TABLE OF CONTENTS The graph below shows the loss in TL effectiveness for "leaky" doors. Openings such as louvers, gaps at thresholds, and the like have a TL of 0 dB. Therefore, these sound leaks can seriously reduce the TL of doors.
Example leaks in doors and corrective measures are presented below. When doors must provide high sound isolation, use solid-core wood (or fiber-filled hollow metal) doors which are gasketed around their entire perimeters in order to be airtight when closed, or use proprietary "acoustical" doors, which come from manufacturer complete with gasketing and stops.
| Sound Leak | Door | Corrective Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Louver | | Avoid. Route air through separate branch duct, or use muffler to corridor (see Chap. 5) |
| Vision panel at low TL | | Use at least 1/4-in-thick glass, laminated glass, or two separate panes of glass. |
| Undercut threshold | | Use threshold gasket or effective drop seal |
