Your forensic interview room must work to maintain privacy and prevent distractions during interviews. That’s why soundproofing the space is essential. With only one chance to record an interrogation or testimonial evidence, agencies need to make sure their room setup is secure and will be conducive to a focused and uninterrupted interview.
Soundproofing Construction Materials
There are a handful of best practices and materials that every agency should consider when working to soundproof their interview rooms. Of course, the specific methods you choose for soundproofing will depend on your budget and the room’s layout and existing construction. But reviewing this list can help you get the best results possible. Sometimes, all you might need is just a minor improvement!
1. Use Solid Core Doors
Considering your doors is often the best place to start. A lot of sound can travel through your main door from the hallways, so be sure to replace any hollow-core doors in the room with solid core doors. These doors are denser and block more sound, keeping what’s said in the room—and outside—confined to its own space.
2. Upgrade Windows
Similar to your doors, the room’s windows can also introduce distractions. Swapping out old windows to newer models can help boost your sense of privacy and limit outside noise from traveling into your space.
3. Soundproof Flooring
The type of flooring you have can either cause sound to carry or dampen the excess noise. This is especially important for recording audio. Choose dense, sound-absorbing flooring materials, such as carpets with thick padding when possible. If you have hard flooring, consider adding rugs or acoustic underlay.
4. Acoustic Panels
Another easy fix is to install acoustic panels or sound-absorbing materials on the walls and ceiling. These panels can significantly reduce echo and improve sound quality within the room.
5. Insulate Walls and Ceiling
If you’re able to make a more significant renovation or you’re building your interview room from the ground up, consider installing soundproof insulation between the wall studs and in the ceiling. Fiberglass or mineral wool insulation can also help absorb sound and serve as a major improvement for your soundproofing efforts.
6. Specialized Drywall
Similar to insulation, you can also look at increasing the mass of the walls by adding additional layers of drywall. There are even soundproof drywall materials, which are specially designed to absorb and block sound. If you have the option with your budget, you could alternatively apply a layer of mass-loaded vinyl (MLV) before installing standard drywall.
7. Soundproofing Accessories
Last but not least, look at placing door sweeps and new door gaskets to seal gaps around doors. This small upgrade can help reduce the sound of your conversations from leaking into other areas of your building.
Get Better Acoustics for Your Evidence Recordings
You have a lot of options for soundproofing your interview room. Along the way, be sure to keep in mind how you can improve the audio quality of your space for your interview evidence recordings. Consulting with an acoustic engineer or a team that’s experienced with interview room build outs and site assessments can be a fantastic place to start. Together, you can review your space and develop a tailored soundproofing solution to maintain privacy and enhance your audio recordings too.
Although complete soundproofing may not be achievable in all cases, there are clear steps you can take to significantly reduce noise transmission and create a more distraction-free interview room. If you’re looking for guidance throughout your process, please know that our team at iRecord is here to help! Just send us a message to schedule a time for us to talk. We’re here for you, developing customized solutions for all types of interview room applications!