How to Reduce Noise in Your Home: Triple Glazed Windows

One of the biggest contributing factors when it comes to reducing noise, comes through your windows. If you are considering replacing your single pane or older styled windows, you might be wondering if double glazed or triple glazed windows would be the right choice for your home.

Being an informed consumer is a smart choice since there are many available options for windows and they can be confusing to those who do not work in the industry.

Almost everyone wants their home to be a quiet retreat, with as little noise from the outside intruding on their space. For those who live near airport traffic lanes, busy highways and streets, or in neighborhoods with many children, noise pollution can be a real problem.

When shopping for new windows, however, it seems most people think of energy efficiency and styling first and noise reduction last.The good news here is that you don’t need to tolerate noise pollution. Window manufacturers now offer quality windows that offer sound reduction qualities.

Choosing Noise Reducing Windows

Perhaps the first thing to consider is the type of material that the window frame is made from. PVC and vinyl windows are all popular choices until consumers realize that these types of material aren’t very good at reducing noise.

Aluminum windows by far outperform vinyl windows when it comes to noise reduction. Since vinyl has no mass, it would need to be very thick to offer the same noise reduction qualities that aluminum offers, not to mention that aluminum windows will never warp, crack, peel, or split. This is a fact that vinyl and PVC frames cannot claim.

However, the choice in glazing will also be of great importance.

Triple Glazed Windows

Triple paned windows, also called triple glazed, is the obvious choice for both energy efficiency and for noise reduction. In fact, a triple glazed window can reduce up to 20% more noise from the outside than double glazed windows.

There are other factors that are involved when it comes to reducing noise other than triple glazing. The window frame also matters, as we mentioned above, but window thickness and the air space between the panes also matters.

A triple glazed window with glass panes of 4mm thickness, with each pane separated by a 14mm gap, will provide far better noise reduction than a double-glazed window using the same measurements.

Glass blocks different frequencies of sound depending on how thick it is. By using a combination of glass panes that each have a different thickness, you can greatly reduce outside noise. This method is a called asymmetrical glazing.

The structure of a triple glazed window makes them naturally able to cover a wide range of noise frequencies, therefore providing the best in sound reduction.

The Type of Glass Used is Another Factor

If you have been doing any research into soundproofing your windows, then you have probably seen laminated glass mentioned frequently. Since laminated glass costs a bit more than tempered glass, you might be wondering if it really makes that much of a difference. The answer is yes, it certainly does!

Laminated glass does such an outstanding job at muffling sound, it almost seems as if it were invented strictly for noise reduction! It was actually discovered by accident and was first touted as “unbreakable” glass, but due to the way it is manufactured, laminated glass is superior when it comes to reducing outside noise.

As we mentioned above, the thickness of the glass and the interlayer will also make a difference. The more mass an object has, the more soundproofing it has. You will also need to have sufficient space between the glass panes to reduce noise.

You might also have heard about acoustic glass. Laminated glass uses a PVB layer sandwiched in between layers of glass, while acoustic glass uses a special resin between the glass layers. While manufacturers might stress that acoustic glass is terrific at noise reduction (and it is) the truth is that there isn’t all that much difference as far as sound reduction goes between the two types of glass. And let’s face it, acoustic glass is more expensive than laminated glass.

Laminated glass also offers you superior security and safety measures that acoustic glass can’t match. Your car windshield is made from laminated glass because it is very difficult to shatter and almost never breaks into pieces.

Now imagine using laminated glass in a triple glaze window and you can see that this would be the best choice for those who want the ultimate in sound proofing their home.

Other Benefits

Using triple glazed, laminated glass in windows with thermal break aluminum frames offers you not only the ultimate in sound reduction, but in energy efficiency and security.
Aluminum frames are super strong and with today’s new thermal break technology, your insulated windows will be able to withstand gale force winds, intense cold, hot summer days, or freezing rains with ease.

Triple glazing means insulated windows that will pay for themselves in energy savings within a very short amount of time.

Triple glazed windows with laminated glass are also virtually unbreakable. Windows and doors are burglars’ favorite methods for entering a home, but they will quickly look for an easier target once they realize the glass won’t break, even when struck with a hammer.

The Bottom Line

Triple glazed windows are becoming a more popular choice for homeowners every day, not only for their energy savings, but for noise reduction as well. They do cost more than double glazed windows but offer numerous benefits that double glazing does not.

If you are wondering whether triple glazed windows are right for you, or if you have other questions regarding aluminum window replacements, your possible energy savings and what your options are, we encourage you to call the experts at Alumalco. We will give you an honest assessment of your needs, talk to you about your desires, including your concerns about noise reduction, and find the best solution for your home.