When living in Southern California, outdoor noise pollution can turn into quite a headache. If your house has old or single-pane windows, they’re not doing much to prevent noise from making its way into your home. If you’ve got a loud Airbnb next door or live on a busy street, we’ve got the perfect solution for you! In this blog, we’ll go over how to make your home quiet with soundproof windows and what type of glass works best.

Do Soundproof Windows Really Work?

While there are no 100% soundproof windows on the market, today’s windows are better described as “sound reduction” windows. When you hear companies and contractors referring to a window as “soundproof,” it’s a common term to describe sound-reducing glass. There are a couple of ways to make windows more sound resistant. For example, dissimilar panes of glass block different sound frequencies. One pane will target low-frequency sounds like airplanes flying overhead or your neighbor playing music. The other pane will target high-frequency sounds like car horns and dogs barking. This method allows your windows to reduce a wide range of frequencies giving your windows significantly higher Sound Transmission Class (STC) ratings compared to standard double-pane windows.

STC ratings are an accurate way to measure how much sound is stopped by doors, windows, walls, etc. The rating for standard windows without any soundproofing technology ranges from 18-35, with the higher number indicating better sound reduction. It measures the average amount of noise stopped for 18 different frequencies (in decibels). When comparing multiple noise reduction products, the STC rating is the most accurate number to consider. Luckily, we’ve got a couple of great glass options with excellent ratings!

Different Glass Packages

While double pane windows are much more sound resistant than single-pane windows, there are glass packages that will cut out even more sound. So, if it’s extremely noisy outside your home, we recommend upgrading your glass even further.

  • Apex Xtreme Sound Package by Anlin Industries: This package comes with sound suppression technology that significantly reduces outdoor noise from making its way inside your home. It can reduce outdoor noise by up to 50% when compared to standard double pane windows. Whether you choose this package for windows throughout your home or just for windows facing the street, it can help make your home even quieter. The glass panes feature dissimilar thickness to break down sound waves entering your home. You can check out the performance data and STC ratings by clicking here.
  • Laminated Glass: Laminated glass is where a plastic layer is placed inside the glass panes, making them difficult to break. When broken, the glass will stick to the plastic instead of falling to the floor. This is the same type of glass you see in vehicles that create a spiderweb crack when hit instead of shattering. While it’s a great safety and anti-burglar measure, it also creates two layers of thickness, counteracting the sympathetic resonance. Sympathetic resonance occurs when the inner window panels vibrate sympathetically to the vibrations of the outer panel. This causes the outdoor sound to enter your home easily. When the panes are of different thicknesses, they don’t vibrate sympathetically.

Do You Need Soundproof Replacement Windows?

While sound reduction windows are by no means a requirement for all homeowners, it’s highly recommended for loud environments. If you live far away from neighbors or traffic, double pane windows will likely be enough. However, if you’re in the city and find the garbage truck or noisy neighbors wake you up before your alarm clock, you may want to consider sound reduction glass. If you need a little more tranquility in your life, we’ll help make your home quiet with soundproof windows! Our windows are designed for superior sound control and are perfect if you live in a busy city or a noisy neighborhood.

If you’re on the fence or want to learn more, you can call us, and we’ll even provide you with a free estimate! You can reach the experts at California Energy Contractors by giving us a call at (855) 779-1413 or clicking here for a free quote.