How to reduce traffic noise that makes its way into my apartment?

step 1

move out of the ghetto

step 2

?

step 2, anyone?

step 1 doesn't really apply.

You could have a fan, air purifier or some type of noise machine running while you are sleeping. It doesn't eliminate the noise but it makes it more pleasant and consistent so you can sleep.

Or

Sound Curtains:

http://soundproofing.org/infopages/curtains.htm

Yeah, if you get insulated curtains those should help to muffle the noise. You could also get some foam (like the eggcrate stuff people put on their beds or polystyrene) and cut it to the size of the window and insert it inside the window.

he's trying to get out of the ghetto. not look MORE ghetto.

0987654321 wrote:

You could also get some foam (like the eggcrate stuff people put on their beds or polystyrene) and cut it to the size of the window and insert it inside the window.

He's seeking practical advice on Letsrun.com, don't be so presumptuous.

Do what I do: fan on low when it's hot and, this is the key: molded wax ear plugs! I use "Mack's pillow soft" plugs. You get 12 in a pack. I forgot what exactly the price was but it's just a few bucks. Can get anywhere like a CVS or Walgreen. Tip: use one and split in half for both ears. IMHO, you don't need one for each ear. Also, you can use them over and over by storing them in a plastic baggie.

I guarantee you will sleep like a baby.

"practical advice on letsrun" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

that's funny shit.

anything thinking they can get practical advice on letsrun is the one who is being presumptuous.

Yeah, that was my point.

Alter the vibrational characteristics of the window panes. Take steps to move the natural frequencies of the panes up the audible spectrum - if not out of audible range entirely - by reinforcing the panes with lattice structure firmly attached (glued) to the glass.

Stuff fiberglass insulation into the window. Drywall over the whole mess with 1/2" sheetrock. Problem solved.

roadblocks

Of course, as the original poster mentions traffice noise, and not, say, people yelling on the street and heavy bass booming from stereos, it's unlikely he's living in the ghetto. But I digress. To try and help out, any materials you can put in the room will happen to dampen the noise -- curtains, carpets, etc. There will be fewer hard surfaces then for sound to bounce off of. And I also would recommend what others have noted, which is some sort of white noise, whether it's from a fan or something else. I've always found box fans to be great for white noise. And if you needed to, go the last step with ear plugs. Between all of those things you should be sleeping just fine. And if you're new to traffice noise when you go to bed, you'll also probably get used to it a bit over time.

I've been sleeping with ear plugs and a nice fan blowing in the background for years now. Try it!

Interesting. I wonder if those audio speakers that attach to glass surfaces and use the surface as the speaker would help here.

What are those? Do you have a link?

1) Buy a couple of ice picks

2) Hold one in each hand level with the ground

3) Point toward each ear opening

4) Believe with all your might that you will slam the points straight into each other.

5) Take the shortest distance between two points.

All of these ideas are worthless. The only solution to traffic noise is to start drinking heavily.