How Double Glazing can reduce noise

Whether it’s traffic from the street, your neighbour cutting their lawn or another neighbour’s drum practice, there are some things you don’t want to be hearing in your own home. Double glazing is a great way to keep unwanted external noise from disturbing your peace and quiet.

But why is double glazing so effective at reducing unwanted noise? And why are some types of double glazing more effective than others? Well, there are a number of variables that you can look out for when buying your new windows, all of which impact on how effective they will be at reducing noise.

Reducing noise with double glazed windows

Glass thickness

The thicker the glass, the more noise it reduces. This is because sound waves are dampened when they hit a solid surface and the further they have to travel through the solid material, the less powerful they are when they get to the other side.

Space between the panes

The greater the space between the panes, the further the sound has to travel and, again, the weaker it is on the other side. Some units are also filled with argon gas between each pane which further helps to reduce noise pollution.

Laminated glass

Including a layer of laminated glass within the unit also reduces noise pollution without impacting on the clarity of the window.

What to look for

So how can you tell whether the windows you’re about to buy are going to offer the best protection against unwanted noise? Well, all windows come with a Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating, which tells you how effective the windows are at minimising noise. A single pane window, for instance, will have an STC rating of 26-28, whereas a double-paned soundproofed window will carry an STC rating of between 48 and 54. In order to make a significant impact on the soundproofing of your home, we recommend windows with an STC rating above 40.

At Trade 2 Windows, we provide a wide range of windows and doors with soundproofing capabilities. Get an online window quote, or speak to an advisor about how we can help reduce unwanted noise in your home, contact us here.