Gotta disagree a bit on acoustic curtains—I tried them myself and honestly didn't notice enough improvement to justify the price. Sure, they're better than regular blackout curtains, but still felt like a bandaid solution. What really made a difference for me was installing secondary glazing panels. Bit more effort upfront, but the noise reduction was night and day compared to curtains or sealing gaps alone.
Also, rugs and wall hangings are nice aesthetically, but in my experience, their impact on external street noise is minimal at best. They help with echo inside the room, sure...but if your main issue is traffic or noisy neighbors outside, you might be disappointed. Better off investing in something directly targeting the windows or walls themselves.
"Sure, they're better than regular blackout curtains, but still felt like a bandaid solution."
Yeah, gotta agree with you there. Acoustic curtains were a bit of a letdown for me too—felt like I was just throwing money at the problem without much payoff. Ended up biting the bullet and upgrading to triple-pane windows, and honestly, it's like someone finally hit the mute button on my neighbor's leaf blower. Rugs and wall hangings are great for Instagram pics, but for actual peace and quiet? Meh...
"it's like someone finally hit the mute button on my neighbor's leaf blower."
Haha, that's exactly how I felt after upgrading mine. Acoustic curtains were okay-ish, but triple-pane windows are a total game changer. Plus, the energy savings are a nice bonus—my heating bill dropped noticeably last winter. Curtains and rugs look nice, sure, but nothing beats actually feeling comfortable in your own space... Glad you made the switch.
Triple-pane windows definitely help with noise, but I'm curious—did you notice a big enough difference compared to double-pane to justify the extra cost? I've installed both types, and honestly, sometimes the jump to triple-pane isn't as dramatic as people expect, especially if the rest of your insulation isn't up to par. In my experience, sealing up air leaks or upgrading insulation in walls and ceilings can sometimes make a bigger impact on comfort and energy savings than just focusing on windows alone.
Don't get me wrong—triple-pane windows can be great in certain situations, particularly if you're dealing with constant loud noises or extreme climates. But for a lot of homes, double-pane with proper sealing and insulation might be enough. Did you have other insulation upgrades done at the same time, or was it just the windows?
I went with triple-pane windows last year, and while the noise reduction was noticeable, it wasn't exactly night-and-day compared to double-pane. Honestly, the biggest improvement came after I sealed up some drafts around doors and upgraded attic insulation. If noise is your main concern, triple-pane helps, but I'd say it's only worth the extra cost if you've already tackled other insulation issues first. Otherwise, you might be disappointed with the results.
I had pretty similar results when I upgraded to triple-pane a couple years back. The windows themselves were fantastic quality, and the overall comfort level took a step up because of reduced heat loss. But noise-wise, yeah, it wasn't exactly revolutionary. I expected a bit more silence, especially since I'm near a busy intersection.
Funny enough, what finally made the biggest difference for me was sealing up those sneaky little gaps around my electrical outlets and baseboards—who knew so much sound could sneak in through there? Also, adding heavy curtains helped way more than I thought it would. They're not fancy or high-tech, but they sure dampened street noises surprisingly well.
At the end of the day, triple-pane is great if you're already taking care of other insulation and air-sealing issues. But jumping straight to expensive windows expecting total silence might leave you feeling underwhelmed—like buying top-of-the-line headphones only to realize your playlist is full of static recordings. (Been there.)
Haha, your headphone analogy is spot-on—I feel that one. I did the triple-pane thing last year too, and while it definitely helped with drafts and heating bills, the noise reduction was... meh. But you're totally right about those sneaky gaps around outlets and baseboards. I spent a weekend sealing mine up with acoustic caulk and foam gaskets (cheap and easy DIY), and it genuinely made a noticeable difference.
Also seconding your heavy curtain tip. I grabbed some thick blackout curtains mostly for sunlight reasons, but turns out they're pretty good at muffling street noise too. Not exactly soundproof-studio-level silence, but hey, every bit helps.
Seems like windows alone aren't the magic bullet people think they are—it's all those little details combined that really add up. Glad I'm not the only one who discovered this through trial and error... live and learn, right?
"Seems like windows alone aren't the magic bullet people think they are—it's all those little details combined that really add up."
Couldn't agree more with this. Triple-pane windows are definitely a step up in terms of insulation and energy efficiency, but noise reduction is a tricky beast. Glass thickness and air gaps do help, but soundproofing is as much about sealing gaps and managing vibrations as it is about the window itself.
One thing I've noticed over the years installing windows is that people often underestimate how much noise sneaks through tiny openings around frames, outlets, vents, and even recessed lighting fixtures. Your acoustic caulk weekend project was spot-on—it's amazing how much difference sealing those small gaps can make. I've had clients who initially felt disappointed after investing in premium windows, only to realize later that the real culprit was hidden air leaks or poorly insulated walls.
And yeah, curtains are surprisingly effective. I had a customer who jokingly called blackout curtains "the poor man's soundproofing," but honestly, he wasn't far off. They're not going to block everything (as you said, no studio-level silence), but they do absorb a decent amount of ambient noise—especially traffic sounds or distant voices.
Another underrated trick I've seen work well is adding weatherstripping around interior doors. It sounds minor, but if you're dealing with noise coming from other rooms or hallways, sealing door gaps can noticeably cut down on unwanted sound transfer.
Anyway, glad you're seeing improvements overall. Soundproofing is definitely one of those areas where incremental changes add up more than most people realize... and hey, at least your heating bills look better now, right?
Totally get what you're saying about sealing those tiny gaps. When we redid our place, I went all-in on triple-pane windows thinking it'd be night-and-day quieter. It helped, sure, but it wasn't until I sealed up a bunch of sneaky air leaks around the outlets and baseboards that things really improved. Felt kinda dumb spending big bucks on windows only to realize a $10 tube of caulk made almost as much difference... live and learn, I guess.
"Felt kinda dumb spending big bucks on windows only to realize a $10 tube of caulk made almost as much difference... live and learn, I guess."
Haha, been there myself. It's funny how we often overlook the simplest fixes. I remember obsessing over insulation ratings and window specs, only to find out later that weatherstripping my doors made a huge difference. Curious though, did you notice any significant changes in your heating or cooling bills after sealing those smaller gaps? I've heard mixed experiences on that front...