Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers by topic below, from project planning and field-testing standards to troubleshooting, documentation, and scheduling. OSAT is an independent on-site acoustic and acoustical testing agency; see our field testing services, Reference Library, and Technical Insights for further detail.

Project Planning and Site Readiness

Do you work nationwide?

Yes. OSAT travels throughout the United States for government, military, commercial, industrial, development, and residential projects. International projects can be evaluated individually.

What information should I send for a quote?

Include the exact testing location, drawings or specifications if available, the acceptance criteria, the number of tests or locations, desired schedule, and a brief description of the issue. This helps us prepare an accurate scope.

When should acoustic testing be scheduled?

For construction acceptance, schedule testing after the relevant partitions, doors, penetrations, finishes, and mechanical systems are installed and functioning in their intended configuration. Earlier diagnostic testing can identify deficiencies before closeout. For operating facilities, testing should coincide with representative conditions.

Do you need drawings and specifications before visiting?

Drawings, wall and floor assemblies, door schedules, equipment lists, and the governing acceptance criteria help us select the correct method and estimate the field effort. Where documentation is unavailable, we can discuss a preliminary investigation and identify the information needed for a defensible test plan.

How long does a site visit take?

Duration depends on the number and type of measurements, access restrictions, background noise, room availability, required setup, and whether troubleshooting is included. We estimate the field time during scoping rather than applying one fixed duration to every project.

Can testing be performed in an occupied building?

Often, yes. Some measurements require temporary control of source noise, HVAC operation, doors, room access, or occupant activity. We coordinate these conditions in advance so results are meaningful and disruption is limited.

What affects the price of testing?

Scope, site location, travel, number of assemblies or test points, applicable standards, access and security requirements, specialized instrumentation, monitoring duration, and reporting requirements all affect cost. A clear test matrix and drawings generally make estimates more accurate.

Architectural Acoustics and Building Performance

Do you perform ASTC, AIIC, and OITC field testing?

Yes. We perform airborne and impact sound-isolation testing, including appropriate field evaluation of walls, floors, doors, and building façades. The applicable method and rating depend on the assembly and project objective. See building acoustics testing.

What is the difference between laboratory STC and field ASTC?

STC is a single-number airborne sound isolation rating generally derived from laboratory transmission-loss testing. ASTC is an apparent field rating for the separation as built, including relevant flanking transmission. They are not interchangeable, and a laboratory product rating does not establish field compliance.

What is the difference between IIC and AIIC?

IIC describes impact isolation under a specified test method, commonly for a laboratory-tested floor-ceiling assembly. AIIC represents apparent impact isolation measured in the field, influenced by the installed assembly and surrounding structure. The project specification determines the relevant metric and criterion.

What is OITC, and when is it useful?

Outdoor-Indoor Transmission Class characterizes a building element’s resistance to a reference outdoor transportation-noise spectrum. It is particularly relevant for façades, glazing, and exterior building envelopes exposed to traffic or aircraft noise. The test and rating methodology must match the project objective.

Why can a wall or floor fail despite using a highly rated assembly?

Common causes include air leakage, unsealed penetrations, electrical boxes, incorrect or rigid connections, missing insulation, workmanship variations, flanking paths, structural bridges, and doors or glazing that limit overall performance. Diagnosis requires measurement and construction review; a single rating does not identify the cause.

Can you test doors, windows, and individual rooms?

Yes, when an appropriate field method and configuration can be established. Door seals, thresholds, frames, glazing, and adjacent paths often dominate measured isolation. We distinguish assembly performance from whole-room performance in the test plan and report.

Secure Facilities (SCIF and SAPF) Acoustical Testing and RF Shielding

Do you perform SCIF and SAPF testing?

Yes. We perform field testing and verification of secure facilities, including work subject to ICD-705 and relevant project requirements. We can assist with testing of installed constructions and troubleshooting deficient assemblies. See secure-facility testing.

Does an STC rating alone establish ICD-705 compliance?

No. A laboratory STC rating is not a substitute for verification of the installed secure-facility construction and applicable project criteria. The governing technical specification, facility design, and acceptance authority determine the required tests and pass/fail thresholds.

Can you investigate an acoustically deficient SCIF door?

Yes. We can measure field performance, examine perimeter and threshold leakage, identify likely transmission paths, and retest after corrective work. The goal is to locate the limiting condition rather than replace components blindly.

Do you perform RF shielding effectiveness testing?

Yes. We provide on-site RF shielding verification for appropriate facilities and enclosures. The measurement frequencies, configurations, required attenuation, and reporting method depend on the applicable standard or project specification. See our RF shielding testing service.

Is RF shielding testing the same as acoustic isolation testing?

No. Acoustic tests measure sound transmission, whereas RF shielding tests evaluate electromagnetic attenuation. A facility may require both, but the instrumentation, setup, performance criteria, and resulting reports are different.

Can you test a facility before its final acceptance inspection?

Where site conditions permit, pre-acceptance measurements can expose construction defects early and allow corrective work before formal verification. We recommend defining in advance whether a visit is diagnostic, a witnessed acceptance test, or both.

Environmental, Industrial and Specialty Measurements

Can you monitor noise or vibration over time?

Yes. Long-term and remote monitoring can capture intermittent or time-dependent conditions over days, weeks, or longer. Recording and event documentation may be incorporated where appropriate and authorized.

Can you investigate intermittent noise complaints?

Yes. Intermittent events may require unattended logging, event documentation, or multiple visits. We design measurements around the source’s actual operating cycle and distinguish observed levels from assumptions about the source.

What is the difference between sound level, sound exposure, and frequency analysis?

A sound level describes level at a particular time or over a defined interval; exposure depends on both level and duration; frequency analysis identifies how energy is distributed across the spectrum. Different questions require different metrics, weightings, and averaging times.

Can you assess HVAC, mechanical equipment, and data-center noise?

Yes. We investigate equipment noise, tonal components, vibration transmission, operating states, and affected receiving spaces. Where useful, we compare operating conditions and use source localization or longer-term monitoring. See data-center testing.

Do you investigate pickleball and other community noise?

Yes. The approach depends on event patterns, distance, background conditions, local ordinances, and the question being evaluated. We can document sound levels and event characteristics without assuming that one generic noise limit applies everywhere.

What is sound intensity testing used for?

Sound intensity methods can help estimate sound power or distinguish directional acoustic energy under suitable measurement conditions. They differ from ordinary sound-pressure measurements and require appropriate instrumentation and a method matched to the source and environment. See our standards directory for related ISO methods.

Can you measure speech intelligibility or privacy?

Yes. Depending on the objective, speech testing may evaluate intelligibility, privacy, masking, or announcement-system performance. The test method and acceptance criteria should be defined for the specific occupancy or system. See speech intelligibility testing.

Results, Standards and Next Steps

Can you test to ASTM, ISO, ANSI, OSHA, or project-specific requirements?

Yes, where the method applies to the proposed measurement. We establish the applicable standard, specification, or acceptance criterion during scoping, and can develop a documented procedure for an unusual question when a standard method is not directly applicable.

Do you outsource field testing?

No. OSAT personnel perform our field testing. Accredited laboratory services may be used separately when sample analysis requires them.

Do you sell or install soundproofing products?

No. OSAT provides independent measurement, diagnostics, analysis, and consulting rather than product sales or installation.

What will the final report contain?

A typical technical report identifies the test objective, site and configurations, measurement methods and instrumentation, relevant conditions, results, applicable criteria, limitations, and conclusions. Photos, measurement locations, spectra, and recommendations are included as appropriate to the agreed scope. See reports and deliverables.

Do you issue a pass/fail result?

When the contract or governing document provides an applicable criterion, results can be evaluated against it. If no valid acceptance threshold exists, we report the measurements and their interpretation rather than inventing a compliance standard.

What if the test fails?

We can help identify likely causes, prioritize corrective actions, and arrange targeted retesting. The initial result should be preserved with its original test conditions; remediation and subsequent verification should be documented separately.

How do I know which ASTM, ANSI or ISO standard applies?

The right standard depends on what is being measured: airborne isolation, impact transmission, façade performance, environmental noise, shielding effectiveness, sound power, or another property. The contract and authority having jurisdiction may also control. Start with the Acoustic Standards Directory; we can review the relevant method during scoping.

Can you provide independent third-party verification?

OSAT provides measurement and technical analysis independent of selling or installing acoustic products. Independence, any project-specific witnessing arrangements, and reporting requirements should be established before testing.

What happens after I submit a project inquiry?

We review the location, objective, available documentation, required standard, schedule, and access restrictions to identify a reasonable scope. Additional information may be needed before a quotation or field plan can be finalized.

Request Testing or a Quote

Send us the project location, relevant drawings or specifications, requested testing, and schedule using the form below.