Yeah, acoustic curtains surprised me too. I put some up in my home office, and while they didn't completely silence the garbage trucks at 6 AM (wishful thinking, lol), they definitely softened the noise enough to stop waking me up every morning. Another thing that helped was sealing up small gaps around the window frames—cheap and easy fix that made a noticeable difference. Might be worth checking before investing in pricier solutions like acoustic glass.
I second the sealing gaps suggestion—it's amazing how much noise sneaks in through tiny cracks you wouldn't even notice. Before you jump straight to acoustic glass (which can be pretty pricey), have you considered storm windows? I installed them last year, and honestly, they've been a game changer. Not only did they noticeably cut down street noise, but they also improved insulation, so my heating bills dropped a bit too. Win-win.
Acoustic glass is great, don't get me wrong, but unless you're dealing with extreme noise or planning to stay in your place long-term, storm windows might give you more bang for your buck. Plus, they're easier to install and remove if you ever change your mind or move. Just my two cents...
Storm windows definitely helped me too. I was skeptical at first, thinking they'd barely make a difference, but after installing them, the street noise dropped noticeably. Plus, my bedroom feels warmer in winter now...bonus savings on heating bills never hurt either. Acoustic glass seems like overkill unless you're near a freeway or something.
Had a client last year who swore by acoustic glass, but honestly...unless you're living right next to a busy intersection or something, storm windows are usually enough. Glad you gave them a shot—nothing beats saving money and sanity at the same time, right?
Yeah, totally with you on storm windows being enough most of the time. I used to live right by a bus route—not exactly Times Square, but still noisy enough to drive me nuts at night. Swapping in storm windows made a huge difference without breaking the bank. Acoustic glass is fantastic if you're dealing with constant heavy traffic or construction noise, but honestly, for most residential streets, it feels a bit like overkill.
One thing I noticed though, is that sealing up any gaps or cracks around the frames makes almost as much difference as the windows themselves. My neighbor spent a ton on acoustic glass but didn't bother sealing properly...guess who still complained about noise? 😂 Sometimes it's those little details that count just as much as the big upgrades. Glad you found a solution that's working for you—peace and quiet can really change your whole mood.
Great point about sealing those gaps—it's amazing how much difference that makes. I've also found heavy curtains or blinds can help absorb noise a bit more. Did you try anything like that alongside your storm windows? Curious if others noticed improvements with curtains too...
"I've also found heavy curtains or blinds can help absorb noise a bit more."
Yeah, curtains definitely help a bit, especially thicker ones. I tried layering blackout curtains over regular blinds—noticed a decent improvement. Not magic, but every little bit counts, right? Did you try layering too or just heavy curtains alone?
Curtains and blinds can help for sure, but honestly, they're more of a band-aid solution. A few years back, I lived right on a busy intersection—constant honking, buses rumbling by, you name it. Tried heavy curtains first, then layered blackout curtains over blinds like you mentioned:
"I tried layering blackout curtains over regular blinds—noticed a decent improvement."
It helped somewhat, but only acoustic glass finally made the place livable. It's pricier upfront, but long-term sanity is worth it... at least it was for me.
You're spot on about acoustic glass being a game changer. Curtains and blinds can dampen some higher frequencies, but they won't touch the low rumble of buses or trucks.
"It's pricier upfront, but long-term sanity is worth it..."
Couldn't agree more—seen plenty of clients initially hesitant due to cost, but once installed, they wonder how they ever lived without it. It's a solid investment for peace of mind and better sleep. Good call.
Was skeptical at first myself—thought acoustic glass was mostly marketing hype. But after staying at a friend's place near a busy intersection, gotta admit it made a noticeable difference. Curtains barely helped with the deep engine noises, but the acoustic windows cut that low rumble way down. Still pricey, yeah...but if street noise is seriously messing with your sleep, it's probably worth biting the bullet.