best noise reduction windows

[felix wentworth]

hi,

 

we recently moved into a victorian house on quite a busy road. the upvc windows are old and not very effective at noise reduction. i fitted a upvc sash with acoustic glass in one of the rooms but turns out it’s not very effective either, it seems as trickle vents don’t help but with further research upvc being hollow isn’t great for sound travelling through it. 

 

so now looking at other options. hardwood sash, triple glazed/ acoustic glass or faux sash casement windows, there are so many options out there. want to keep the building traditional, so sash windows ideally. and best for “sound proofing” although nothing is sound proof. 

Edited Thursday at 21:27 by felix wentworth

[JohnMo]

I would concentrate on windows with very good airtightness. Then triple glazed will be better than double for less noise transfer. I would assume wooden windows better than uPVC also.

 

Trickle vents will be needed if you have them now (but only in dry rooms not bathrooms etc), but the normal window people fit stuff that costs 50p and are rubbish. You need to get acoustically damped, but also one that responds to humidity. Something like these - not cheap, but...

https://www.bpdstore.co.uk/glidevale-acoustic-energy-saver-humidity-sensitive-trickle-ventilator/p/183

[Mike]

After playing with glazing simulators, this spec provides the best sound resistance within a standard frame: 4mm standard laminated / 16mm cavity / 6mm acoustic laminated.
See my post at https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/topic/32665-further-sound-insulation-through-bookcases/#findComment-480975 for more.

 

In my case they're fitted in oak frames & perform very well.

 

If I had trickle vents, they would be a key weak point; see @JohnMo's suggestion above (though I'd want more information backing up the sound reduction they're claiming).

 

Getting airtight seals on a vertical sliding sash would be another priority and maybe a challenge (I've not tried).

 

Edited Thursday at 22:11 by Mike

[nod]

We fitted award winning UPVC sash windows to our previous build 

Rubbish for sound installation The nature of the mechanism makes this so 

Stay away from sash 

 

My mother-in-law is on a busy road and have basic UPVC and secondary sliding aluminum on the inside Everest I think You can let a firework off under the window and barely hear it 

[JohnMo]

16 minutes ago, nod said:

basic UPVC and secondary sliding aluminum on the inside Everest I think You can let a firework off under the window and barely hear it 

That is a similar spec to additional sound proofing for houses near RAF based.

[nod]

1 hour ago, JohnMo said:

That is a similar spec to additional sound proofing for houses near RAF based.

To be fair I didn’t think a single glazed pain would make that much difference 

[JohnMo]

3 hours ago, nod said:

To be fair I didn’t think a single glazed pain would make that much difference 

Some reading may be needed

 

Here is the first test results I found. Circa 50dB reduction depending on gap between primary and secondary glazing.

Acoustic-Performance-Data-Sheet.pdf

[ProDave]

I worked on a new build looking directly onto the runway ar RAF Kinloss.  ALL the windows facing the runway were triple glazed non opening with no vents whatsoever.  All ventilation was achieved by vents and other opening windows on elevations not directly facing he runway.

 

Kinloss closed just a few months after this build was complete.

[JohnMo]

3 hours ago, ProDave said:

Kinloss closed

Kinloss changed from RAF to Army barracks, it didn't close.

[felix wentworth]

thank you everyone. that’s really helpful, there’s mixed opinions on trickle vents, some saying if it’s a new window then you need to add trickle vents to meet regs, others say, if the window doesn’t have T.Vs then you don’t need to put them in if windows are replaced. it’s well ventilated victorian house if you know what i mean 😂 gappy floors/ doors. i will change that over time but its by no means not going to be well ventilated… and we windows are opened. 

 

its tricky regarding sash, the house it traditional so don't really want to go down the route of “modern” windows, but also dont want to pay a fortune for something that isn’t effective at noise reduction. hence faux sash casement …

[JohnMo]

14 minutes ago, felix wentworth said:

noise reduction

Times a good way to reduce noise. We lived in the centre of town, in an 1830s house, well ventilated as well. Single glazed sash traditional windows on the ground floor etc. Bedrooms had to have windows replaced, so we had wooden windows made but with decent seals on the sash and had them double glazed.  First six months the house seemed noisy, but you then become noise blind, the background noise just gets blanked out.

 

I would keep the house traditional, no way would I install uPVC windows. Find a local manufacturer of wooden windows get them to make what you want. If you don't have trickle vents now you don't need them. 

[SteamyTea]

I made up my own secondary glazing to cover up my old double glazed windows.

The noise reduction was quite amazing.

Very rarely does it go above 20 dB now, and I am not far from a busy road.

 

This is what I am hearing at the moment and it is quite breezy outside.

 

 

[felix wentworth]

thank you @JohnMo you are right definitely true, my gut is well fitted timber DG sash are my best bet, it won’t be silent but as good as it will be without going down a non traditional route. whatever sound is left we will get used to. thanks again