Will ADE Sound Testing disrupt work on site?

During Approved Document E Sound Testing, high levels of noise are generated but in order to make accurate test measurements, relatively quiet conditions are needed. Anyone working within the testing area will have to leave temporarily and any noisy works in the vicinity of the test areas including external site activity or ground works will need to be halted. Access is required for all the rooms being tested. Prior to testing, suitable couplings of test rooms, will be identified to enable a schedule of testing which may assist in controlling noise from other parts of the dvelopment to achieve the best possible testing environment.

How long will testing take?

The time taken for testing varies with site conditions, but generally a set of tests on houses takes about one to two hours and a set of tests on flats between two to three hours. During the test Soundguard Acoustics will require free uninterrupted access to the rooms in all test areas.

Can I observe the sound test?

Soundguard Acoustics will happily give you a brief overview of the test and demonstrate what we do, however, during the formal tests there are stringent rules restricting the number of personnel within the test areas so you will need to leave the engineer to it.

Should I inform my neighbours of the testing?

Noise levels are very high and if the building is attached in any way to occupied properties then it would be advisable to inform the residents as they are likely to hear the test. In some builds access to their property may be required. We recommend you check this with your BCO and request access to the neighbouring properties accordingly. Contact Soundguard Acoustics HERE for further advice regarding your Approved Doc E Sound Testing.

How many sound tests do I need?

One set of sound tests needs to be undertaken for every ten flats or houses, provided the construction system is the same. A set means that the test should include two locations where the party element (wall or floor) is tested.

This is equivalent to two individual sound tests when assessing the performance of a wall (airborne performance only) and four individual tests when assessing a floor (two airborne and two impact tests).  All tests must be undertaken between habitable spaces (e.g. bedrooms, living rooms) and not to or from common spaces such as stairwells and corridors.

Approved Document E 2003 states that a minimum of 10% of all party walls and floors is sound tested for every construction group or sub-group. This means that where variations in the construction may occur then further testing may be required.

• Houses: a set of tests would usually comprise of two airborne sound insulation tests of a pair of separating walls
• Flats:a set of tests would usually comprise of two airborne sound insulation tests on separating walls; two airborne sound insulation tests of separating floors and two impact sound transmission tests of separating floors 
• Rooms for Residential Purposes: (student residences, hotel rooms & care homes) a set of tests would usually comprise of one airborne sound insulation test of a separating wall; one airborne sound insulation test of a separating floor and one impact sound transmission test of a separating floor

Where do I find an approved Sound Tester?

Approved Document E states that the sound insulation testing body should be either a member of the Association of Noise Consultants (ANC) and have joined their PCT registration scheme or be registered testers with the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). 

Choosing an accredited company under these schemes gives you the peace of mind that your reports will be accepted by all local authorities, building control and national guarantee companies. 

By using an ANC member registered under the PCT registration scheme, such as Soundguard Acoustics Ltd, then you will receive a full report including instruction for your Building Control Officer for accessing the secure online testing certificates for your build. Soundguard Acoustics will also liaise with and release the report directly to your BCO if required.

For sound testing in the Southwest follow these links: SOUTHWEST | DEVON | SOMERSET

What if I use an unregistered company?

Don’t! The quality and validity of the testing and results may be questionable and may not be accepted by the necessary approval bodies. It is likely that your BCO will ask for further or repeated testing by an accredited test company to validate the results. This will result in delay for your project and further payment to the accredited test company.

How is a build Sound Tested?

Airborne sound insulation test (walls & floors):  A controlled noise is generated by an amplifier and loudspeaker across a broad range of frequencies. The generated noise is very loud and can be in excess of 100dB. Initial measurements are taken using a Sound Level Meter within the ‘source room’ followed by further measurements in the ‘receiver room’ on the other side of the wall or floor under investigation. The source room speaker position is then changed and the measurements repeated either side of the partition under test.

Background noise measurements are made using a sound level meter in the receiving room and are used to apply appropriate corrections for external sound such as traffic noise. Similarly the reverberation time (the time taken for sound to decay by 60dB) is measured within the receiving room using the sound source and a sound level meter to determine the corrections that must be applied to account for the characteristics and absorptiveness of the room. 

The difference in the two airborne noise levels (for walls and floors), corrected for background and reverberation characteristics determines the airborne sound insulation performance of the wall, or floor. A greater airborne noise difference between the source room and the receiver room determines a higher airborne sound insulation performance.

Impact sound transmission test (floors only):  This test is different, a calibrated ‘tapping machine’ which comprises of five 'hammers' driven up and down by a cam and electric motor is used to "tap" the floor surface by applying a known force on the floor structure. The machine is placed in several pre-determined positions. The resulting noise is measured in the dwelling below, using a sound level meter.

Background noise measurements are made using a sound level meter in the receiving room and are used to apply appropriate corrections for external sound such as traffic noise. Similarly the reverberation time (the time taken for sound to decay by 60dB) is measured within the receiving room using the sound source and a sound level meter to determine the corrections that must be applied to account for the characteristics and absorptiveness of the room. 

The measured noise levels in the receiving room (for impact floors tests), corrected for background and reverberation characteristics determines the impact sound insulation performance of the floor. For the impact noise the lower the measured level, the better the performance as less sound is being transmitted into the dwelling below.

How do I pass a Sound Test?

Performance in builds varies for many reasons. Assuming correct designs and material selection, the most common factor influencing performance is poor workmanship. Detailing is critical to maximising on site performance, especially in floor isolation and appropriate party wall construction.

Soundguard Acoustics recommend that you appoint our expert acoustic consultants at the start of your project to review the designs, and then also to carry out on site inspections during the build process to check specifically for any workmanship issues that could cause problems when it comes to sound testing. Soundguard Acoustics can provide routine review of basic plans to complex computer modelled partition designs to predict the completed performance.

 If you would like Soundguard Acoustics to review your designs and proposals or to comment on their suitability, then please speak to us about our acoustic design advice service. This is a relatively inexpensive option that can avoid sound testing failures which result in expensive remedial treatment and delay in your project.

What do I do if the test fails?

In line with the regulations you are required to carry out remedial works to ensure the development meets the relevant performance requirements and re-test. If you don't know what to do by way of remedial works then Soundguard Acoustics can advise you. You may also be asked by Building Control to test further examples of the construction elsewhere on the development in order to restore confidence and/or highlight the extent of the problem.