Soundproofing in Apartments and Houses in Cyprus

Are you considering buying an apartment in Cyprus? Or maybe a whole house? In any case, it does not hurt to familiarize yourself with such an important quality of the building as noise insulation. It is the guarantor of a comfortable life, so it is worth understanding in advance what to focus on, and what is better to avoid.

Are there any houses in Cyprus with good sound insulation?

Yes, of course, there are. Most of them still belong to the secondary housing, built before 2004. After that time, the requirements for the quality of construction were revised (if someone does not remember, this is the year of Cyprus' accession to the EU). The walls are now built thicker, and the materials used are more modern. So new buildings, especially those younger than 2010, mostly have pretty good noise insulation.

Problems can be noticed in three cases:

1. a very budget new building from an unscrupulous builder (there are very rare cases of this);
2. an old house built according to the old rules (but even there the walls usually cannot be called "cardboard");
3. an apart-hotel of low class, which in general is not characterized by a good quality of construction.

If you have an apartment with good sound insulation, the problem can be solved by installing internal noise insulation panels, as well as with the help of simple tricks, which we will talk more about below.

The main sources of noise in Cyprus

Before looking at how to protect yourself from noise, you should first understand where the noise is coming from. Since Cyprus is a tourist destination, the list of sources expands.

Neighbors

Of course, this is the first point. In general, Cyprus is a family island, and very child-loving. Therefore, the regime here is observed relatively well: do their business during the day, and at night they sleep.

But there are exceptions everywhere. It can be noisy young people or old people who listen to TV very loudly. Or maybe a family with constantly crying children or a loud barking dog.

You can partially protect yourself by buying an apartment either in a small complex like a clubhouse (a few apartments, there are a lot of such in Cyprus), or business and elite class apartments. In such houses, there is very good noise insulation, and in case of incidents, you can directly talk to the offenders and peacefully resolve the issue.

Also, do not take apartments near universities: students often rent apartments there. Certainly, students are not all the same, but some will take a risk to throw a loud house party.

Lively streets

It is nice to live in a neighborhood with developed infrastructure and access to major road junctions. But such a neighborhood can be fraught with too much noise from passing cars. If next to the house is a large highway or one of the main roads, the residents will have to put up with not only the roar of engines, but also with exhaust fumes, and with regular (even at night) sounds of sirens of police cars and ambulances.

If you are looking at apartments in an apartment complex near busy streets, try to choose one with bedroom windows facing the courtyard or a quieter street. Another option is double-glazed windows and glazed terraces. With such protection, less noise will enter the apartment.

Airports

There are two airports in Cyprus - near Paphos and near Larnaca. In the first case the noisiest are Mandria, Acheleia and Timi, in the second - the Mackenzie area. Both airports are international, hence the number of flights is impressive. Larnaca airport is larger. There planes take off and land every 2-3 minutes during the hot season.

Bars and clubs

There are plenty of them on the island, especially in some of the tourist locations. If it is very important for you to get a good night's sleep, it is better to buy real estate away from such places. Pay attention to the fact that the sound on the plain with a low building (and in Cyprus is predominantly such) is dispersed far away, and can be heard noise even 2-3 blocks away.

Of course, you can complain about the establishment, but it does not always help. The thing is that in Cyprus some bars and clubs have the so-called "permission" to make noise longer than it should - up to 1-2 o'clock in the morning. How legal it is, it is still difficult to say, but it happens. So, in order to avoid mishaps, it is better to settle down far away from night establishments in advance.

What does the legislation say?

In general, in Cyprus you can not make noise in the so-called "siesta" and at night: in winter - from 22-00 to 7-30, in summer - from 23-00 to 7-00. Each municipality has the right to slightly adjust these terms and the level of permissible decibels, but in all districts, the legislative norms are approximately the same.

The reality is that, as in many countries, nothing can be done about noisy neighbors. The maximum they can get when the police arrive is a reprimand and a fine. But this will not encourage young people to stop walking at night, and dogs - barking on every occasion.

Therefore, even at the stage of moving into an apartment (bought or rented) it is worthwhile to learn as much as possible about the situation in the neighborhood. Of course, the law is on your side, but to enforce it - you need to try hard.

How to reduce the noise level in an apartment or house in Cyprus

If for some reason your apartment (or even house) has become too noisy - here are some tips on how you can save yourself from the nuisance:

1. Get noise insulation. Expensive, troublesome, but effective. An indispensable thing for those who work remotely or have small children. Remember that noise insulation on the ceiling - a thing practically meaningless, it does not reduce the noise level at all. It is better to agree with the neighbors from above that you will pay them for the noise insulation of the floor.
2. Make insulation. Good advice not only for the apartment but also for the house. Modern materials allow you not only to insulate the house but also to reduce the level of incoming sounds from outside.
3. Take advantage of carpets and wooden furniture. These things absorb sounds well and make the room more cozy.
4. Install new double-glazed windows. In Cyprus, there are very rarely triple-glazing windows for their lack of use, but double-glazing windows are in abundance. They protect well from noise from the street and keep the heat in the house.
5. Balcony glazing. An open terrace in Cyprus is great, but only if it overlooks a quiet, clean street. If under the balcony spreads a large road, "delivering" the apartment dust, dirt, and noise, it is better to make glazing.
6. Greening. Helps to "close" a private house from the dust and noise of passing cars - and from neighbors, of course. If you need to grow "dense thickets" very quickly, take bamboo: just do not forget to fence the area for it, otherwise it will grow all over the site.

If you have not yet bought real estate in Cyprus - pay attention to the housing of business and premium class. Such buildings are built to high standards: they have thick walls that guarantee good heat and sound insulation. You can live comfortably even in a large apartment complex and not be afraid that you will be disturbed by neighbors.

Interested in housing on the island? Check out DOM, the #1 real estate agency in Cyprus! The agency's website has the largest real estate database in the country - more than 30 thousand residential and commercial properties all over the island. Select and contact professional brokers who will help you make the right choice!

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