Things You Need To Know About Soundproof Windows

When living in a busy street, by an airport, near railroads, or in an area that has a lot of activity, then you might be dealing with noise pollution.

The windows are the leading contributor to noise pollution in a home. If you have older windows in your home or if they are made from poor quality materials, then it is safe to assume that it is contributing to a lot of the noise pollution inside.

There are cases where materials like window inserts and sound-deadening curtains are enough to deal with the noise. There are times when the only thing you need to do is take drastic measures and replace the entire window with a soundproof one.

If you are starting or in the process of building a new home in a rural area, you need to make sure you have built a soundproof window from the beginning. When people think about installing soundproof windows, and then start thinking about the cost but such an investment is worth it.

How do Soundproof Windows Work?

If you want to reduce noise, you need a barrier between the source and the space you want to be soundproofed. When there is a dead space between the window and the interior of the house, you can easily dampen the soundwaves, which prevents the noise from entering.

Manufacturers improve the soundproofing ability of the windows by increasing the sound transmission class (STC) ratings. You need to look at this rating when buying soundproofed windows. The higher the rating, the more effective that window is in preventing noise. Bramley Windows Guildford offers the best prices for soundproof windows, doors & conservatories.

There are many techniques used by manufacturers to increase the STC ratings of windows. Some of them include;

Thickening the glass, which is going to add to the mass. Mass is important when it comes to soundproofing because the thicker a material is, the fewer soundwaves can pass through.

Creating space between the window panes. The goal of this technique is to reduce sound resonances, which is going to cause a reduction in vibrations that are created by soundwaves.

Laminated glass. This is a layer of plastic-like materials between the panes that minimizes the transmission of sound.

Are They Really Soundproof?

The goal of soundproofing noise is to block out noise, but it is impossible to eliminate noise completely. It is hard because sounds have different frequencies, and it is harder to block lower frequency sounds such as thunder when compared to high-frequency sounds like a train whistle or children playing outside. Most soundproofing windows out there are considered effective because they can block up to 95% of noise.

One of the most important things you need to look at when buying soundproofing windows is their STC rating. The higher this rating is, the more soundproof your window is going to be.

The point of reference to help you:

  • The standard single-pane window comes with a 27 STC rating
  • The standard dual pane window comes with a 26 STC rating
  • Soundproof windows come with a 48-54 STC rating
  • The higher-end soundproof windows can have an STC rating of more than 50 and they can block up to 95% of noise.

How Much Does It Cost?

This is the question that most people have; How much is soundproofing windows going to cost?
If you want to replace your existing windows or install soundproof windows, then you should be ready to spend a sizable amount.

They don’t come cheap. They use additional specialized materials that many of the normal windows have, and the materials are expensive. This makes the window a little pricy.