How to Stop Your Roommate From Slamming Doors
Many of us have had the unpleasant experience of sharing an apartment or house with someone who slams doors. Imagine moving into an apartment and having the next-door neighbor start slamming their door in a noisy, obnoxious way every time they walk through it. Or worse yet, waking up hearing your roommate slam their bedroom door(s) regularly. Unfortunately, some people are just naturally inclined to make loud noises when opening and closing doors – we can’t help if these behaviors are ingrained in our personalities. Still, we can try to modify this bad behavior! For this reason, today, I am going to discuss how to stop your roommate from slamming doors.
Summary: One way to stop your roommate from slamming doors is to make sure they always have something to hold on to when they open them. You could also try to talk to them about why they’re slamming the door and see if there’s a way to work around the problem.
Reasons for Slamming Doors
1. Sheer Laziness
Some people feel the need to slam a door because, quite frankly, they are too tired to close it with a little finesse. Additionally, they may be too lazy to push the handle down; therefore, nudging the door with their shoulder then letting go of said shoulder will cause the door to fly open or slammed shut. Although some individuals might find this annoying, one must remember that before judging someone else’s actions, try and walk in their shoes.
2. Irritation
When dealing with your roommate / significant other, slamming doors can also be used as a form of retaliation when you want them to know they have pissed you off by doing something that irritates you. For example, when I was younger and still lived with my parents, my father used to close the door of our study room by lightly pushing it open not to slam it. This angered me tremendously because I would constantly try and slam his door shut, only to be foiled by that little trick he masterfully mastered.
3. Fear
Slamming a door can also be a form of fear being displayed by your roommate / significant other when they do not feel comfortable in their surroundings or sense a potential threat is imminent. If you have an obnoxious neighbor who continually slams doors, then maybe you should consider moving out instead of complaining about how annoying it is.
4. Anger
Finally, slamming a door can be used as a way to get even. If you’re dealing with an individual who routinely makes life difficult for you, then find creative ways to get back at them without resorting to violence (or if it’s too late for that….then start killing them off).
Step-wise Guide on How to Stop Your Roommate From Slamming Doors:
1. Hit Them Where It Hurts – The Pocketbook
Raise the Rent! I know this is not always possible because some people are already living in New York City in sub-par housing conditions; however, if your roommate works and has some money coming in, try and negotiate higher rent and/or monthly payments due on utilities like electricity by threatening to make their life a living hell if they don’t comply.
2. You and Your Roommate Must Work As A Team
If you have any input on what time/days your roommate goes to work, then try and schedule them to come back home at the same time every single day; this will not only make it easier for both of you but also everyone else who lives in the building as well. This works best when they share a job with someone else because they can coordinate schedules with them; however, even if they do this independently, still ask them to start having predictable hours and consistent comings and goings so that others will know when to expect them home each day.
3. Feel Their Pain!
Your roommate is having their life affected by your inconsiderate behavior, and I am sure it is not pleasant for them, so you need to reciprocate here. If you want your roommate to start being considerate of others, they have to know that what they are doing will negatively affect you as well, and the best way for them to feel this pain is through the pocketbook. So if you’re going through all the trouble of raising rent due to slamming doors, make sure that the checks still come in on time and always cash them check or send money quickly back because if not, there will be hell to pay!
4. Do Your Best To Minimize The Damage:
If your roommate slams doors frequently, you will want to do what you can to cushion the impact and reduce any damage. With that in mind, here are 3 ideas for how to stop your roommate from slamming doors:
The first thing to try is some soundproofing. Soundproofing involves using something called a mass damper commonly used in large buildings like hospitals or high-rise buildings with an unfortunate tendency to attract noisy neighbors. When it comes to soundproofing, these devices are placed on the other side of the door, so no damage will be done when it does slam against the frame.
You may not have access to one of these, but they are fairly easy for someone who knows what they are doing to install if you do.
How to Soundproof My Room?
It depends on what you are soundproofing; if you want to soundproof windows, a whole different approach is required compared to the doors. This will surely help you learn how to stop your roommate from slamming doors. It is an alternative approach that is quite effective, and in this way, you will not hear the sound and get compensation if the door gets damaged.
Soundproof Windows
If you are looking for a more permanent solution than just partitioning off parts of your room with blankets, you can check out our guide on which window type and where the best place would be to install them.
In short: If you have vertical blinds or curtains that stretch across the width of your window, they should be enough in most cases to keep sounds out when closed. Just make sure there are no gaps between the curtain and wall so that it provides a seal.
If you have large windows in your room or a big bay window, you should consider getting curtains with grommets where they overlap so that there is no gap to keep sounds out. This is especially important if you live on the first floor above street level; otherwise, the sound will bounce off of walls and come back at you after bouncing from windows, causing significant noise pollution. Soundproof Windows?
Soundproof Curtains for Doors
As mentioned before, vertical blinds or curtains are usually sufficient when it comes to privacy. Still, their effectiveness greatly decreases when talking about soundproofing as most of them do not provide any sound barrier whatsoever between rooms. However, if this is all you can afford and still want to prevent sound, you can make a barrier by creating an accordion out of your curtains.
Soundproof Walls with Sound Absorbing Sheets/Ceiling
As we already covered how to soundproof individual rooms, this section will discuss how we deal with common sounds that may have originated from the adjacent room. Of course, depending on each person’s situation, one of the solutions below might be absolutely perfect!
Soundproofing starts with well-made walls. The same principles discussed in this post for individual rooms apply to whole house soundproofing as well. In addition, many specific issues about shared housing situations, so pay attention!
The first step is understanding that drywall alone will not silence adjacent room noise. Because walls are inherently flexible and absorb some frequencies more than others (this is where mass comes into play), we either need to add sound-absorbing material or follow several philosophies on how to avoid wall movement altogether.
Conclusion
Thus I hope you have a clear conception about how to stop your roommate from slamming doors. Ensure the process properly to obtain the best results. Thank you, and have a nice day!
Angela Ervin
Angela is the executive editor of DIY quickly. She began her career as an interior designer before applying her strategic and creative passion to lifestyle and home. She has close to 15 years of experience in creative writing and online content strategy for housekeeping, home decorations as well as other niche efforts. She loves her job and has the privilege of working with an extraordinary team. She lives with her husband, two sons, and daughter in Petersburg. When she's not busy working she spent time with her family.
