apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I live in Oakland right near an underpass. I put up heavy velvet drapes to keep out sound and light at night, which helps a lot. There is also a club close by, so lots of boozy people tend to be around at 3 in the morning. That said after a year, I've actually gotten pretty used to it and rarely wake unless something is really loud and out of the ordinary. I once wore ear plugs non-stop in another really noisy place and got an awful inner ear infection - so be careful about that solution.

I think it depends on how irritating you find the noise to begin with.

I have lived next door to a barking dog and though others would ask me how I could stand it, I had stopped hearing it. I'm also a dog lover and am not generally bothered by dog noises.

I also lived next door to a couple of guys who spent all their money on their bass-thumping stereo and beer. I hate the sound of bass coming through the walls. I never got used to the thumping and it nearly drove me insane.

i live on a very busy street, and although i know some people get used it it, my husband and i haven't, it drives us craaaaaaazy.
(although we do live in an old house with very old windows..good windows make a huge difference)

In my old apartment, every Saturday and Sunday I'd wake up to the sounds of whistles and people cheering across the street... at about 7 or 8am. There was a huge field that held 5 or 6 soccer games, simultaneously, ALL day on BOTH Saturday and Sunday.
Yeah... now I just have a bunch of barking dogs. I like the barking dogs better.

lindyleech is right about the heavy velvet drapes. Laying down area rugs with some thick pile will help as well. if you are good at DIY and can swing the $$$, upholstering the walls is another way to absorb sound. With the right materials you can mount fabric and foam to a few frames and then secure to the walls, sort of like paneling.

I used to live on Bush Street, in the front room with original old windows. I listened to the cars 24 hours a day, and eventually just got used to it, so much so that I needed it to sleep. When I moved to my quiet place, it took me a couple months to get used to it. The point is, something incessant like that, you get used to it and it's no longer an issue.

Last January I moved to an old apartment with single-pane windows right on the 5 bus line. Fortunately we're on the 3rd floor and there's no stop at our corner, though there is a stop sign. During the day, the noise doesn't bother me at all, unless I'm trying to watch a movie. At night, I no longer wake up to the sound of buses. It took a month or two to get there, though. What does wake me up is the garbage trucks in the morning. Those horrible, hateful things. Plus we live near a large supermarket, so the big-rig delivery trucks are also super noisy. Cement trucks are another big culprit. (Let's not talk about the neighbors with the loud ass motorcycles, or the really annoying car alarm that goes off everyday.)

ANYWAY. The point is, you will likely get used to the MUNI, even though it doesn't seem like it just yet (I'm assuming you just moved in). We have a three-pronged attack for the bedroom:

1) Heavy velvet drapes, like these from IKEA. The blue-green is gorgeous. Expensive, though.

2) Under the drapes, high quality noise reduction shades. We got these. They're great. Really well made, and diffuse the light beautifully too.

3) Honestly, though, what's made the biggest difference has been using the air filter as a white noise machine. It has the added bonus of making the bedroom air really fresh and clean.

Hope this helps!

I lived near two major freeways for years and while I got used to it, I could never leave my windows open at night because the noise would keep me awake.

I live on Guerrero in in the Mission in a house that has no insulation (I can hear someone sneeze outside our window with the window closed) and I have adapted to the noise. MUNI noise isn't great, but it is better than heavy traffic and screaming drunks at 2am every weekend and weekday. You will get used to it.

I lived practically on top of the 101 in LA when I was little, so street noise isn't a deterrent to me. I even lived in a ground-floor apartment on a truck route (the windows rattled whenever a truck passed, but I didn't mind).

Truthfully, I strongly prefer street noise over "people noise", especially loud talking and loud music.

you don't want to use ear plugs but they can work wonders for sleeping

I live in a busy neighborhood with close set buildings, and we all keep our windows open. I find the street noise and people sounds to be kind of comforting.... is that weird?

For the past 10 years, I have lived with the Brooklyn elevated train going by my front windows 12 feet away from me , stopping 40 feet further down. Yes, if it is rythmic and regular, you get used to the noise, squealing brakes and all. Also: I have my bedroom in the middle of the apt, not right by the train- though my roommate's room is right by the train and I think that's a bit much. Furniture and rugs do absorb quite a bit of sound, but I have also basically written off the front window areas facing the train if I need serious relaxing. I do use a white noise fan to sleep, overnight guests do find it noisy, and I do notice how quiet it is whenever I sleep anywhere else- but by the same token I've never had a problem sleeping here. My living room/ bedroom is one big room. I use very light curtains, keep the train facing window open and have a fan in the window to diffuse the noise, but I'd say my bed is 18 feet from the train. I have double pane windows that I can shut if I want more quiet and the place is giant and cheap, and I have a lovely and quiet back kitchen/ garden so that helps a lot in making it all OK . I can't tell from your post if you signed the lease or not, but if not, why not ask the landlords to hang out there a bit, and see if you think you could handle it? Hope this helps.

We live on a busy avenue (although in a smaller, suburban city) that is a main north-south thoroughfare. The traffic flow is constant with cars, trucks big and small, local construction crews and school buses. In our front yard, one cannot speak conversationally and be heard. We shout and it's often not enough. The house is mid-century, but the windows are newer and double-paned. The noise is always noticeable, day or night. It took me a couple of months to be able to sleep well, but I can't say I'm getting used to the daytime noise. But, our lot is huge, most of it encompassing the backyard, patio, garden, and pool, so my solution is to spend as much time as possible out there.

I've lived directly next to a train (like you could jump out my window and land on it) for the past year, and honestly, it's not that bad at all! I used to laugh at people who lived by trains and wonder, why on Earth would anyone do that?
But then I found this awesome apartment (to rent) and figured I could deal with it, at least for a while!
We have double-plated windows and are on the second floor, as well. Trains are super loud if you open the back windows, but we don't open them on that wall. It's really just more of a slight nuisance more than anything.
You just turn up the TV when a train goes by. I'm surprised by how quickly I got used to them!!
I've lived a lot of places, and trains are BY FAR the least annoying type of noise. Noisy neighbors, loud music, traffic, car alarms, and people talking on the street are all way more unbearable! I would choose a train over noisy neighbors any day. In fact, I just renewed my lease!

I agree with heatherly. In my old apartment my bedroom windows faced Larkin. The windows were also the old windows. I also hung heavy drapes, used a sound machine, and ear plugs. But, it was those garbage trucks and loud motorcycles that drove me crazy. But, I am also a very light sleeper. I lived there for almost two years. I never really got used to the louder vehicles (or the honking @ the stop sign).

I finally moved into another apartment. This new one also has old windows, but it is in the back. I hear the cable cars on Hyde, but I sleep through them (esp since they don't run all night). I also took down the heavy curtains and put up sheers.

But, each person is different. I just happen to be super sensitive to noise.

P.S. I previously lived on a very noisy street next to a bar, with trucks backing up at 6am every day (beeping noises) and drunks yelling at 3am and it drove me crazy!! I had to sleep with earplugs every night.
The train I live next to now is nothing compared to that! Maybe it's because the sound is almost comforting? Like mskk said, it's very rhythmic so it doesn't bother me as much as random street noise.

I live right on the N line on Judah. I have lived here for a year and a half. My apartment is in the back facing south so I don't here any loud sounds. There definitely is a slight rumble everytime the Muni goes by; This bothered me when I first moved in but I am used to it now. I guess it all depends on exactly where your apartment is situated. The neighbors across the hall have their apartment facing directly onto Judah and they have lived there for over two years and it doesn't seem to be a problem for them. I can definitely say from experience if you have faint noise level - you will be fine - if it gets really loud in the apartment that you have to raise your voice to talk as the Muni goes by then you should not even consider moving in - that could get annoying. The Muni runs till what feels like 2am and then it's up and running again around 5am. At least, when I first moved in I kept hearing it go by around that time but now I don't even hear it anymore, I guess I tuned it out.

Good luck!

We live in an apartment that is directly over a convergence of 5 very busy streets. It is incredibly loud. To sleep we must have the windows closed and we bought an industrial fan that works very well to drown out the street noise. Occasionally we hear late night noises, but the fan does a pretty good job of creating a noisy, but continuous sound to help us sleep better. My husband sleeps with earplugs, which he has done without any problems for 2 years. Good luck, if the apartment or location is great, it won't bother you a whole lot. It will be well worth the noise.

Out here in the semi-wilderness, I usually just hear the coyotes and the owls at night. I find them comforting to listen to. I'm so impressed with city dwellers who deal with all the traffic and people noise. It would drive me bonkers.

I use to live by the N Judah line and like many other readers got use to the noise. I also got used to my pug snoring and breathing heavily at night.

At least the N Judah doesn't sneeze on your face at night : )

But I got use to that too!

I live at 2nd and Irving in the Inner Sunset and the noise was worth it for the apartment we were able to snag over a year ago. Yes, it does rumble the building a bit and we have to jack up the TV volume if the window is open but its really fallen into the background for the most part. Its also worth it being within steps of a stop.

I feel your pain. I recently moved into an absolutely adorable duplex/cottage in san anselmo. . however, my bedroom sits on a busy street side and I am super sensitive to any noise, but the place was too darn cute to pass up!

There are some "window plugs" which are basically, foam squares that you can put into your window frame at night when you sleep and take them out in the morning. I am going to try them along with thick drapes. Check out their site:
www.soundproofing.org - lots of good info on soundproofing.

Not that you need anymore comments but, I say muni is more like white noise than say the drunks making noise so there's a good chance - as long as you decide to be okay with it - that you'll get used to it. We hear bart and amtrack from our place in Berkely and for me it's now just part of the backdrop of noise that doesn't bother me at all. Husband on the other hand, I think decided from day one he was going to hate the noise, so it does still bother him. So I say accept it, and then you'll stop hearing it :)

I lived my childhood close to the train tracks. After I moved, I kinda missed the noise.
But yeah, traffic noise is a lot easier than people noise, I have never had very noisy neighbours or lived above a bar. Lucky me. One of our choosing criteria for the new SF apartment was that it should be close to Muni, but not on the same street. Or not next to a church (we lived the first 6 months right across Grace Cathedral, and the 20-minute church bells on sunday mornings wasn't amusing, nor was the church's school for boys early mornings).

Now the only noise we get is the upstairs neighbour doing laundry every night at 11 pm. During daytime / early evening our street seems to be full of happy people in their cars, at least they're plaing LOUD music while stopping for the lights.

I need some noise to sleep. Has anyone ever slept in a bomb shelter? It's horrible. So muted. Quiet as a...grave...

If possible, I would just try not to have your bedroom on the street side. I was in a similar situation in a sub-let railroad apt and even though I would sleep through the street noise, I woke up each morning with heartburn. I guess from my brain was getting annoyed with all the noise! Finally moved my bedroom to one of the inner rooms (even though I really like to have a window in the bedroom) and slept much better.

Also, static on the radio is a great noise machine to drown out street noises. Sounds like an old radiator humming. Especially good because you can actually turn up the volume to match whatever noise you're trying to mask. My brother used to use this technique in grad school when his room was opposite a night club!

I've always gotten used to noise but I don't like vibration. When my neighbor does her laundry my bed shakes a bit during the spin cycle, that wakes me up but otherwise it's not bad I guess. Would the vibration from the train bother you?

for the most, you will acclimate to noises with some time. for sleeping, the biggest help is a fan. i use one year round, and the higher you turn it up, the more noise it blocks. now i can hardly fall asleep without it, even when i don't need to cover noise. unfortunately it does little to block out those obnoxious dumpsters being emptied before sunrise. (hate those things.)

I'm here in SF too and I live on the F-line route. I imagine the Judah would be a lot quieter than the rattling old beauties that rumble past my place.

I don't mind having to put the DVD player on pause when they pass. It reminds me that I live in a great city that refurbishes the old cars for public use.

(And I appreciate the old rippled glass in my windows over any noise-canceling modern version.)

public transportation and traffic is WAY better than drunkards sloppily going home from a bar. street noise you get used to, but i definitely don't ever want to live in a hotsy totsy trendy area where every stupid drunk goes to party!

i live on a main avenue with a bus line, train two blocks away, idiot drivers, 3am garbage trucks, and sometimes drag racers heheh - but that becomes like background music. sometimes if it's too quiet, it becomes unnerving and i pine for a bus to go by :)

my only issue is that sometimes, to have a phone conversation for work, i have to go lock myself in the bathroom. traffic is SO loud, horns honking constantly and so many sirens! my coworkers all think i live in some horrible neighborhood, when really it's so safe i imagine all those ambulances are just going to deliver babies ;)

I live right on the green line in Boston and I used to do ear plugs, but they drove me nuts falling asleep. The solution was to move the air purifier into the bedroom. We have to run it for the cat anyways, so my moving it into the bedroom, the white noise is the perfect amount of noise that silences everything else.

Lily, I almost think there's no way to tell in advance how the MUNI noise will affect you---unless you already know that noise does or doesn't bother you, which I guess you don't, or you wouldn't be wondering.

I lived for 7 years in an incredible old 4-thousand sq ft loft with giant windows---some of which looked out eyeball to eyeball with passangers on the elevated train tracks/station across the street. Suffice it to say that when I moved, I missed the sound of the trains!

If you love the apartment, hell, give it a try.

1. i live within 3 blocks of the hospital, police station and fire hall, so i get a lot of sirens.
2. my building is less than 13 feet from the one neighbouring it and we all keep our windows open all summer, so i know pretty much everything neighbours are doing.
3. the breezeway between the buildings is used as a short cut by lots of people in the area.
4. my fridge motor is LOUD.

these are the four reasons i wear ear plugs to bed every night. i could deal with a constant hum of traffic (or even my fridge), but that the noises are intermittent is what drives me batty. there is little worse than being just about asleep and then having one or more of the "reasons" sound up and wake me from my almost-sleep.

i heart earplugs.

I live on an old brick street in Minneapolis. Due to construction of the new twins stadium and proximity to the central bus station almost all buses are now driving down my street. Additionally the nieghborhood is still about 50% industry and that means loads of semi trucks loading literally across the street from me starting at 6 am every day. Suprisingly I can sleep through it no problem. My partner on the other hand refuses to sleep with the windows open or forces me out of bed at the first sounds in the morning to shut the windows. We have great windows and can barely hear anything 3 floors up with them shut. We're looking for noise cancelling curtains and hope the paper company gets converted to offices/condos as soon as the market turns around.

gem, let's switch houses part of the year.
your coyotes and owls for my Manhattan bus lane/traffic/people talking on the streetness!

Agreed with the people who say that transportation noise is usually easier to deal with noise from random people in the street or people living in the apartments around you. At least the trains have a regular schedule so the noise is consistent and predictable.

Would you be able to ask the other people in the building what they think of the noise?

I live in downtown Pleasanton where the commuter and freight trains roll right through the center of town. The freight train BLARES its horn at every railroad crossing a multitude of times every day, including weekends, starting as early as 5:30am. When I first heard it I thought I would cry. But the thing is...you really do just get used to it. After just one week, it just became part of the "white noise" in life. Once in a great while I notice it. If one could get used to that blaring horn several times a day...I have no doubt you will be just fine :)

I think a lot of times it depends on how easily you can fall back asleep if the noise wakes you up. My bedroom window looks out on a somewhat busy street. Actually, if it were a bit busier, it'd be better, because the noise level would be constant all night instead of ebbing and flowing. I leave the windows open when it's warm, but sometimes at 5am, the noise wakes me up and I close the window and go back to sleep until my alarm goes off. It's not a big deal now, because it's easy to fall back asleep. But when I was younger, I had a much harder time getting back to sleep if something woke me in the early morning hours. That would make it much more difficult to deal with.

I've lived in a second-floor flat right along the N Judah lines for 11 years. No double-paned windows, hardwood floors... you do get used to it pretty quickly so that it just becomes background noise.

The sound of people leaving the neighborhood bars at 2 am does still wake me up on occasion. Go figure.

as many said already: rugs, drapes. but the thing that will save your life as it has mine and several of my friends is a white noise machine. the one that people seem to like, including myself is the marpac....good luck! and also, it's as jenhewett says: you get used to certain noises that become background noise...