Heavy Duty Noise Reduction Windows
Heavy duty noise reduction windows are out there. Some window companies are now making and selling a real heavy duty window that are two windows in one frame. It is about 6 inches thick. One window is a dual pane window like we recommend and one is, or can be, a laminated glass single pane interior window.
These work very well and are effective but are very expensive and cost about three times what a good standard window costs. It would require replacing your windows. You can expect about a 75% noise reduction, which is great. However, some of these windows are poorly designed.
The frames are not designed for the heavier weight of the glass and this can cause serious problems and failures. Look for steel or aluminum reinforced vinyl frames.
The glass choices offered are often confusing and costly. Follow the previous glass suggestions for the dual pane portion and get laminated glass in the single pane window for the better results. Some big name companies are doing this. Some of these windows are good but a few have serious problems. It may be interesting to see who is still making them in another few years. Please do not ask which companies make good or bad ones – we do not want lawsuits here. Even the poor ones are good at stopping noise, and if you do not open your windows very often, they may be just fine.
Soundproof Windows
Soundproof Windows work well. This is another solution that works just as good or better than the heavy duty windows discussed above. These are made by Soundproof Windows.
We mention them by name because there is no one else doing what they are doing and they have a good reputation. They make an interior window (that can be installed to the outside also) that is designed to stop noise. These are high quality windows in all the basic styles – and they open and close. They are moderate to just above moderately priced. The website offers good information and explanations about why they work as well as they do. They designed a small footprint window that stops a lot of noise. Their claims of 75% to 90% or more noise reduction are valid. Since you can have even more air space than the heavy duty windows, they can be set up to stop more noise. An interesting price comparison we have reviewed shows that the heavy duty windows are more expensive than installing a good dual pane window and a Soundproof Window. This is a better solution than replacing single pane windows with dual pane windows, because it stops more noise for about the same amount of money. If you have lousy single pane windows, about 10% of you may later opt to also replace your original windows.
Window Company Recommendations
There are a couple of other window companies that offer an interior window that is laminated like the Soundproof Window. However, their frames are very thick and are really just windows altered for noise instead of being designed specifically to stop noise. This thickness makes them less effective because there is less air space available to stop the noise.
Also, some companies try to upgrade you to the 1/2" or 3/4" thick glass “because it is so much better at stopping noise”. This is a sales gimmick.
While it is true that the thicker glass stops a small amount more noise, this small amount is barely perceptible to the human ear. However, the kicker is the air space. Since the window is so much thicker, the air space between the two windows is reduced. The reduced air space hurts the noise stopping ability more than the thicker glass helps stop the noises.
Continue to Other Window Noise Solutions