Soundproofing Against Outdoor Noise

Scott Warrick of Bloomington, Ind. has a noise problem outside his house: jackhammers. "I'm enduring three months of daily jackhammering as they tear down a local school."

Excessive noise entering your house is a problem. It can stress you out, make you irritable, and, when it comes to heavy machinery and lengthy exposure, can potentially affect your hearing, too.

Here are soundproofing measures homeowners can take to reduce outside noise from entering their castle. Some of these have the bonus of reducing heating and cooling costs, too.