When you’re living near an airport, what kind of windows you install in your room start becoming more important. Aside from the noise pollution that you should absolutely act to stop, there are also other considerations that you have to keep in mind to ensure your home has a good, healthy environment for you and your family:
The Window Pane and the Window Frame
The main two parts of the windows, the frame and the pane, have a significant impact on the amount of noise that a window lets through. Here’s what you need to know about the pane and the frame and how they’ll reflect on the amount of noise:
- The window panes: there’s ample evidence to show that the thickness of the pane influences how much noise comes through. The thicker the pane the less amount of noise coming through from outside. Thicker panes also keep more heat inside the home. So, if you want to ensure the least amount of noise to come in while maximizing energy efficiency, thicker panes are the way to go.
- The window frames: the frames also influence the amount of noise that comes through. The two main frame types are UPVC frames and timber frames. UPVC frames are more environmentally friendly and flexible, but due to their hallow nature, they are more prone to noise transfers. Timber frames are more expensive and less environmentally friendly, but they generally transfer less sound and act better as part of a noise-isolating window.
How to Pick the Best Sound-Proof Windows
To learn the best option to sound-proof your home, you should learn about the different ways of sound-proofing. When you learn how different types of windows prevent sound from coming in and how effective they are, you’ll be able to tell which one works best for you.
- Micro rubber spacers: fitted around the windows, micro rubber spacers will create a barrier between the window sill and the window frame, which means less noise will travel between them as rubber isn’t a good transmitter of noise. This will have an impact on the overall noise emitted through your windows reducing it to a large degree.
- Vacuum spacing: another way of preventing noise from coming through that’s relatively complex and recent is by creating a vacuum between the multiple panes of the window. As we all know, sound can’t travel through vacuums, and aside from the frame, this technique completely prevents sound from entering the home. This is the most effective soundproofing technique and well worth it if you live really close to an airport.
- Polyvinyl butyral: this technique involves coating the space between the window panes with polyvinyl butyral (PVB) that is known for its noise reduction properties, especially for sounds in the 1000 – 3000 Hz range (the range humans hear in). Although, this technique only reduces noise by around 50%. So, it might not be great for a home that’s too close to an airport, but for most uses, this technique works pretty well.
Now that you’re familiar with the different types of noise reduction, you should realize that there isn’t one best solution that’s perfect for all cases. Vacuum spacing gives you the best results, but it is also prohibitively more expensive than the other techniques. Lastly, it depends on your location – getting certain types of windows replacement in Edmonton, Canada might be different from California. Thicker panes make much more sense in Canada due to their regulations and climate.
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