The U.S. construction industry complies with national model and local building codes. The importance of code was highlighted during the tragic events in Italy in early 2009.  A Reuters article blamed “less than scrupulous respect for anti-seismic building codes” for the collapse of a hospital built in the year 2000 in the region. Similarly, if you compare the number of car crashes on the news daily to the number of fires, and you also get a sense of just how effective and necessary these codes are.  Unfortunately, building designs optimized for fire safety often work against good acoustical performance. In other words, fire and sound aren’t usually building compatible.

 

When designing for quiet, the industry often references the Gypsum Association Fire Resistance Design Manualto determine the best way to create noise reduction for occupants while still keeping the design in compliance with fire codes.

 

The Gypsum Association’s publication references the industry’s most pervasive noise control requirements, Sound Transmission Class (STC) Ratings, as a way to determine the success of noise damping design.  The generally accepted rule is that the higher the STC Rating, the better the design.  In many cases, model building code dictates an STC Rating of 50 or higher.  For designing adequate noise proofing, when it comes to STC ratings, there aren’t a lot of other measurement options or guidance on the right level to target.

 

Understanding STC Ratings

But as an industry, we need to consider that much of the foundation for the STC Ratings system is dated. Testing and lab results in the Gypsum Association’s manual are more than 40 years old.  The STC Ratings system was developed post WWII for typical household noises such as conversation, dishwashing, and music from a radio. It takes into account frequencies down to 125 Hz.  As machinery advanced, trucks grew, home theaters bloomed, and subwoofers became ubiquitous, noises below 125 Hz became common and STC Ratings are now less an indicator of quiet.

 

In order to best understand how to maximize the value of STC Ratings, it is helpful to understand how STC is calculated for a particular wall assembly. The STC value is a calculation based on the ASTM Standard E90. STC is somewhat like how the EPA calculates the miles per gallon performance of vehicles. Even though the sticker may state “28 MPG”, results will vary based on speed, driving situation and vehicle condition. If you have one gallon left in your car, and the nearest gas station is 27.5 miles away, chances are, you’re not going to risk the drive.

 

Similarly, STC Ratings are not the most precise way to measure sound damping, but it gives a usable scale. However, if you want to address noise in a particular frequency range (i.e., low frequencies or high frequencies), it is smart to consult the actual transmission loss (TL) curve to identify exactly how the wall assembly performed in those frequencies. This will let you predict more accurately the results you can expect from the assembly in your project. STC value calculation ignores TL below 125 and de-emphasizes frequencies 500 Hz and below.  If your project will need to control noise at these frequencies, the calculated STC value would not be a particularly valuable criterion for predicting the performance of an assembly for your project.

 

Another potential complication is that a variable of less than 5 STC points either way doesn’t make a huge difference in how people hear noise. Even if you’ve designed for an STC rating, STC Ratings of 50 in the lab generally get built to 45 in real life.  Let’s say your design is 3 STC points short of meeting code, you may change that design to comply with code. The technical requirements will be met, but the owner or occupants may not experience the expected “comfort.”

 

The most noticeable changes of STC Ratings are greater than 5, and a 10 point difference can be like turning off sound to the human ear.



The Institute for Research in Construction conducted a study that found the point at which sound insulation starts becoming effective is approximately STC 55, or to put it even more simply, STC 55 makes people happy.  If we design for an STC 60, it follows that as an industry we will end up with an STC 55 in the field.  But STC 60 doesn’t happen with traditional wall construction.  To get to STC 60, builders need an acoustical consultant or other field expert to help.

 

Noise Reduction Design Solutions

Experts can help determine the best way that sound transmission control solutions could work for your project. For example, one common method is to add mass; another is to use structurally independent leaves. When working with mass law, each time you double up a layer of similar mass material, you can gain up to 6 STC points. This principle works on that fact that the heavier an object is, the more energy it takes to vibrate it. Movie theaters have used this design process for years, some walls between screens are up to 3 feet thick with many layers of concrete block and then faced with multiple layers of drywall–sometimes 16 to 20 layers on each side of the CMUs . Structurally independent leaves work by separating the sound control from the structure.

 

Another method uses damped layer panels. Damping technology is not new. It has been used in planes, trains and automobiles for years to increase cabin comfort. It hasn’t been used in construction until recently due to many factors. It can be a messy process, end results are not ascetically pleasing, or it could not package in either in an easily usable form or application methods would be difficult. In the past few years, however, solutions that are easy to use, reliable and ascetically pleasing are now available.

 

Caulking is an absolutely critical component of a high TL wall.  During building, a common occurrence happens when the contractor ran out of caulk as he was nearing the end of the job.  He may have had every intention of finishing but may have been distracted or forgot to come back to that spot. By missing that spot, the resulting STC is 10 points lower than specified.  The real problem comes into play at the time of occupancy because at this point, the performance is not being tested.

 

So far, we have focused on wall assemblies and code. It is important to note that controlling noise with floor and ceiling assemblies is another type of challenge. Floor and ceiling assemblies are rated on two independent codes: STC and IIC. You now know what STC measures airborne sound transmission. IIC stands for Impact Isolation Class and it measures structure-borne sound transmission.

 

IIC is calculated similarly to how STC is calculated with a number of values resulting from tests at various frequencies. However, there is some dissatisfaction with the IIC measurement today. Some of the most common complaints about noise involve what is often called “high heel” noise, which occurs at high frequencies. Many experts believe that the current IIC measurement under-weighs high frequencies, so that a high-IIC floor/ceiling assembly will not always solve the problem of “high heel” noise.

We expect that a growing movement to modify how the calculation is made will soon effect changes that will allow IIC to provide values that more closely fit builders’ expectations.

 

Another, sometimes overlooked, way to help with sound control simply has to do with orientation within the environment.  You can use the features of the surrounding rooms to assist in lowering sound transmission.

 

How the ductwork runs are done can have a dramatic impact. Sound will take the path of least resistance. Some fairly typical designs provide a direct pathway for sound to travel from room to room. A better way would be to run ducts along a hallway and then trunk them in and out of each room.

 

Just like the previous example door orientation can make it easy for sound to travel between rooms. Locating doors away from each other or diagonally opposed will definitely help.

 

Code Plus Design for True Value

A perceived savings by engineering for “value” up front could lead to an added liability exposure to all involved. Plans are developed without considering acoustical function of space. Noise issues are not realized until there is occupancy and then there is usually no budget set aside for remediation.

 

An upfront investment to consider acoustical function can generate a serious return on investment.  Noise mitigation costs 10% as much at the design phase rather than the build phase. In other words, delaying the design of noise mitigation until the build phase can increase the cost of implementation by 10 times.

 

Most all of us are affected by noise or sound in and around our buildings. The best designs incorporate sound management into the overall design solution. Acoustics needs to be not only considered but incorporated at the very start of a design project—just as other building sciences are utilized during the design phase.

 

Today, I would urge acoustical designers to use STC Ratings and other codes as a tool to use as a general indicator of ‘goodness’ but not a detailed picture of owner satisfaction. The ultimate proof is in the performance of a wall, and that usually means implementing an overall acoustic design at code plus.

 

Powerful Headlines – You do include them on every sales-letter, brochure, web page and ad…don’t you? If not, your marketing is weak and ineffective. And worse, you’re only attracting a fraction of the customers you could be. Sorry. But it’s true.

Here’s why: your marketing pieces need to stand out and demand to be read. They need to reach out and zero in on those you’re targeting “Hey Mr Prospect this is specifically aimed at you.”

How do you do this? Good question. There has to be a powerful benefit in your headline. One aimed at your target market. So your reader is irresistibly drawn to your piece like a paperclip to a ten ton magnet.

Lets face it, if you have the name of your company at the top and NO headline why should the reader read it? Sure it’s important to you. But you’re not the person you’re trying to attract.

People are selfish creatures. Your readers are only interested in “What’s in it for them?”

And anyway we’re all overloaded with information everyday. Emails, newspaper, television. Your piece has got to cut through the clutter and be the one thing your prospect reads today.

So how do you write turbo charged headlines? Try adding a “How to” at the beginning of your headline. For instance. “How To Make All Your Ads Attract Customers Like Crazy So You Out Market Your Competitors.” Will this attract business people or marketing managers? You bet!

“How to Make Your Car Do an Extra 15mpg and Save Yourself

Recently, President Obama made a big speech. He was worried about education standards. He wanted to divert more resources into improving basic reading skills and giving people a better understanding of the world around them. It was interesting to see how many voices were raised in complaint. They did not agree it should be a high priority for people to know more about the world. These are the voices of big businesses like insurance that rely on you not understanding how policies work. There is more profit to be made if people do not read and understand what they are buying. How bad is this problem? The answer comes in a recent survey carried out by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). It seems only 45% of you have any real sense of confidence when you buy insurance policies, more than 60% failed to define simple concepts from health and auto policies, and 86% did not understand the terms being used in the healthcare reform debate. When insurance is so important to financial survival in the US, it is disheartening that people are not making decisions based on the best information.

Here is a quick test:

• if some property is stolen from your vehicle, can you claim its value on your auto policy?
• is your credit history taken into consideration when you buy a policy?
• when you buy a liability policy which insures 100/300/100. what does the last figure mean?

When you want insurance, you could make a policy decision only to buy through an agent. Being able to talk to a person gives you access to their knowledge and experience. It can give you more confidence. Except most agents will charge you a fee or there will be commission deducted out of your premium instalments, so this advice can come expensive. Is it worth it when you can do a little study and learn what you need to know. As a starting point, look at http://www.InsureUonline.org/. Getting more savvy means saving money and getting a better deal by buying a policy online. So long as you shop around, getting as many car insurance quotes as possible, you should always be able to find a good deal. But, if you are still uncertain, do not be afraid to pick up the telephone before writing out a check or authorizing a credit card payment. Now you make a choice. Your state has a Department of Insurance and all of them run help lines to answer your questions. Alternatively, call the car insurance company directly. Make sure you understand your policy before you find out the hard way when making a claim. In other words, you should always protect yourself and avoid future losses by asking before you buy.

The answers to the questions are: property stolen from your vehicle is covered by your homeowners policy not the auto insurance policy; your credit score is a key factor for setting your premium rate in the majority of states; and the final $100,000 is the maximum amount payable for damage to property.

Windows VPS- virtual private server is the latest and the most advanced hosting service which is available today to web owners and website developers. This is just the kind of hosting service that you would need for your website if your business is small but still large enough not to be comfortable with a shared hosting package. For these businesses, VPS would be the best possible solution because it would provide all the benefits of a dedicated server without the need of investing a great deal of money on the equipment and installation. There are many great reasons why VPS has become so popular today and some of the main benefits that it offers to its users have been listed below.

System Updates and Managed Backups

Windows VPS offers you all the help that you would need for managing the backups. This is very beneficial because your server will be backed up automatically every single day to make sure that you will be able to restore it to the original settings on any given day. The technical department at your hosting company will be able to help you restore the settings whenever you want. You will just have to call and specify your requirements and it would be done. Another big benefit is that you will no longer have to spend your time updating the server. Your server will be able to update itself automatically which will be very helpful. Any time that a new version is released, the server would update itself.

Expert Help and Capacity Monitoring

Windows VPS is very popular today also because of several other reasons. You will be able to find out your exact hosting needs for your business. The system will be able to track the usage of your business currently. Based on this, it will also recommend the right hosting package for you so that you will be able to save a considerable amount of money. You will also be able to get a lot of technical assistance from your hosting company. During any time of the day or night, you will be able to call the help line number or use online chat if you are facing any kind of problem with your server.

You would be able to rest assured that your server would be secure since this hosting service will alert you automatically if it nearing a breakdown. A breakdown can actually be unpredictable but the hosting company would be closely monitoring the availability of your server and so they would be able to inform you if there is any potential problem. Business owners can enjoy a wide range of benefits by using this type of hosting service. There is no doubt why windows VPS has gained so much popularity in the recent times.

Last week’s question from Anthony R. on how to choose the franchise that would best fulfill his life-long dream of owning his own business sparked a number of emails from other readers wanting to offer their two cents on the subject.

Some folks offered helpful insights and suggestions on how to pick a franchise and a few things to watch out for, while other emails came from current franchise owners asking me to help them sell their operations to Anthony R.

Hmm, sounds like it’s time to update the old business card once again. Tim Knox: Franchise Broker At Large… Who knows, maybe I can franchise the concept.

Last week I promised we’d take a closer look at a few of the things you should look for when considering a franchise opportunity. Keep in mind that there are thousands of franchise opportunities that range from the low end opportunities available for a few thousand dollars to the high end franchises that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The difference in price is reflected in many ways: the viability of the opportunity, the level of training and support offered to the franchisee, the track record and financial stability of the franchisor, the success rate of the franchisees, and a dozen other factors.

All a lower end franchisor might offer is a training manual and the right to use their company name. Many also have very little interest in weeding out potential franchisees. The truth is many are in business just to collect franchise fees. They have little interest in whether or not a franchisee actually succeeds. If you have a pulse and a checkbook, you can become their franchisee. And your pulse does not have to be that strong.

The higher end franchisors have very strict franchisee requirements and will not allow just anyone to become a part of their franchise system. They also go to much greater lengths to ensure the success of their franchisees. They offer complete hand holding from start to finish and remain heavily involved in the business even after the doors open. Yes, you do pay dearly for their assistance, but as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.

Here are a few things to look for in a franchise opportunity:

Turnkey operation

This is the most appealing feature of many franchise systems. Many of the top franchisors will scout the best location for the business, build and equip the facility, hire and train employees, put you through an extensive management training system, then toss you the keys. Furthermore, they will work closely with you for the first few months to help make certain that you know what to do with the keys once they’ve been tossed to you.

The majority of franchises don’t offer such complete turnkey packages, so be prepared to do much of the upfront work yourself. Often it is up to you to find a location, negotiate the lease, build out the space or erect a building, install the equipment, hire and train a staff etc.

Proven track record and management system

As mentioned earlier, many of the lesser-known franchise systems offer you a training manual, maybe a training video, and a few hours of telephone support. Not the best way to learn how to run a business. A good franchisor will provide you with thorough management training, either at their facility or onsite at yours. Since one of the reasons for buying into a franchise system is to tap into their expertise and know-how, thorough training should be a foremost consideration.

Customers waiting for the door to open

I don’t have the statistics in my pocket to back this up, of course, but I’d bet the farm that every time a new McDonald’s opens its door, it’s a mere matter of minutes before the first Happy Meal is sold. Many franchisors spend hundreds of millions of dollars on national ad campaigns to promote brand awareness. This works great for the franchisee who can literally have customers waiting for the doors to open on the first day of business.

Always consider the downsides

There are downsides to franchising. Foremost is the high cost of entry. The top franchise opportunities require considerable investment on the front end, usually more of an investment than if the entrepreneur started a similar venture on his own. You could open an independent hamburger fast food restaurant for a fraction of the McDonald’s franchise fee, but you probably won’t sell as many hamburgers. What you’re buying from McDonald’s is not just a fast food restaurant that sells hamburgers. What you’re buying is a brand, a reputation, and a proven business system with ready to eat customers. Be prepared to pay a premium for it.

Another downside is that when you buy into a franchise system you often have to pay a percentage of your revenues back to the franchisor. You might also be required to buy supplies from the franchisor, including inventory, paperwork, software, computer systems, and anything else the franchisor decides that they should supply to you.

And there in lies the biggest downside of all. When you buy into a franchise system you don’t control your business, the franchisor does. You have very little say-so in running the business. You must follow their processes and procedures without variation. And should you decide to get out of the business you may not even be allowed to sell the franchise to just anyone. The new owner would have to be approved by the franchisor before a deal could be made final.

The bottomline, Anthony, is to do your homework and make sure the franchise you choose fits your personality, your lifestyle, and your pocket book.