Sounds from outside—from moving traffic to barking dogs and loud-mouth neighbors—can reduce the overall enjoyment homeowners have in their homes, making sound-resistant windows a popular option for noise reduction. Many homeowners struggle to block noise from traffic and other sources, spending a lot of money on sound-dampening window treatments or on white-noise devices that provide little more than a Band-Aid for the problem. Sound-resistant windows—and insulated glass technology—can work well in nearly any home.
Understanding How Noise Travels
To understand why sound-resistant windows are such effective noise fighters (right up there with the “mute” button), it’s important to understand how noise travels. Sound takes two paths, including through the air and through materials, including the glass in your home’s windows. In the window industry, the measurement of the level of sound that can infiltrate a window is known as its sound transmission class, or STC, rating. The higher a window’s STC rating, the more effective the window is in keeping street noise on the street.
Insulated Glass Technology
Standard windows are rated at around STC 26. Sound-resistant windows, by contrast, are rated up to STC 34. The difference boils down to the addition of panes (two for double and three for triple-pane windows) along with added air space that dampens outside noise and reduces the transmission of sound. Researchers say that STC-34-rated windows have the capacity to reduce exterior noise by around 43 percent. This can make a huge difference in how much noise penetrates your home—and how comfortable and peaceful your interior becomes with just the installation of these types of windows.
Additional Benefits of Sound-Resistant Windows
In addition to tackling tough noise problems, cutting-edge sound-resistant windows also create a peaceful oasis where you can enjoy your home to the fullest, whether that means sleeping in on your day off or resting in solitude while you catch up on the latest bestseller on the weekend. In addition, sound-resistant windows offer up-to-the-minute looks to enhance your home’s aesthetic appeal. And perhaps more importantly, these windows are energy efficient, so they can make your home a greener place to be—while simultaneously reducing your family’s collective carbon footprint.
Proper Sound-Resistant Window Installation
Proper installation of sound-reduction windows can’t be stressed enough. Professional home window installers make sure that the window has an airtight seal, which is necessary for both noise reduction and energy conservation.
Don’t allow exterior noises to kill the joy that you have in your Bucks County area home. Reach out to the window professionals at Window Guardians to find out how sound-resistant windows can work for your home.
