"Seems like it might be a bit overkill (and pricey...), but could it be worth it if you're dealing with constant heavy traffic?"
I've seen a few clients go this route, and honestly, results vary. Acoustic glass alone usually does the trick, but combining it with storm windows might only give you marginal improvements. Makes me wonder—have you looked into sealing gaps around frames first? Sometimes that's the real culprit...
"Makes me wonder—have you looked into sealing gaps around frames first? Sometimes that's the real culprit..."
Good point, but honestly, sealing gaps alone rarely cuts it for heavy street noise. Acoustic glass is effective, sure, but pairing it with heavier curtains or blinds can sometimes give you better bang for your buck...just my two cents.
I'm with you on acoustic glass being effective, but honestly, curtains and blinds alone haven't really done much for me. I moved into my first place last year, and the street noise was way worse than I expected (rookie mistake, I know...). Tried thick blackout curtains first—helped a bit with sleep, but didn't really cut down the noise enough to make a real difference.
Ended up biting the bullet and getting acoustic glass installed in the bedroom windows. Huge improvement. But here's the thing—I still noticed some noise sneaking in around the frames. Turns out sealing those gaps actually did help more than I thought it would. So yeah, sealing alone won't solve everything, but paired with acoustic glass? Definitely worth considering.
Also, random tip: white noise machines or fans can help mask traffic sounds at night if you're desperate. Saved my sanity more than once...
Good points on sealing gaps—it's surprising how much noise sneaks in through tiny openings around frames. I've seen clients spend a fortune on acoustic glass but neglect proper sealing, and they're still frustrated with noise levels. A good quality acoustic sealant or weatherstripping can make a noticeable difference, especially if your window frames are older or not perfectly aligned.
Also, curtains alone rarely help much with noise, even the thick blackout ones. They're great for blocking light, but sound is a different beast altogether. If you're already investing in acoustic glass, pairing it with proper sealing is definitely the way to go.
One thing I've wondered about: has anyone tried combining acoustic glass with external storm windows? Curious if that extra layer actually helps or if it's just overkill...
"One thing I've wondered about: has anyone tried combining acoustic glass with external storm windows? Curious if that extra layer actually helps or if it's just overkill..."
I've seen a few projects where clients opted for acoustic glass plus storm windows, and anecdotally, they did notice some improvement. But honestly, the difference wasn't huge—proper sealing seemed to matter more. Still, could be worth exploring...
I dunno, seems like it might be overkill to me. We had a similar issue at our place and honestly, just upgrading to acoustic glass alone made a huge difference. Agree with you on sealing though—
—that's where I'd put my money first."proper sealing seemed to matter more"
We had a similar issue at our place and honestly, just upgrading to acoustic glass alone made a huge difference.
We had a similar issue a few years back—busy street, buses rumbling past, you name it. Did you notice a big difference right away with acoustic glass, or did it take some getting used to? For us, sealing gaps around the windows was honestly the biggest game changer... quieter and cheaper too.
We went through something similar a while back—main road, constant traffic noise, motorcycles at midnight...you get the picture. Acoustic glass definitely helps, but I agree with you about sealing gaps. We actually started there first, since it's pretty affordable and straightforward. Did you use weatherstripping or caulk around your windows? We tried both, but found caulking did a better job long-term, especially for smaller cracks.
That said, acoustic glass does have its merits. My neighbor installed it and mentioned an immediate improvement. He said the reduction in mid-frequency sounds—like traffic hum—was noticeable right away, though it didn't completely eliminate louder noises like sirens or trucks braking hard. Did you find sealing alone was enough to handle all that low-frequency rumble? For us, it cut down most of the annoyance but didn't quite block everything...still debating whether acoustic glass is worth the extra investment.
Sealing definitely helps, but honestly, low-frequency rumble is tough to tackle completely without thicker glass or extra layers. Acoustic glass can make a noticeable difference, especially if you're sensitive to noise. Have you considered pairing acoustic glass with heavier curtains or blinds? I've seen that combo work pretty well for some folks dealing with traffic noise...might be worth looking into before committing fully.
"Have you considered pairing acoustic glass with heavier curtains or blinds?"
Curtains and blinds can help a bit, sure, but honestly they're more effective for higher frequencies. For low-frequency rumble, have you thought about secondary glazing instead? I've seen it outperform acoustic glass in some older homes...