You can’t change the location of a building, or in most instances what is happening around it. However, it is possible to reduce the noise coming from the outside and the acoustic performance of the windows and doors can make a significant difference.
Reducing the noise levels that enter into your home could have a positive effect on your health as well as making it a more pleasant place to live.
Whether its noise from traffic, a nearby airport, or if you live near local bars and clubs, the peace and tranquillity of your home could be disrupted. Likewise, noise that regularly disturbs your sleep can damage your health, even if you are not aware of the disturbance.
Walls usually provide considerably better sound insulation than windows and doors, so upgrading your windows and doors will normally make a big difference. Some manufacturers use glass values to prove the acoustic performance, but the whole window performance (including the seals, frames etc) is important.
For a list of certified Noise Rated Window manufacturers and installers, click here.
Mythbuster – Triple glazing
There’s a perception that adding an extra pane of glass to make triple glazing will give a big improvement on heat retention and noise reduction. However, this will not necessarily be the case. Our tip is to ask for evidence of the thermal and noise reduction performance that has been measured for the whole window or door design.
Sound Reduction Measurement
The performance of noise reducing windows should be determined through laboratory testing. A sample window is built and the sound reduction is measured over a range of frequencies, with the result given in decibels (dB). The higher the number the more sound is reduced. Most window designs on the market would be expected to achieve around 25 dB Rw (weighted sound reduction), whereas a window that has been designed to reduce noise is likely to achieve around 40 dB Rw.
What else might affect the level of external noise in my building?
Fitting noise reducing windows and doors will make a difference, but other areas may also need to be addressed to reduce sound transmittance. These include air bricks, loft insulation and gaps around pipework, all of which can be dealt with. As well as helping with noise reduction, dealing with areas like this will also reduce heat loss, saving you money on your energy bills.
Sound advice
It’s not just the window or door that matters, but its installation as well. To get the full benefit of acoustic windows, they must be installed properly.
Certification: Noise Reduction
Bluesky Noise Ratings make it easy to choose noise reducing windows and doors. Only companies that have joined the Bluesky scheme for acoustic windows and doors can use this label, giving you confidence that products with this rating have been checked by us.
Which rating should I choose?
Fitting an A rated product will normally be enough for most situations. If you are have a specialist acoustic consultant involved in the development of your property, and they are looking to remove a specific type of noise, the table at the bottom of the rating will help the consultant to do this.
Having chosen a noise reducing window or door, it is important that it is installed correctly, in order that it can perform as intended. Choose a Bluesky certified installer to fit your noise reducing window or door to ensure that it is properly fitted.
Did you know?
Noise that regularly disturbs your sleep can damage your health, even if you are not aware of the disturbance.
For a list of certified Noise Rated Window manufacturers and installers, click here.