How Replacement Windows Help to Soundproof Your Home

Most people who search for replacement windows are interested in energy savings or a new look for their home. However, did you know that replacement windows can also reduce noise pollution?

Upgrading to the right replacement windows could significantly reduce the amount of noise pollution that enters your home. Watch for these features in your replacement windows so you can keep your home quiet as well as comfortable.

Multiple Panes

Naturally, the more layers of material that outside sounds have to go through, the more muffled it will be when it gets to you. While there is not a significant difference in sound reduction between double- and triple-pane windows, both will provide significantly improved noise reduction over single-pane windows, making your home quieter.

The materials between the panes in your windows are important for blocking sound as well. Many high-efficiency replacement windows are filled with gas, such as argon, between the panes. Argon is denser than air and excellent at slowing heat transfer, but some windows substitute krypton instead.

In addition to blocking thermal energy, krypton is dense enough to slow down sound waves and reduce noise infiltration. Consider high-efficiency windows for maximum soundproofing.

Varying Pane Thickness

Panes of glass of the same thickness, size, and type will vibrate at the same frequency, while differently-sized panes will react to different frequencies. Every pane of glass has a critical frequency, a certain pitch that will pass through the glass almost like it isn’t there. These observations were crucial in developing sound-abatement windows.

Sound-abatement windows use multiple panes of glass with varying thickness to block discrete frequencies of sound. Frequencies that pass through one pane will be blocked by another pane. By breaking up sound in this way as it passes through the window, the amplitude of the sound is reduced across the entire frequency spectrum.

Laminated Glass

A pane of laminated glass is more like a glass sandwich. A durable material called polyvinyl butyral (PVB) is fused between two sheets of glass to create a pane that resists shock and heat transfer. In fact, laminated glass is so durable that it is the primary technology behind bulletproof glass, so your home will be especially safe from intruders who try to break your windows.

But that’s not all that laminated glass can do. The dense PVB layer also makes laminated glass a top-tier material for eliminating noise pollution. Laminated glass can also be combined with thinner panes of standard glass to create the frequency blocking effect of sound-abatement windows.

Professional Installation

No matter what materials you use or how many panes your replacement windows have, you won’t succeed in reducing noise from outside if your windows aren’t installed correctly. Homeowners who attempt to perform DIY window installation can make seemingly simple mistakes that drastically reduce the performance of their windows. The most egregious example is cutting a hole of the wrong size and leaving gaps around the window.

Count on a professional for replacement window installation to give you peace of mind that you are getting the most out of your new windows. Contractors can ensure your windows are hung level, fit snugly in your home’s walls, and have ample weather stripping to prevent energy and noise leakage around the edges.

At 1st Choice Windows and Siding, we’re dedicated to providing stellar window replacements that suit your unique needs. We will ensure that your new windows produce the best possible energy savings and noise reduction possible. When you are on the market for replacement windows, call us so we can help you choose windows that are a perfect fit for your home!