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PLUMBING CONNECTION
WINTER 2015
PIPE DOWN!
I
t’s a sound we could all go without; the funnelling of
wastewater rushing through pipes in our walls. As the
water passes through, noise reverberates out into the
habitable space and fills the room. You curse the person
who instigated the water being passed through as it knocks
you out of the slumber you gently fell into after hours of
restlessness.
It doesn’t have to be this way though, for you or your
clients.
You may recall that in the winter edition of 2014, Plumbing
Connection looked at three systems that aimed to make
plumbing a whole lot quieter while making lagging a thing of
the past. By using advanced materials in their acoustically
sound piping systems, the Silere and Triplus from Valsir,
RAUPIANO PLUS and Wavin AS systems all removed the need
for external lagging of the pipe work.
Basically speaking, all three systems comprised of self-
sufficient pipes, each of which has started to make their
name known among Aussie specifiers and installers.
With this being said though, the vast majority are still
putting their faith in the traditional approach, being lagging.
This is where we focus our attention this time around.
NOISE POLLUTION
Waste systems are generally taken for granted. They’re
a mere afterthought in the minds of residents. That is until
they can hear them and become affected by the constant
noise generated inside the pipelines.
Plumbing noise is one of the most intrusive and difficult
sounds to mitigate. In many people’s eyes, varying levels
of plumbing noise are expected and tolerated without
complaint. Most often, the noise generated within a tenant’s
own space and resulting from one’s own use of plumbing
fixtures isn’t given much thought. On the other hand, when
plumbing noise is a result of an adjoining space and results
in sleep disturbance or interruption of peace and quiet, it
quickly becomes an annoyance.
Unfortunately, pipework can operate as a major conduit
for noise to travel from one part of a building to another.
Most of the generated noise spreads inside the pipe (air-
borne noise) but the vibrations caused are then transmitted
from the walls of the pipe to the surrounding area and
bracketing systems. This in turn transmits to the building
structure (structure-borne noise).
To minimise noise levels in waste and drainage systems,
not only should the system be designed properly and
the waste circuit mounted correctly, it is also important
to choose a system with an elevated soundproofing
performance. Acoustic plumbing aims to combat the issue
of internal noise pollution and a number of companies have
developed products to tackle the problem head on.
The thing to remember is, it does not have to be difficult or
expensive. Recent advancements regarding the availability
of products and support services now make the reduction
of plumbing system noise easier, more effective and more
affordable than ever before.
AS THE TREND TOWARDS HIGH DENSITY LIVING CONTINUES ON AN UPWARD CURVE, ACOUSTIC CONSULTANTS ARE
UNDER CONSTANT PRESSURE TO ENSURE NOISE POLLUTION REMAINS AT A MINIMUM. WHILE SOME CONSIDER IT
OUTDATED, PIPE LAGGING IS STILL THE MOST SPECIFIED SOLUTION TO COMBAT PLUMBING NOISE BECAUSE QUITE
SIMPLY, IT WORKS.
JUSTIN FELIX
EXPLAINS.
Noise pollution is certainly one we could do without in our
homes. Pipe lagging can help to turn down the volume.
ACOUSTIC PLUMBING