not the least expensive product on the market, I keep coming back to it because the results beat all the competitors’ noise deadening products with double the noise insulating qualities,” Montos said. “The customer on this job wanted to install a double layer of a different product but I convinced him to try the Quiet Fiber.

“I’ve been designing and installing these emergency generators for 20 years, and I have never had the results from other noise abatement products that I have with Quiet Fiber, and now I’m trying to use it everywhere.”

Montos says noise from these industrial generators on which the island has become dependent in order to maintain consistent power is a major problem plaguing businesses and residential property owners when the generators are running. Not only is generator noise bad for business, but its constant drone can cause permanent hearing loss. Another important consideration in the selection of soundproofing material is its fire resistance.

Recently in Santo Domingo a serious fire started in a generator room, and the existing foam sound proofing material was a prime contributor. The fire caused Montos to search for a new fireproof solution. Quiet Fiber is fire resistant even at 2,000 degrees.

“The noise levels are almost unbearable, so you need to have an adequate level of soundproofing in place when they are running,” Montos said. “I always install noise absorbing material wherever I install my generators, and Quiet Fiber is the best soundproofing product we’ve ever used.”

Montos and his crew were able to easily cut the Quiet Fiber to fit around electric conduits, and secured the material to the walls and ceiling with standard insulation stick pins.

The sound deadening qualities of Quiet Fiber will help to protect the mall’s employees, and streams of tourists and local residents from the high volume industrial noise caused by the generators when they are operating.

Lahnie Johnson, president and founder of Acoustiblok, Inc., says that the application of Quiet Fiber in the Galleria 360 generator and substation rooms was exactly what was needed for addressing the high decibel, reverberant sound emanating from the concrete walls.

“Quiet Fiber was designed with this type of hot, humid environment in mind,” Johnson said. “When you’re addressing solid surface noise issues, which in this case with concrete walls, you need a product with proven maximum sound absorption, high temperature rating for fire blocking, and hydrophobic (resistant to moisture).”

Via EPR Network
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Tool-NET Sales Heat Up This Spring

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Online tool superstore Tool-NET has reported that the unusually warm spring weather caused a spike in product purchases from their range of DIY tools. With an unseasonably hot March, Tool-NET has experienced significant growth in sales of gardening and DIY tools and accessories. This is largely thanks to UK householders shaking off their winter inertia and starting projects in the home and garden.

The hot March weather appears to have encouraged a lot of fair-weather spending. The British Retail Consortium claim retail sales across the board were up year-on-year by 1.3% in March, with clothes, barbecue foods and gardening goods as the most popular products. Online retailers saw rises of 13.9%, and Tool-NET saw an even stronger sales rise.

Tool-Net has developed a strong customer base among trade tool purchasers, DIY fanatics and casual purchasers of tools for the home and garden. Offering a no-nonsense returns policy and dispatch times where 98% of orders are sent out the day they are received, Tool-NET also offers strong savings with discounts of up to 70% off list prices. These are available on a wide range of more than 6500 power tools, gardening accessories, fixings, fastenings, hand tools, ancillaries and consumables.

Another factor which has helped Tool-NET sales heat up this spring is an ever-growing catalogue. With new lines being added daily it has never been easier for customers to find the right tool at the right price.

Among the new gardening lines which are proving popular is the innovative cordless gardening multi-tool from CEL-UK. The PS1 Powerstick dispenses with the hassle and trip hazard of a cord while adding an unrivalled versatility which allows it to convert effortlessly from a grass trimmer to a hedge trimmer to a garden rake and broom.

More traditional brands continue to fare well in the fair weather, too. Black & Decker’s reputation for performance and reliability at an attractive price has been continued in its latest range of gardening tools, including chainsaws, hedge trimmers, line trimmers, blower/vacs and lawn mowers.

With its ever-expanding catalogue, competitive pricing and fast dispatch times Tool-NET is continuing to help fuel the UK’s spring clean of gardens and homes.

Via EPR Network
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London gears up for Grand Designs Live 2012

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Thousands of DIY enthusiasts are expected to descend on London this month to take in the sights of Grand Designs Live 2012 – based on the long-running Channel 4 TV series presented by renowned design guru Kevin McCloud – and Econoloft will have its own experts close at hand to offer useful hints and tips to anyone looking for helpful advice with their own design plans.

The event, which will take place at the capital’s Excel London exhibition centre for the eighth successive year, brings together a wide range of experts and ideas to promote design and innovation in all areas of the home. From interiors to gardens to home improvements, there’ll be more than 500 exhibitors at Grand Designs Live 2012 – and experts from Econoloft, Britain’s leading loft conversion experts, will be on hand to share some of their wealth of knowledge.

“With thousands of people expected to hit London for Grand Designs 2012, this gives us a great opportunity to pass on some of our experience to anyone mulling the idea of a loft conversion,” said Rebecca Livesey from Econoloft. “Whether you’re looking to boost the value of your home or you just need a bit more space, a loft conversion could be the perfect idea – and our team are more than happy to share their expertise with anyone who wants to find out more.”

Running from May 5th to 13th, Grand Designs Live 2012 brings together hundreds of designers, architects and engineers all under the one roof. Around 100,000 visitors are expected to attend the event over its nine-day duration, and Kevin McCloud himself will be in attendance to regale visitors of his own Grand Designs experiences. Econoloft’s team will be stationed at stand number 345, so be sure to drop by to find out more about how loft conversions can transform your home.

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