Soundproofing a window wherever you live makes a lot of sense.
Street noise is an issue for almost everyone at one time or another. The noise from outside your home can come in many forms. Among the most obvious are police sirens, noise from construction or building sites, busy restaurants and nightclubs, dogs barking, car horns and traffic in general.
All these noises can disrupt your peace and quiet, affect the atmosphere within your home and possibly be detrimental to your quality of life. In some cases, they can even contribute to health issues.
In terms of sound insulation, windows tend to be the weakest point in a property. By nature, they’re the thinnest barrier between you and the world outside and they’re the largest path for noise to enter your home.
Four Ways to Soundproof A Window
To help you reduce the problem of noise coming in through your windows, here are four ways to soundproof windows and effectively reduce noise from traffic coming through them.
Step One: Seal Any Gaps Around the Window
Make sure you seal all gaps around your windows to reduce the level of exterior noise from entering your home. You can do this with acoustic caulk (sealant) or weather-stripping sealers.
As a result of blocking all the little gaps between the wall and the borders of the window, the amount of noise coming through is greatly reduced.
Step Two: Create a Barrier Before the Window
Adding a barrier between your house and the pavement or road can be very effective.
You can do this by planting shrubs for a natural barrier or else erecting a fence. Both of these will help to fragment the sound waves. Noise will still go around, over and under the fence, however, it will help significantly reduce the volume travelling through your windows.
Step Three: Acoustic Curtains
Step two dealt with outside your windows, this step deals with the interior space.
Acoustic curtains look just like standard curtains are an excellent way of deflecting noise which reaches your home from outside sources.
They’re created from an acoustic tested fabric available in a choice of colours, making them a very stylish and effective choice for your home. Other benefits include blocking unwanted light – used over bedroom windows, this can make a big difference to your quality of sleep and overall health.
One other benefit to soundproofing your windows with acoustic curtains is that they’re more energy efficient than standard curtains because of their insulating qualities.
Step Four: Double And Triple Glazed Window Panes
The most expensive way to soundproof your windows is to replace your existing panes with double or triple glazed windows.
If you currently only have single-pane windows you should invest in this option. Double glazed windows have two panes of glass inset into the frame. The panes of glass are separated with argon gas, creating an insulating pocket that inhibits heat transfer much better than single pane windows. This solution can reduce the amount of noise significantly (by up to 60 %).
What’s more, double pane windows will keep your room cooler during summer and warmer during winter. With these windows, you can end up saving a lot on your energy bills.
If you already have double-glazing and still suffer noise disturbance through them, consider triple-glazing, which adds another pane of glass and argon gap. Where double glazing has an R value of 1.8, triple can have 0.5, or better.
More importantly is the rw measure, which is the weighted sound reduction measure. For double glazed windows, expect this to be around 32, for triple glazed it can be over 40. This is a considerable difference in soundproofing and one worth investigation if you have a serious noise problem.

Advice On Installing Specialist Soundproof Windows
If you decide to get specialist soundproofed windows in place of the double-pane windows, beware that the panes on their own do not do the work; they need to be professionally fitted.
Replacing your windows entirely could be a risky move if you don’t use window installers familiar with installing soundproofed designs. Make sure that whoever installs the windows does it correctly.
In particular, there should be no gaps or cracks left at all around the edges of the windows. Poorly installed soundproofed windows will simply be a waste of money and effort as even the smallest gap can still let sound in and out of the room.
Find Out More About Window Soundproofing
f you’re not sure about the best solution for soundproofing windows in your building, get in touch with the experts at Sound Control Services for FREE advice.
At Sound Control Services, we specialise in offering a wide range of acoustic curtains and blankets, and other bespoke noise reduction solutions.
Our customers include industry, commerce, public authorities and direct consumers as well as homeowners and DIY enthusiasts. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you keep the noise down wherever you live, work and relax.