"Here's a quick test: light an incense stick and slowly move it around your window edges—if the smoke dances, you've got leaks."
Haha, love the incense trick! I tried something similar last winter with a candle flame, but nearly singed my curtains...lesson learned. Anyway, sealing gaps definitely helps with drafts and energy bills, but street noise can be a different beast altogether. I live near a busy intersection, and even after sealing every tiny gap imaginable, traffic noise was still creeping in.
Ended up installing storm windows, and honestly, it made a pretty noticeable difference. Not total silence or anything (I mean, it's not magic), but enough to sleep better at night. Acoustic glass might be even better if you're really sensitive to noise, but it's pricey. I'd say start small, seal those gaps first like others mentioned, then maybe try storm windows before jumping to the expensive stuff. You might find that's enough to keep your sanity intact...and your wallet happier too.
Storm windows definitely help a lot—I put some in last year and noticed a difference right away. Acoustic glass sounds tempting, but yeah, the price tag made me pause...maybe down the line if traffic gets worse. Hang in there, noise issues are super frustrating.
- Totally agree, storm windows made a noticeable dent for me too.
- Acoustic glass sounds fancy, but my wallet laughed at me when I checked prices.
- Honestly, adding thick curtains helped more than I expected—plus, bonus points for blocking nosy neighbors.
- Noise is the worst though, especially motorcycles at 2am...hang tight, you're not alone.
I was pretty skeptical about curtains at first—figured fabric wouldn't do much against the midnight Harley parade outside my window. But honestly, thick blackout curtains surprised me too. They're not miracle workers, but they definitely took the edge off. Storm windows helped a bit more, though I still wake up occasionally when someone decides to rev their engine at 3am (seriously, why??).
Acoustic glass sounds amazing in theory, but yeah...my bank account gave me a firm "nope" on that one. I did try one of those white noise machines as a cheaper alternative. Thought it was gimmicky at first, but now I can't sleep without it. Doesn't eliminate the noise completely, but it masks enough of it to keep me sane.
Still, sometimes I wonder if I'll ever get used to city life or if I'll just end up moving somewhere quieter eventually. Guess we'll see how stubborn I am!
I totally get the struggle with street noise—been there myself. Have you considered sealing any gaps around your windows? Even tiny cracks can let in a surprising amount of sound. I used acoustic caulk around mine, and it made more difference than I expected. Won't silence those 3am engine revvers completely (seriously, what's their deal?), but every bit helps. Hang in there...city life does get easier over time, even if it's never perfectly quiet.
Acoustic caulk helped a bit for me too, but honestly, storm windows were the real MVP. I remember thinking, "no way some extra glass makes that much difference," but turns out my skepticism was wrong...again. Still hear the occasional midnight drag race though—guess that's city life's soundtrack.
"Still hear the occasional midnight drag race though—guess that's city life's soundtrack."
Haha, yup...I swear half the Fast & Furious cast lives on my street sometimes. Storm windows definitely helped me too, more than I expected honestly. Tried acoustic panels first, but turns out they mostly just made my room look like a recording studio without actually blocking much noise. Storm windows were the real deal—now I only wake up if someone's exhaust is especially obnoxious. Guess you can't win 'em all...
Haha, same here... storm windows were a solid upgrade for me too. Acoustic glass seemed pricey, so I skipped it. Still, nothing fully blocks out those random motorcycles roaring past at 2am—guess it's just part of the charm of city living, right?
Storm windows definitely help—I installed mine a couple years back, and it made a noticeable difference, especially with general street chatter and distant traffic. But you're right, those motorcycles at 2am... man, they're something else. I looked into acoustic glass too, but the price made my eyes water, and honestly, I'm skeptical it'd fully silence those random revvers anyway.
One thing that did help me a bit more was sealing up all those tiny gaps around my windows and doors. I didn't realize how much sound sneaks through those little cracks until I started filling them in. Weather stripping and caulk are cheap, easy DIY fixes that cut down noise quite a bit—definitely worth an afternoon's work if you haven't tried it yet.
Also, curtains can be surprisingly effective. I swapped out my thin blinds for heavier blackout curtains, and while they're obviously not magic, they do dampen some of the sharper noises. Plus, they make sleeping easier when streetlights glare in.
I've heard about people using white noise machines or apps to mask street sounds too. Haven't tried it myself—I prefer silence—but I've got friends who swear by them. Could be worth experimenting with if you're losing sleep.
At the end of the day though, you're probably right... city life just comes with certain trade-offs. Good luck!
Totally agree about sealing gaps—made a huge difference for me too. Another trick is adding thick rugs or carpets; sounds weird, but it dampens echoes from outside noise bouncing around inside. Might be worth a shot if you're still struggling...