If you and your family are suffering from outside noise penetrating your home, then you’re likely looking for any solution that will stop it instantly. Things like neighbors mowing their lawns, dogs barking, and traffic passing by can really damper your quality of life in your own home.
One solution that we get asked about all the time is impact windows for sound-proofing their home. The reality is: impact windows don’t cancel out noise completely from the outside world, but they do make a significant difference in the amount of ambient and distracting noise that tends to seep in.
Why Is So Much Noise Coming From Outside?
The main reason you’re likely hearing so much noise from outside is due to your windows. Older windows have a hard time deflecting sound pollution, allowing sounds to easily penetrate through and disrupt your day to day live.
While we would love to enjoy the benefits of noise-canceling windows, they simply don’t exist yet. Instead, all windows abide by a sound transmission class, or STC. STC measures the amount of noise that’s able to pass through a window. Standard windows typically have an STC of around 25-29. Impact windows have an STC of 45 or higher due to their construction.
STC and What Can Be Heard At Each Level
25: soft speech can be clearly heard and interpreted
30: normal speech can be clearly heard and interpreted
35: loud speech can be clearly heard and interpreted
40: loud speech can be heard but not interpreted
45: privacy threshold
50: loud sounds can be faintly heard
60+: true soundproofing
How Do Impact Windows Soundproof Your Home?
While standard windows are typically constructed from a wood frame and a single pane of glass, impact windows offer significant upgrades. The frame is usually constructed from either aluminum or vinyl which prevents cracking, splintering, or rusting. The outer layer of glass is tempered, providing a significant boost in energy efficiency, and the interior heat strengthened impact glass helps to dampen the noise outside and thus raises its STC dramatically.
In addition to its ability to lower ambient noise from outside, impact windows:
- Improve HVAC efficiency
- Reduces UV and heat entering home
- Defends home against high winds, storm pressure, flying debris, and intruders
- Insulates your home
- What Noises Do Impact Windows Reduce?
When it comes to impact windows installed in your home, you can expect them to significantly reduce:
- Street traffic
- Car alarms
- Construction
- Planes
- Trains
- Loud music
- Neighbors talking
- Dogs barking
Enjoy Peace With The Window Guys
If you’re looking to enjoy some peace and quiet in your home, then the Window Guys have your back. To learn more about impact windows and receive a complimentary consultation with our experts, simply contact us online or give us a call at (561) 598-6295.