Tired of the Constant Noise? Find New Windows to Soundproof Your Home

New Windows
Photo courtesy of Flickr’s Ryan Weisberger

Especially iIf you live within one of Western New York’s most populated cities, like Rochester and Buffalo, noise pollution can be a daily hassle. The constant hustle and bustle of city traffic, the noise of people coming back from a long night at the bar: whatever is the cause of the cacophony, it can make your time spent at home less relaxing, not to mention the impact it can have on your ability to sleep.

To many city-dwellers, in WNY and beyond, noise is just something you have to deal with when you live in an exciting cosmopolitan area. However, when you realize that noise pollution leads to hearing loss, increased blood pressure, and a slew of other life-shortening conditions, it ceases to be just a fact of life, and it turns into something you need to deal with.

By Choosing New Windows, You Can Reduce Noise

Too many people assume that soundproofing their home is about buying expensive tiles for their walls and acoustic dampening materials for their ceilings. In reality, one of the simplest and most effective things you can do to reduce the noise is to find replacement windows that work to dampen sound. Of course, you have to know what to look for.

  • Pay Close Attention to the Frame – One of the most important things when trying to keep sound out is making sure you don’t give it any space to move through open air and into your home. Old frames or frames on mass-produced windows are known to let in a lot of air and, most importantly, sound. If your windows have frames that form a tight seal, one of the hallmarks of energy efficient windows, they will be better able to tone things down in your home. Especially if the new windows you’re considering have vinyl, not metal, frames, you’ll be able to cut out a lot of the racket.
  • Multi-pane is the Way to Go – Just as you’ll want to choose energy efficient windows for the sake of a more reliable frame and seal, so, too, should you be looking at energy efficient windows for their glass. To make a long story short, the more panes in your windows, the greater ability they will have to absorb and block sound. The reason is simple enough: between each layer of glass is a pocket of gas,  usually made up of argon or krypton. These gases will trap and reflect sound, meaning your home will be that much quieter. The more panes, the more layers of sound-cancelling gas.

Soundproofing your home can mean protecting your health. By choosing  new windows that can cancel out all that excess noise — and help you save on your energy bills in the process — you can avoid many of the issues that come with living in the vibrant cities of Western New York.