I have just build a passive house and it is a sealed home with an air handling unit. Each room is sealed with a membrane. How do I fit a ceiling mount Sonos speaker without compromising the sealed ceiling.
This is going to be an ongoing issue (certainly in Europe with passive houses) Note: self sealing ceiling downlight housing are already available. Any thoughts as my home is all flush speakers.
You may want to check with Sonance directly, they’re the people that Sonos co-markets with. Sonos doesn’t make the ‘in wall’ speakers themselves.
I would also take ask that question in more generic audio forums, or construction forums. If sealing a room is a becoming a common practice, than I’m sure someone has come up with a solution.
It may be that you need to enclose your ceiling speakers in ‘backer boxes’ and the membrane goes over the box?
The ‘passive’ home I’m currently in eschewed in wall speakers completely, and went with the normal Sonos self powered speakers. It’s entirely possible that intrusions into the membrane of that type are just not allowed.
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What I have seen goes two ways.
A backer box with the membrane sealed to the opening and then the box to the membrane.
The membrane sealed to the opening and the speaker sealed to the membrane.
I think the backer box option was more sound transmission to other rooms than air leaks. I’d lean that way myself, sound leakage is usually an aggravation to the one being leaked upon.
In “membrane homes” how does one deal with power outlets and light switches?
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The in-wall wiring boxes are sealed to the wall and the wire inlets are sealed.
I haven’t dealt with between room membrane sealing but have with outside wall membranes and seen one that had a ceiling membrane. Even then it is a lot of work and special parts for each penetration, not to mention the perimeter and between swaths of wrap sealing.
You mount the wiring boxes normally but then add the wrap. Then smaller than the box holes are cut for each box and the membrane stretched over the box and sealed, we used silicone caulk. Then you go back and add a glob of silicone seal around each wire making sure it plugs the entry hole.
Fancier (sealing gasket) than what we had, far less hand work:
https://alliedmoulded.com/residential/vapor-seal-air-sealed-electrical-boxes/
What I have seen goes two ways.
A backer box with the membrane sealed to the opening and then the box to the membrane.
The membrane sealed to the opening and the speaker sealed to the membrane.
I think the backer box option was more sound transmission to other rooms than air leaks. I’d lean that way myself, sound leakage is usually an aggravation to the one being leaked upon.
I get that backer boxes exist primarily for acoustic reasons, but it seems like it would provide a good surface for the membrane to attach to. I mean, would it be worse than drywall and studs? What would be the alternative?
My understanding of most of those membranes is that they’re on the exterior of the house, not inside on each room. You’re guarding against penetration from the outside of the structure, not each individual room.
My understanding of most of those membranes is that they’re on the exterior of the house, not inside on each room. You’re guarding against penetration from the outside of the structure, not each individual room.
Yes, that sounds like tyvek, the sort of membrane I’m used to seeing. My understand is that helps with moisture and thermal control, but isn’t really trying to be airtight. I mean, the homes I’ve seen only wrap the walls, and there are no strict rules about punctures in the membrane. OP’s sounds like a different approach, and even includes insulating interior walls.
+22
What I have seen goes two ways.
A backer box with the membrane sealed to the opening and then the box to the membrane.
The membrane sealed to the opening and the speaker sealed to the membrane.
I think the backer box option was more sound transmission to other rooms than air leaks. I’d lean that way myself, sound leakage is usually an aggravation to the one being leaked upon.
I get that backer boxes exist primarily for acoustic reasons, but it seems like it would provide a good surface for the membrane to attach to. I mean, would it be worse than drywall and studs? What would be the alternative?
With an air-tight speaker the backer box would add nothing to the sealing. How air-tight a speaker is could be an interesting question though. Does air pass through the foam surround? Does the voice -coil cavity vent to both front and back? If both how air-tight is the rear speaker suspension?
The speaker is going to seal to the membrane that is on the rear side of the drywall so the backer box isn’t involved in that at all. The only thing it would do for air-flow isolation is block any flowing through the speaker assembly.
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