Replacement Windows That Help Block Sound

Replacement windows installation in San Jose, CA can improve the peace and quiet in your home by blocking a significant amount of outdoor noises. While you may not typically think of replacement windows for noise reduction, some replacement windows do a very good job of making your home quieter.

If you live in the city, you know how noisy it can be outside with traffic and people. In California’s bustling cities, it seems that some people never sleep, so you can literally be bombarded with outside noise 24 hours a day. Older windows don’t have noise reduction capabilities, so you may find that you and your family are dealing with interrupted sleep, which can have health implications, from the noise that comes in from outside throughout the night.

Even if you don’t live in the city, you may live near a busy road, near an airport or military base, in a large neighborhood that has a lot of outside activities, such as kids playing, landscaping, and construction, among others.

So, regardless of where you live, have replacement windows that help block sound installed will make the interior of your home much quieter and will ensure that you and your family get the rest and sleep you need.

But which replacement windows work best at blocking sound?

Replacement windows that have soundproofing capabilities will have thicker glass installed in them. Because very thick glass has so much hard mass, noise from outside will have a very difficult time coming through it. For optimal soundproofing, the replacement window glass should be no less than a half-inch thick.

Another type of soundproofing that is available in replacement windows is multiple layers of glass. Double pane and triple pane replacement windows are excellent choices. While double pane and triple pane windows are typically chosen by homeowners for their insulating capabilities, those same capabilities make these windows very soundproof.

Double pane and triple pane replacement windows have two or three panes of glass built into them. The panes are separated by layers that are filled with inert gases like krypton or argon. The total effect of this construction makes double pane and triple pane windows very energy efficient and excellent outside noise blockers.

Another way to block outside sounds with replacement windows is to create distance from the actual window panes themselves by having window inserts installed several inches behind the window panes.

This creates an air gap that essentially provides a noise barrier because sound has to travel through the outside window pane, through the air gap, and then through the window insert. Most outside noises will not be able to travel that far. When you have your replacement windows professionally installed, ask about window inserts being installed at the same time.

A final type of replacement window noise reduction is to have laminated glass installed in your new windows. Laminated glass, which is commonly called security glass, is constructed like a sandwich, with a layer of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) placed between two pieces of glass. The glass and PVB are bonded together by a combination of pressure and heat.

While laminated glass is typically in replacement windows to provide safety (if laminated glass is hit by a heavy object, it may get punctured, but it seldom breaks), it can also be very effective for soundproofing your home.

To learn more about replacement windows in San Jose, CA, you can speak with our knowledgeable staff at California Custom Creations. You can contact us at (408) 316-6293 to make an appointment for a free in-home consultation.