Soundproof Windows Guide

Archive for the ‘How It Works’ Category

Adding soundproof windows provides three major upgrades to the quality of life around home.

1) You reduce 75% – 95% of the noise pollution coming in through your window area, leading for a more serene home scene. Street noise, barking dogs, neighbor kids stay outside where they belong!

2) You reduce the amount of sound coming out of your home — your own loud music, private conversations and celebrations, etc — giving you the peace of mind that only privacy can bring. Just as you don’t want the outside world imposing on you, you don’t want to impose on the outside world (or at least the cops!)

3) The third significant upgrade is the barrier to air infiltration that comes with proper insulation. There is an effect particular to the behavior of air that makes a 1.5 inch air space between two windows far better than a sealed air space of a half inch or less.

Dead air is an effective barrier to both sound and air infiltration. Barking dogs and window drafts will be concerns of the past once you’ve installed soundproof windows. If your existing windows are single paned, the window BTU (British Thermal Unit) heat loss will be cut by about 75% or more, and around 50% for dual paned windows.

The only area where dual-paned replacement windows outperforms soundproof windows is condensation. The “sweat” that can collect on double-paned windows is less than soundproof windows, while soundproof windows are superior to single pane.

Soundproof windows also make great economic sense, as the reduced energy costs pays for the windows over time. You may also qualify for a up-to-$1500 US tax credit by using Energy Star windows.

All-in-all, soundproof windows are a home improvement no-brainer!

The first factor is laminated panes. Soundproof windows employ glass coated with an inner layer of plastic, which stops noise vibrations.

The second factor is the air space between the existing window, which is located at the exterior wall, and the new soundproof window, which is mounted in the window sill, about 1.5” in from the existing window.

This isolates the soundproof window frame from vibrations. The dead air also cuts down on vibrations.

The best soundproof windows also spring-load the seals in the frame, putting a constant squeeze on the glass panels. This prevents sound/air leaks, and acts to stop noise from vibrating through the glass.

Recall the last time you rang a tuning fork, and then gripped it with your fingers to stop the ringing? The same principle applies to the spring-loading of the seals in the frame.