Quieting Traffic Noise

So as a few of you know I moved to London recently for a new job (12 months). House is in a pretty nice area, housemates are sound, landlord is cool, but my room is overlooking a main road, and the traffic noise is loud sometimes.

Any ideas on how I can cut it down a bit. I've bought some extra, thicker curtains, but not had a chance to put them up yet, although hanging a spare duvent between the window and the bed seemed to help. Any other tricks to get a better night's sleep?

Cheers

BLEH!

 

I once saw a thing you stick to your window and it cancels outside noise. Not sure if it was a joke or something, but it looked real enough. I will try and search it for you.

EDIT

here it is below. Unfortunately i think its just a mock up or an idea, but would be cool if it ever gets made.

http://gizmodo.com/a-stick-on-speaker-that-uses-your-windows-to-silence-no-1450237442

 

Probably something to look into. I guess it's one of those things you'll just get used to after a while, but for the interim, any cheap measure will help I guess.

 

Move your bed furthest from the window/street if possible.
Make sure your window by the street has a good seal.
You want a solid wood door for best results, but if you live in an apt, you can probably just cover up the door wtih an acoustic panel (foam).

You can make some DIY acoustic panels, and cover them with some paintings/art to not look so strange.
http://acousticsfreq.com/blog/?p=62

Spoiler

 

Buy a fan. I live right beside a major highway (Highway 400) and have always slept with a fan on. Other than that, it becomes white noise after a while.

 

Just put my thick curtains up, they're helping to a degree.

 

2am > Block road at each end with traffic cones > sleep like baby

 

Your best bet is to make a plug. Either use acoustic foam or rockwool (will need to be sealed) and fit tightly in your window. It will block out 90% of the noise as long as you get a good fit and sufficient thickness.

 

If only

 

I get low flying airlines coming in to land.

sometimes so loud my windows vibrate.

 

+1. Used for many years, everywhere.
http://www.moldex.com/hearing-protection/foam-earplugs/meteors.php
(after getting enough my wife snoring...)

 

could always run a fan to try and cover some of the sounds.


I have a ceiling fan going all the time. helps cover tv noise when my family is watching tv when im sleeping.

 

Just traffic noise?. You are lucky. I read in the local newspaper about a woman who had just bought an apartment only to find out it was around a fire station. The sound is WAY loud and worst of it, it's *random*. You never know when it's gonna hit you, and when it's on it easily lasts 10 or more minutes depending on how long voluntary firefighters get to the place to go away in the fire truck.

 

Traffic cones at the top and bottom of the street with a sign at each end saying "road closed"

 

Ninja'd

 

Insulation foam, if its drywall take it down and spray inside it.

 

Tell the traffic to quiet down?
That what I do to my students

 

Man that sucks. Also Living near a train can be a pain in the neck too.

Your best bet would be getting a fan.

 

You should try the traffic cones. What could go wrong?