The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Real Estate Advertorial Making a sound investment If you're new to working from home, you may have found yourself getting slightly steamed about the amount of household noise you're subjected to, and wondering if it's affecting your productivity and bringing down your mood. The answer is yes. Unwanted noise isn't just an annoying distraction--it can also cause such health issues as fatigue, irri- tability, and can exacerbate stress-related ailments. Like many homeowners, you probably didn't pay much attention to high levels of noise until you were directly affected by it, says Mike Woolf, business development manager for Sonopan, a Canadian com- pany that makes eco-friendly soundproof- ing panels that can be used either in new builds or renovations. "Sound is not something people often think of," explains Woolf. "It's not visual like a great granite counter-top. But we're talking quality of life--noise will absolutely affect your health, and the peaceful enjoy- ment of your home," he says. We are all just that much closer to sounds from family members and neigh- bours, and because all your neighbours are home too, you could -- unfortunately -- know it when they start cooking lunch, or their kids listen to music, or they cut the lawn," he says. Sound, explains Woolf, is spread by vi- brations through air, walls, floors, and ceil- ings. It can, to an extent, be absorbed by upholstered furniture, curtains, carpeting or area rugs, paintings and wall décor. But it's best dealt with at the building or reno stage, when solutions can most easily be incorporated. Sonopan works by absorbing a wide range of frequencies and significantly re- ducing the transmission of sound and vibrations. The panels are lightweight, environmentally friendly, and simple to in- stall--either by a contractor or as a DIY project. They can be retrofit, that is, sand- wiched between an existing and new layer of drywall, as part of a renovation. While Soundproofing would have a more noticeable impact on a 100-year-old town- house with no soundproofing than it would on a modern unit built with some sound- proofing, those buying new homes can't count on building codes to demand much more than the minimal of fifty STC (Sound Transmission Class, a rating that indi- cates decibel reduction the material can provide). At that level, says Woolf, you may still easily hear noise from neighbours. There's no minimum code for detached housing. (NC) 19 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,M arch 18,2021 insidehalton.com The 1Awards are here to support local small business Have you been in business for more than two years with less than 50 employees? Enter your Hamilton, Halton or Brantford area business online at 1Awards.ca for a chance to win a share in up to $25,000 in cash and $101,500 of industry- leading expertise. ENTRIES CLOSE MARCH 31, 2020 Dolled Up Desserts 2019 1Awards Winner ENTRIES CLOSE ApRIL 2, 2021