If you’re wondering ‘what windows are best for soundproofing?’ it is likely you live near a busy road or are close to a city centre. In both instances, you may experience a high level of traffic noises and other ambient sounds.
While this may not be a huge problem during the day, it can seriously disrupt your sleep. If you have young children or elderly relatives with an early bedtime in the house, this problem may be compounded.
One of the ways to combat this noise pollution is to ensure that your windows are as quiet as possible. This means installing the windows which best block or reduce ambient sounds.
But with so many window options on the market, how do you decide which best suit your needs?
At Manchester Window Factory, we are certified experts in glazing and the installation of windows. In this blog, we’ll go through some of the options you have for reducing noise through your windows, tips for soundproofing your windows, and the costs associated with ‘noise cancelling’ windows.
What are ambient sounds?
Ambient sounds are simply the sounds you can hear around you. If you live near a road or close to a big city centre, this is likely to be traffic, people coming and going and, sometimes, music. If you live on a farm or in the country, it could also be animal sounds such as sheep, cows and birds. Ambient sounds could also include other vehicles, such as tractors, trucks, trains, planes, and helicopters. It all depends on your location.
What is noise pollution, and how can it affect me?
Ambient sounds become noise pollution when they are loud or disruptive. They can affect your sleep and make it difficult to concentrate on work or enjoy leisure time. Persistent noise pollution can have a detrimental effect on your physical and mental health.
Flight Paths
For example, the closer you live to a flight path, the louder the noise you are likely to experience. Those living a mile away from a busy flight path can be subjected to up to 97 decibels. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended level of environmental noise is below 70 decibels over 24 hours, and below 75 over eight hours to avoid hearing impairment in 95% of people. Short bursts of noises, such as fireworks, horns, and cannon blasts, should never go beyond 140 decibels in adults and 120 decibels in children.
The size of the airport will also inform the frequency of flights, determining how often you hear the planes overhead. A 2013 study by the British Medical Journal found that hospital admittance for strokes and other cardiovascular diseases was 10%-20% higher for people living close to Heathrow airport. German research also found that exposure to an average noise level of 60dB
Road & Rail
If you don’t live near a flight path but are close to a main road, you can expect around 45-75 decibels of traffic noises, including cars, buses, trucks and motorcycles. Although the noise level isn’t as intense, it can still be extremely disruptive and prolonged exposure can still increase the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases.
Likewise, if you live close to a train station, you can expect up to 80 decibels of noise from each diesel train within 100 feet. A freight train will emit the same number of decibels from 15 feet away. Prolonged exposure can lead to hearing impairment.
Inner City
Last but not least, inner-city living brings its own noise. Music from nearby nightclubs, bars and restaurants, people coming and going at unsociable hours, and the noises of a busy high street may all be inconvenient. You may also hear police helicopters and more emergency service vehicles than in a less urban environment.
Although the decibel levels aren’t usually dangerous, the constant low-level noise can still be detrimental to your quality of life.
How do I reduce noise through my windows?
The best way to reduce outside noise travelling through your windows is to replace your existing units with double or triple-glazed soundproof windows.
At Manchester Window Factory, we use STADIP SILENCE double and triple acoustic glazing which includes a special film interlayer to help reduce sound transmission. In a double-glazed window, STADIP SILENCE can insulate airborne sounds up to 54 decibels, making it ideal for busy streets and urban environments. STADIP SILENCE also offers a fantastic reduction of weather noises such as heavy rain and winds. These windows also filter 99% of UV light to stop the sun from bleaching.
In some cases, triple-glazed will be the best windows for soundproofing due to their thickness, three layers of glass and two layers of argon gas to fill the gaps. The excellent insulation system also makes it much harder for ambient sounds to reach the interior of your home. Those that do have been vastly reduced and muffled by the time you hear them.
We offer a range of triple-glazing options, including uPVC, timber, and aluminium frames.
Wooden frames are not typically effective at noise reduction, but our timber frames are made differently. The wood is cut against the grain to make it stronger and therefore a better noise insulator. The frames are then constructed from multiple pieces of wood glued together to muffle sounds and prevent the wood from swelling. The timber frame is then treated to harden and protect it.
Some triple-glazed windows use acoustic glass that is thicker than average and has bigger gaps between the panes, all filled with inert gas. You need a specialist frame to support the thicker glass, and the frame must also be treated to make it effective. This kind of acoustic glazing is expensive and could cause your window frames to warp over time, so this is probably left to those who ensure ongoing unreasonable levels of noise pollution, such as from a flight path. However, our STADIP SILENCE windows offer the same levels of noise reduction without requiring specialist frames.
Do soundproof windows really work?
Absolutely, the thicker glass, special film interlayers, and sound-muffling inert gases create multiple barriers for the sound to travel through before it reaches your ears.
The effectiveness of soundproof windows depends on:
- The thickness of the glass
- The insulation of the windows and the house overall
- The gaps between panes and whether they are filled by an inert gas
- If a soundproofing coating has been applied
The costs of soundproof windows
We know that soundproof triple-glazed windows are a significant investment, so it’s important to understand the costs involved and weigh your decision accordingly.
Foam/Sealant
As mentioned, you can use an inexpensive acoustic foam or strip sealant to reduce noise pollution. You run the risk of also reducing your natural light with this method.
Double Glazing
If you have single-glazed windows, you can upgrade to double-glazing for around £400 per window. Double glazing will reduce ambient sounds below 65 decibels.
Triple Glazing
For areas where the noise levels are higher, triple glazing provides an extra four-decibel noise reduction over double-glazing. Triple glazing costs around £650- £890 + VAT per window.
Laminated Glazing
Laminated glass has been coated with PVB plastic to reduce noise levels by up to 35 decibels. On average, you need to add £50 per window to the cost of your windows for laminated glass.
Other tips for soundproofing your windows
Upgrading to triple-glazed soundproof windows is a long-term solution. However, you may need to save up to make this kind of financial investment in your home. So, is there anything can you do in the meantime?
Yes, there are a couple of tricks you can try to reduce noise travelling into your home and disrupting your life.
- Seal any gaps – It may sound obvious, but if there are any gaps between your windows and the frames, the noise will travel into your home. The good news is you can seal any window gaps yourself using acoustic caulk or acoustic sealant, which you can buy online for around £10, often less. While not foolproof – they won’t eliminate sounds completely – both offer a cost-effective solution to your noise pollution problem. These products will also stop the room from becoming drafty.
- Hang soundproofing curtains – Any blinds or curtains will offer some noise reduction, but with thin material, the improvement will be minimal. Instead, consider investing in some sound-reducing window treatments designed for this purpose.
- Use window inserts – You can also buy and install soundproof window inserts. Essentially a pane of glass in a thin frame, these inserts sit approximately five inches in front of the internal face of your existing window. This is a cost-effective way to increase the thickness of your windows to reduce sound. The gap between the panes of glass will help to reduce sounds. However, this system lacks the gas used to fill the gaps between panes of glass in double or triple glazing. As such, you may not see the other benefits of triple glazing.
- Secondary glazing – Similar to window inserts, but secondary glazing layers different thicknesses of glass and air gaps to create more effective sound barriers.
- Upgrade some of your windows – If there is one room where the noise levels are higher or a room where you need to concentrate, such as a home office, start there.
Other benefits of triple glazing
Not only do triple-glazed windows reduce the noise from traffic or busy cities, but they also offer several other benefits, including:
- Reducing weather noise
- Enabling better temperature control
- Providing extra insulation
- Eliminating energy wastage
- Reducing condensation on internal windows
- Reducing heating bills
- Being very difficult to break
- They are compatible with all windows
- Offering a lifespan of around 10-35 years (usually at least 20)
- Can add value to your home
- Choose from different styles and glazing options
As you can see, there are many benefits of triple glazing, which we have explored more fully in a previous blog.
If you think triple-glazed windows are the right choice for you, please fill in our online contact form for a free, no-obligation quote, drop us an email at [email protected] or call us on 0161 976 4739
We look forward to hearing from you.
