Yeah, those trickle vents are a weird one. I fitted a couple after we started getting puddles on the windowsills last winter—condensation city. They do help with airflow, but honestly, I still get a bit of misting up when it’s really cold out. Not as bad as before, though. The noise thing’s interesting... mine don’t seem to let much sound through unless it’s, like, a really windy day and the gusts whistle through. Otherwise, the difference in street noise is still pretty massive compared to the old single panes.
Cleaning-wise, they’re not too bad? I just run a little brush or hoover nozzle over them every now and then. The main pain is the dust that settles inside, especially if you’ve got pollen season or live near a busy road. Not exactly a dealbreaker, but it’s another little job to remember.
I’m more annoyed by the draughts sometimes, especially when the weather flips between freezing and mild. I’ve heard some folks put in those humidity sensors to control when the vents open, but that sounds a bit OTT for me. Anyone tried the fancier “acoustic” trickle vents? Supposedly they block noise better, but I’m skeptical if they’re worth the extra cash.
On the whole, I’ll take the peace and quiet over the hassle of wiping a window every so often. Still, I do miss hearing the birds in the morning sometimes... double glazing’s almost *too* good at shutting the world out. Wonder if there’s a happy medium or if it’s just one of those “pick your battles” things.
I get what you mean about missing the birds—sometimes I crack a window just to hear something besides my own fridge humming. The peace and quiet is great, but it can feel a bit... sealed off, if that makes sense. I’ve not tried the fancy acoustic trickle vents myself, but a mate down the road swapped his after his baby was born (needed sleep, apparently). He reckons they helped a bit with traffic noise, but said the difference wasn’t night and day for the price. Might be more noticeable if you’re right on a main road, though.
The draughts are the real pain for me too. I get that weird cold breeze sometimes, even when everything’s shut tight. Not sure if it’s the vents or just my old Victorian walls doing their thing. Thought about those humidity sensors, but honestly, I’d probably just ignore whatever they told me and open the window when it feels stuffy.
Guess it’s always a trade-off. I’d rather deal with a bit of misting than go back to the rattly old single panes, but it’s never perfect, is it?
Funny you mention the draughts—my place is a 1930s semi and it’s been a bit of a puzzle figuring out where those sneaky breezes come from, even after swapping to double glazing. I did a little detective work with a candle (old trick: hold it near the frames and see if the flame flickers) and found some air sneaking in around the window beads. Turns out, even with new units, if the fitters don’t seal up the gaps behind the trim properly, you can still get cold spots. Might be worth checking, especially in older houses where nothing’s ever quite square.
About the misting—yeah, double glazing’s not bulletproof. If you’re getting condensation on the inside, it’s usually just a sign there’s not enough airflow, especially after cooking or showers. I know what you mean about those humidity sensors... I tried one for a while, but after a few weeks, I was just opening the window like always when it felt muggy. Old habits, right?
As for acoustic trickle vents, I looked into them when we had a new road put in nearby. The installer said they help, but like your mate found, it’s not a miracle fix. You still get some noise creeping through—especially low rumbles from buses or lorries—but higher-pitched stuff seems a bit duller. If you’re on a busy street, it’s probably more noticeable, but for me, it wasn’t worth the extra spend.
One thing I did find helped was heavy curtains with a good lining. Not exactly high-tech, but they take the edge off both draughts and noise at night. Have you ever tried anything like that, or are you more of a blinds person? Just curious what works for others in these old houses where nothing’s ever quite as airtight as you want...
One thing I did find helped was heavy curtains with a good lining. Not exactly high-tech, but they take the edge off both draughts and noise at night.
Couldn’t agree more about the curtains—sometimes the old-school fixes just work. I’ve tried both blinds and lined curtains in my 1950s terrace, and honestly, the curtains win hands down for blocking out drafts and muting traffic noise. The trick for me was making sure they overlap the window frame by a good few inches on each side and reach all the way to the floor. Makes a surprising difference, especially on windy nights.
That candle trick is a classic—I’ve used incense sticks too, just to see exactly where the air’s sneaking in. Even with new windows, it’s amazing how much depends on the installer actually sealing up properly. I had to go back and fill a couple of gaps with foam myself.
I get what you’re saying about acoustic vents. I looked into them after a neighbour raved about theirs, but after reading up, I figured it wasn’t worth the hassle or expense for my place. Curtains and a draft excluder at the bottom of the door have done more than any gadget so far.
It’s always a bit of trial and error with these older houses, isn’t it?
Funny you mention the draft excluder—mine’s an old rolled-up towel, and it’s honestly done more for my sanity than any fancy solution. I will say, double glazing made a noticeable dent in the street noise for me, but it wasn’t a miracle cure. Still get the odd rumble from lorries at 3am. Heavy curtains are underrated though, especially if you’ve got those rattly sash windows like I do. Sometimes I think half the battle is just tracking down where all the sneaky gaps are... and then remembering to actually fix them instead of just making a mental note and forgetting about it for another winter.
- Double glazing helps, but yeah, it’s not the silver bullet. I noticed a drop in noise, but the low rumbles and the odd siren still sneak through. Especially in older houses—those sash windows are a nightmare for gaps.
- Rolled-up towels as draft excluders: classic move. I’ve tried the “proper” ones and honestly, can’t say they’re much better. Sometimes it’s just about blocking the worst of it.
- Heavy curtains make a bigger difference than most folks think. I hung up some thick velvet ones in my bedroom last winter and it’s warmer, plus muffles noise a bit. Not perfect, but every little helps.
- Here’s what’s worked for me:
- Window film: cheap, easy to apply, adds an extra layer.
- Foam tape around frames—especially if you can see daylight through any gaps.
- For sash windows, I shoved some weatherstripping in the meeting rail. Not pretty, but effective.
- I’m skeptical about all the fancy noise-reducing products out there. Most of the time, it comes down to tracking down drafts and filling them, like you said. Gaps around window frames, keyholes, even letterboxes—noise finds a way.
- One thing to watch: if you seal everything up too well, you can get condensation or even mould. Learned that the hard way one winter—woke up to water running down the inside of the glass.
- If you’re still getting lorry noise at 3am, might be worth checking if the noise is actually coming through the window or sneaking in somewhere else (floorboards, vents, even chimney if you’ve got one).
- Honestly, half my DIY is just going round every autumn with a torch and a notepad, making a list... then ignoring half of it till it gets really cold.
- All in all, double glazing’s good, but it’s not magic. Layer up your solutions—curtains, draft excluders, a bit of DIY—and you’ll get most of the way there. Just don’t expect total silence unless you’re living in a bunker...
That’s really helpful, thanks for sharing all those tips. I’m in a 1930s terrace and the windows are definitely the weak spot—could literally feel a breeze coming through before I tried foam tape. Those heavy curtains sound like a good shout; I’ve only got thin ones and it’s still pretty chilly at night. Did anyone try secondary glazing (like those acrylic panels you can stick on)? Wondering if it’s worth the faff or just ends up awkward to open the windows.
Secondary glazing is totally worth it for old windows, honestly. I used the magnetic acrylic panels last winter and they made a big difference with both drafts and noise—my street’s pretty loud at night. Bit fiddly to fit, but you get used to taking them off if you want to open up for fresh air. Definitely not as slick as proper double glazing, but way cheaper and less hassle than replacing the whole window.
Yeah, the noise difference is real. I live on a bus route, and after I put in secondary glazing (just the stick-on acrylic sheets for now), it actually felt like my living room moved to a quieter street. Not perfect, but way better than nothing. Only thing is, they’re a bit awkward when you want to crack a window open for some air—can’t just fling them up like you would with double glazing. Still, for the price, I’ll take it.
Only thing is, they’re a bit awkward when you want to crack a window open for some air—can’t just fling them up like you would with double glazing.
That’s exactly what bugs me, too. I did the same acrylic sheet trick in my old flat, and while it was a game-changer for noise, summer was a pain. I used to prop the sheet up with a book just to get a bit of airflow. Did you find they made the room any warmer as well, or mostly just quieter? For me, it felt like both, but maybe that’s just wishful thinking...