Sound Seal Acoustic Ceiling Panels Quiet Noise in Classrooms
Agawam, MA (PRWEB) August 24, 2014 -- With continuing innovation in education and teaching methods, schools and universities are facing an ever-increasing challenge of controlling noise levels within their classrooms. Many of the modern classrooms that are being constructed today encourage hands-on activities and discussion, resulting in learning environments with increased activity and noise.
In addition to the distractions that busy learning environments produce, there are also many background noises that are present in classrooms today, including HVAC systems and modern technological devices such as computers. Children, especially those younger than 13 years of age, have an undeveloped sense of hearing, making the impacts of background noise on hearing, comprehending, and learning more pronounced for them, than for adults. Also, speech intelligibility decreases with long reverberation times which also hinder hearing. Reverberations occur when sound waves strike surfaces (walls, floors and ceilings) in a room and are reflected back into the space. When both background noise and long reverberation times are present in a space, they produce negative effects on the occupants. Loud or reverberant classrooms may also cause teachers to raise their voices on a regular basis, leading to increased teacher stress and fatigue.
To combat these acoustical problems Sound Seal has solutions that can be put into place during the design and planning phase as well as some that can be implemented after the classrooms are built and are already in use.
With the introduction of the "New" WoodGrill Ceiling Tile line, Sound Seal's architectural ceiling panel applications have expanded. All panels are designed to acoustically treat ceiling spaces in schools, music rooms, churches, offices and any space that has reverberation problems.
Classrooms need more sound absorbing building materials rather than hard parallel walls, floors and ceilings. Acoustical ceiling tiles can be installed within a typical grid system or flush mounted directly to a ceiling, and sound absorbing panels can be placed on the walls. In a classroom acoustical panels are typically placed on the rear wall of the classroom to keep the sound from echoing back to the front of the room. Ceiling tiles and wall panels should have a minimum NRC value of .85, meaning on average 85% of the sound that hits these tiles or panels is absorbed and not reflected back within the space.
Beyond acoustical challenges in classrooms, Sound Seal can help with other spaces within schools and universities such as auditoriums, gymnasiums, band rooms, choir rooms and swimming pool areas. Each of these spaces needs to be treated differently and we have a variety of products suited to their specific needs including: both wood and fabric wrapped wall and ceiling tiles and panels, baffles and banners, sound diffusers, sound blankets and more.
About Sound Seal
Since 1978 Sound Seal has been a leading manufacturer of acoustical noise control products offering the widest product selection in the soundproofing industry with innovative solutions and outstanding customer service. Sound Seal consists of three product divisions: the Industrial Division which deals with in-plant noise control as well as environmental noise control, the Architectural Division which handles interiors and finishes including an award winning line of Wood Trends products, and the Impacta Flooring Division which deals with floor underlayments. For more information please visit http://www.soundseal.com or call 1-800-569-1294.
Tony Douglas, Sound Seal, +1 413-789-1770, [email protected]
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