Soundproofing a furnace or room is much the same as soundproofing any other room. Oft times the furnace is located in a basement area and the basement is not generally used for family activities, yet the problem stems from the fact that when the furnace kicks on, the noise that is transmitted to the upstairs living areas is very annoying.

If the furnace has a solenoid igniter (loud magnetic switch type) simply put that equates to impact noise so it will most likely require floating the ceiling. The floated ceiling can be installed using our sound isolation clips. For more about this system and it’s installation check out our soundproofing a ceiling article.

This should give you a firm grasp on how to effectively float a ceiling in any furnace room.

Now, if the basement is indeed used for family activities (game room or media area etc.) and the noise from the furnace is a real problem, then it will be necessary to line all the walls with a mass loaded vinyl to create a more soundproof wall. American Mass Loaded Vinyl is an excellent choice because it comes in two delicious flavors, the 1 lb. Per sq. ft. and the 2 lb. per sq.ft. weight.

As described in other installation narratives on this website, the mass loaded vinyl or (MLV) would be stapled or glued up to the existing walls, you’d butt the seams together, caulk all the seams as well as the entire perimeter of the vinyl, and then tape the seams with a lead foil tape, or a good quality seam tape. We generally recommend layering over top the (MLV) with a layer of drywall, not necessarily for the aesthetic look of the room, but rather for the extra soundproofing that the drywall provides to the walls and ceiling.

Lastly, and possibly the main sound leaking culprit in any furnace room is the door. It must be a solid core door and all the seams (including the gap at the bottom) must be sealed, you can accomplish this with an acoustic door seal kit. This can be done with our vinyl tape and a transom seal at the bottom of the door.

If your furnace is free standing (no room or enclosure around it) then I highly recommend that you contact a soundproofing expert at Soundproofing America, Inc. to help you soundproof a room because the lack of an enclosure makes soundproofing a free standing furnace much more difficult.

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