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Best type of sound blocking window for my bedrooms?

8 years ago

Hi guys. All our
bedroom windows face the road and to add to the problem, my apartment is on the
1st floor. The primary noise problem is the traffic noise especially the
vehicle honking noise. Also there is a construction site nearby whose work starts
at 8 am in the morning itself. The existing windows are normal builder
fitted single paned aluminium sliding windows that hardly help in reducing the
noise.

Now I have a few queries. I am aware that adding an additional window behind my
existing window would block sound as compared to replacing the existing window.
However, I don’t quite prefer that plus I doubt if it would be possible
considering I have a window sill width of 7.5 cms only.

For the new
window, I am thinking of going for a combination of fixed glass +
openable window. However, I am not sure which kind of glass would give me the
required results? I am confused
between a double pane glass with lites of different thickness and an air gap
in between or a single pane laminated glass? I have been getting
contrasting opinions about this, some say double pane is better and some say single
pane laminated is better. One of the contractors has given me options for
both double paned and laminated glass in UPVC frame. The configuration for
double paned is 6mm clear + 10 mm spacer + 5mm reflective. The configuration
for laminated glass is 12 mm clear + .75 EVA laminate + 5 mm reflective brown.

Now many have said that a double pane glass with two laminated lites is
the best solution but I guess that will be really expensive. Hence I don’t want
to go for that.

Kindly suggest the best possible and economically feasible solution for my
problem. My budget for one window is around 600 USD (the total size of my
window area is approx. 76 inches by 80 inches)

Featured Answer

PRO

Windows on Washington Ltd

8 years ago

How do you do that @ thingy where it highlights my name????

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Comments (6)

PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
8 years ago
Double laminated won't be much better. At that point, air space depth is your limiting factor. I don't think you are going to find a laminated window, of any quality, at the number you are thinking of.

At that budgetary number, you would be better suited to see about adapting some interior storm windows to abate the noise.
Sam
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks for the response. Ok let us leave the budget aside for a while. I am ready to increase the budget. If we had to rank the options from the most effective to the least effective, then how would we rank the options. I can accordingly take the call then.
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PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
8 years ago
An interior storm with a deep airspace, thick or laminated glass, would outperform a dual pane with laminated glass. Air spacing is critical and you don't get that from a sealed IGU (i.e. double pane glass...or triple either despite what some people try to say).
Sam
Original Author
8 years ago
@Windows on Washington Ltd I agree that the secondary window is the best solution for sound insulation but I am not really comfortable with it because of the aesthetics issue. Also installing a secondary window requires me to remove my blind and install it again plus as I said my remaining sill width is just 7.5 cms.

Is there no way I can get good sound insulation by replacing windows?

P.S.: I don't want to completely 'soundproof' my room, just reduce the sound to such a level that it stops being a distraction/nuisance. When I open my window, the sound level is around 70 db. After closing the current window, it comes down to around 60 db. I would like to reduce it to at least 45 db. (all these measurements are taken by the android app 'sound meter')

@oberon476: I would also love to have your suggestion on this..
PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
8 years ago
@Sam

If you are staying with a standard replacement, offset glazing or a laminated sash are the best you can do. As compared to single pane, everything will perform much better.

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