I've had similar experiences. When we moved into our current place, it had older double-pane windows, and honestly, noise-wise they weren't much better than the single panes at our last house. Eventually, we upgraded to triple-pane in the bedroom, hoping it'd help with street noise. It did help a bit, but not as dramatically as I'd hoped. Funny enough, my wife picked up some thick blackout curtains (thankfully not ugly velvet, lol), and those made a bigger difference than the window upgrade. Seems like windows are mostly about insulation and energy efficiency—noise reduction might just be a bonus.
Yeah, that's a good point about noise reduction being more of a bonus than the main selling point. Triple-pane windows are definitely more about energy efficiency and insulation. If you're looking to cut down on heating or cooling costs, they're usually worth the extra investment—especially in places with extreme weather.
If noise is your main concern though, windows alone might not do the trick. Like you noticed, curtains can actually make a surprising difference. Another thing I've found helpful is checking for gaps around the window frames and sealing them up with weather stripping or caulk. Even tiny gaps can let in a surprising amount of noise (and drafts too).
Also, if you're dealing with serious street noise, sometimes adding shrubs or hedges outside can help absorb sound before it even reaches your windows. Not a miracle fix, but every little bit helps...
Triple panes are great for energy bills, no doubt, but honestly, if noise bugs you that much, windows alone won't save your sanity. I sealed up gaps and added thick blackout curtains—made way more difference than swapping glass. Landscaping helps too, but don't expect miracles...
You're spot on about curtains and sealing gaps—I learned that the hard way myself. Dropped a chunk of cash on triple panes thinking they'd magically silence the neighbor's barking dog and traffic noise. Nope, still heard plenty. But once I added heavy curtains and weatherstripped every tiny gap around the frames, it was like night and day. Landscaping did help a bit too, especially dense shrubs near the windows, but yeah, no miracles there.
Honestly, triple panes are fantastic for insulation and energy savings, but if noise is your main gripe, you're better off tackling it from multiple angles rather than relying solely on window upgrades. Your approach sounds practical and cost-effective—wish I'd read something like this before diving into expensive replacements.
"Honestly, triple panes are fantastic for insulation and energy savings, but if noise is your main gripe, you're better off tackling it from multiple angles..."
Exactly this. Learned the same lesson myself—ended up building DIY acoustic panels inside the room. Way cheaper and actually made a noticeable difference. Triple panes alone just didn't cut it for noise.
Did you notice a big difference with DIY acoustic panels? I've been thinking about trying something similar, but I'm wondering if placement matters a lot or if it's more about the materials you use...
"I've been thinking about trying something similar, but I'm wondering if placement matters a lot or if it's more about the materials you use..."
Placement definitely makes a noticeable difference—corners and reflection points especially—but materials are key too. Speaking of upgrades, have you looked into double vs triple pane windows? Curious if anyone's experienced a significant jump in noise reduction or insulation going from double to triple pane...or is it mostly marketing hype?
Honestly, I've found triple pane windows to be a bit overrated. Installed them in our last reno expecting a dramatic improvement, but the difference from double pane was subtle at best. Sure, there's some extra insulation, but noise-wise, heavy curtains or proper sealing around frames made a bigger impact. Might just be my experience, but I'd say save your cash for other upgrades—like that fancy espresso machine you've been eyeing...
"Installed them in our last reno expecting a dramatic improvement, but the difference from double pane was subtle at best."
Yeah, that's pretty common actually. Triple panes do offer extra insulation, but the leap from double to triple isn't always night-and-day noticeable. They're better suited for colder climates where every bit counts. For noise, you're spot on—proper sealing and heavier curtains usually do the trick better. But hey, if that espresso machine's calling your name, priorities, right? 😉
- Just went through this decision myself, and honestly, glad I stuck with double pane.
- Did a ton of research beforehand—seems triple panes are mostly beneficial if you're dealing with extreme cold or crazy heating bills.
- Noise-wise, didn't notice much difference at my friend's place who splurged on triple panes. Heavy curtains and sealing gaps made way more impact for us.
- Plus, the cost jump was pretty steep... figured I'd rather put that cash towards something more noticeable (like finally ditching our ancient fridge).
- Not saying triple panes are pointless, but unless you're living in Alaska or something, probably not worth the extra $$$.
- And yeah, espresso machine definitely sounds like a better investment right now... priorities indeed 😂