Yeah, acoustic glass does seem legit—but honestly, storm windows made a decent dent for me too. Not total silence or anything, but enough improvement that I stopped plotting revenge on passing motorcycles at 2 AM...
Storm windows can definitely help, especially if your existing windows are older or single-pane. Did you notice if sealing around the frames made a difference too? Sometimes noise sneaks in through tiny gaps and cracks, not just the glass itself. Acoustic glass is great, but it's pricey and might be overkill depending on your situation. Have you checked out heavy curtains or blinds as an extra layer? I had a client who swore by thick blackout curtains—they didn't eliminate everything, but they softened the sharper noises enough to make nights bearable. Also, what's your wall insulation like? Sometimes the windows aren't the only culprit...
Storm windows made a noticeable difference for me, especially paired with sealing gaps around the frames. Honestly though, curtains surprised me even more. I was skeptical at first—seemed too simple—but heavy blackout curtains really dampened the sharper street noises. Acoustic glass sounds nice, but I've always felt it's overkill unless you're right next to a busy intersection or something. Also, good point about insulation...people often overlook walls and ceilings when chasing down noise issues. Hang in there, you'll find something that helps eventually.
Totally agree about acoustic glass being a bit much unless you're near constant traffic. Have you tried weatherstripping your doors too? Surprising how much noise sneaks through door gaps...cheap fix, noticeable difference.
Weatherstripping definitely helps, but honestly, doors aren't usually the biggest culprit in my experience. I spent ages sealing every tiny gap around my front door, and yeah, it made a difference—but not nearly as much as tackling the windows. My street isn't even that busy, just occasional cars and the odd noisy neighbor, but the windows were letting in way more sound than I realized.
Instead of acoustic glass, I went with heavier curtains and some thick cellular shades. Way cheaper than new windows, and they've made a noticeable improvement. Plus, they're great for insulation in winter, so bonus points there. Acoustic glass seems like overkill unless you're right next to a freeway or something. But relying mostly on weatherstripping doors...I dunno, feels like you'd be missing out on bigger gains elsewhere.
Did you notice much difference with the cellular shades alone, or was it mostly the curtains doing the heavy lifting? I've been debating between those two myself... acoustic glass seems pricey for my quiet-ish street.
I tried cellular shades first and honestly, they didn't do much for noise. They're great for insulation and privacy, but street noise? Meh, not really their strong suit. Curtains made a bigger difference for me, especially heavy blackout ones with thick fabric. They absorb more sound waves and cut down on echo inside the room.
But if your street is already pretty quiet-ish, acoustic glass might be overkill. I looked into it too—pricey indeed—and ended up installing storm windows instead. They were way cheaper and surprisingly effective. Not total silence, but definitely took the edge off traffic noise and random neighborhood sounds. Plus, bonus points for better insulation in winter.
If you're still unsure, maybe try curtains first since they're the easiest and cheapest to test out. You can always upgrade later if you need more peace and quiet.
Totally get what you're going through. I had a similar issue at my old place—busy intersection, buses rumbling by at all hours. Curtains definitely helped take the edge off, especially thick velvet ones (bonus: they looked pretty nice too). Acoustic glass seemed tempting but yeah, pricey. Storm windows sound like a solid middle ground—glad to hear they worked out for you. Sometimes just reducing the noise a bit makes all the difference in feeling comfortable at home... Hang in there!
Did you consider sealing around the windows too? I found that even good storm windows can leak noise if the seals aren't tight... cheap fix, made a noticeable difference for me.
Yeah, sealing is key—you'd be amazed how much noise sneaks in through those tiny gaps. Storm windows can help, but they're not magic if the seals aren't tight. I'd also suggest checking around the window frames themselves, sometimes old caulking dries out and cracks, letting sound seep right in. Acoustic caulk is a bit pricier but stays flexible longer, making it worth the extra bucks in my experience.