Noise Problem Of Outdoor Living Spaces

                                                     

Summertime lounging on the patio, deck, terrace or outdoor dining is how a lot of us unwind, until highway noise, loud neighbors, or other environmental commotion inhibits our peace and quiet. The easy fix for the noise problem is to just add water. 

The sound of moving water can easily drown out much of the backyard environmental noise. A simple fountain or water feature can become your most precious workhorse in the backyard.

                                                         

How do you find the right fountain or water feature?

Fountains come in all shapes and sizes. Fixing big noise doesn’t necessarily require a big fountain or fancy custom water feature. When shopping for a fountain or water feature, it helps if you can give it a listen before you buy, but this isn’t always an option. 

Fountain features to look for which create noise are drop, splash, speed and how many different points water drops from the fountain.  A barely audible trickle isn’t going to drown background noise.

To create good water noise you want a fountain with:

• a fair amount of drop
• one or more containers/bowls for the water to splash into
• the faster water moves, the more noise it will make
• more points where water drops adds audible dimension

What is the best spot for a fountain or outdoor water feature?

Once you have the right fountain, placement is key. To maximize the sound of your fountain install it next to hard surfaces to amplify the sound.

Anytime sound can bounce and reverberate the fountain will have the best opportunity to create residual echoes with can practically eliminate other environmental noises.

• Next to a wall, preferably with a 90 degree corner is optimum
• Between two hard surface walls, they don’t have to be close, works well
• Close to seating area, can muffle other sounds

A simply bubbler does not create enough ambient noise to mask other environmental sounds. If you have a noise problem, the fix is the right water feature. Fountains and water features do a fantastic job at providing a low level white noise which can virtually wash away environmental noise.