Smart home devices add greater capability to a home, but one thing that's hard to control is the extra noise these products can bring into the home.
Steve Haas, an acoustical consultant for luxury homes, put it this way, "Homes have suddenly become more ‘live.' It emphasizes the need for better control.” Homeowners are hiring experts like Haas, or are investing in sound-absorbing curtains, rug pads, ceiling and wall panels to cut down on the noise from smart home device notifications and prompts, Realtor.com reports. New York architect Paul Masi explains that he tends to put mixers, dishwashers, and other noisier appliances in the butler’s pantry, as kitchens tend to be noisiest.
Forget drowning out the neighbors. Homeowners today are battling a different kind of noise: the cacophony of pings and dings coming from all the gadgets inside their homes. Internet-enabled, voice-activated “smart” devices have infiltrated homes, making it possible for people to adjust their bedroom temperature, turn on their oven or order a pizza merely by speaking the command. But talking and beeping devices, combined with other noise-emitting items like TVs, phones and iPads, have created a high-tech racket.
