Problem noise can end up being a genuine frustration for individuals in all walks of life. Whether it’s at home or in the workplace, it triggers a series of issues. Luckily, you do not need to endure it.
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at noise pollution, why windows are vital to stopping it and the very best course of action for your residential or commercial property’s windows.
Problems with sound pollution
While it might appear insignificant to those who have not experienced it, noise pollution can be a major issue with real effects. At the very least, it can serve as a disturbance at home, making it difficult to concentrate whether you’re enjoying the television, reading a book or simply talking to pals.
This can end up being a lot more troublesome away from house, impacting the quiet environment of classrooms, medical rooms and boardrooms. That likewise applies to those who work from house, which represents more than 1 in 10 UK workers.
Beyond an easy frustration, annoyance noise can cause stress and anger, which in turn causes a variety of health problems, consisting of headaches, anxiety, skin problems, high blood pressure and even heart attack and stroke.
Depending upon the type and source of sound, that might even be coupled with an absence of sleep, which includes its own set of issues for psychological and physical health and wellbeing. That typically leads to bad performance at work, and even a loss of a job, simply because of a noisy house.
Worst of all, noticeable noise pollution can even make it challenging to offer your residential or commercial property looking for a quieter life. So, where is it coming from?
Causes of sound pollution
Here are some of the most common sources of annoyance noise in your home or in the office:
- Roadway traffic
- Trains
- Airplanes
- Roadworks
- Factories
- Neighbours
- Passers by
- Bars, clubs and clubs
- Animals or other animals
- General noise from hectic city centres
Why windows matter
There’s more to the cause of noise pollution than the source of the noise alone. It’s worth considering why exactly your home is letting that noise in. Letter boxes, keyholes and feline flaps are all typical vulnerable points which should be examined. In lots of cases, it’s down to your windows.
Windows are among the weakest points in a home when it comes to sound intrusion. They’re large, thin and tight pieces of product, readily influences by acoustic wave energy. Without the best defence, they basically act like a speaker to transfer sound.
That’s not simply the case for old, single-glazed windows. Double or triple glazing struggles to provide a notable reduction as the vibration of the glass compresses the internal air or gas in the sealed unit. Together with the close distance of glass layers in double or triple glazing, that enables the sound wave energy to continue without much interference.
The option is secondary glazing
If you actually want to minimise the quantity of noise making it through your windows, secondary glazing is shown to be the most effective service. Why? The gap in between the existing window and secondary glazing panel is substantially larger than the gap you get in between double or triple glazed window panes.
That larger space creates a more substantial barrier for sound waves to pass through, indicating they’re much weaker by the time they get to the other side. A lot so, in fact, that it can be as much as 5 times more efficient than double glazing. With the ideal design and setup, it’s possible to lower sound by as much as 80%.
How to get the very best efficiency
To get the very best efficiency out of secondary glazing, lots of would assume glass is the most crucial factor. Nevertheless, while glass can make a difference, the most crucial element without a doubt is the air gap in between the existing primary glass and the brand-new secondary glass.
In other words, the larger the space, the better. It’s suggested to have a space of at least 100-150mm, or perhaps 200mm if you have the area available. Any decrease on the size of the gap in an available area will merely jeopardise performance and allow that bit more sound in through the windows.
Of course, not all windows have 200mm of area available for an internal panel. If that’s the case, we would advise to utilise whatever space is readily available and think about using acoustic glass to compensate.
Acoustic glass: what you require to understand
Provided the name, it’s understandable that individuals instantly think acoustic glass is a sure-fire method to stop sound coming through your windows. While it has its benefits, it’s not a miracle service.
Acoustic glass is designed to absorb and dissipate sound better than standard glass alternatives. Nevertheless, the difference in efficiency is relatively small, meaning it’s finest matched as part of a ‘belt and braces’ approach paired with secondary glazing, for instance.
If you’re pleased to spend additional to put the icing on the cake, acoustic glass can provide you a little more consistency in the variety of sound getting in the residential or commercial property.
That said, acoustic glass is rather costly compared to other alternatives, and it’s not essential to attain fantastic outcomes. Don’t be put off secondary glazing by that alone.
What’s the best glass to use?
When choosing the best glass for sound reduction, the crucial concern is constantly:
How severe is your sound problem and how is it affecting you?
If it’s a mild irritation, such as loud neighbours chatting into the night, then the focus can be on the air space. However, if the problem is more unpleasant and sensitivity to noise has actually ended up being a health issue, then a mix of an air gap with improved glass is advisable.
A combination of the two can then be discovered to fit even the most budget friendly budget plan. We would advise 6mm glass as a safe beginning point for the majority of requirements.
Post Sponsored by Greenwich Glass 24/7 – For all your Glazing in SE10.