Please Note! This is our archived old board, it is “read only.”
To visit our current active discussion board click below.
https://www.replacement-windows.com/windowbb/
Author: | Oberon |
In Reply To: | more info (posted by John) |
Subject: | RE: more info |
Posted At: | 2004-10-06 16:10:14 |
Okay, the best window for sound control is aluminum. The worst window for energy efficiency is aluminum. Bummer, eh?
Vinyl windows are slightly better than wood windows at sound abatement, but wood windows are slightly more energy efficient…Now, before I create mass hysteria, I am speaking in general terms and individual windows vary by company and design.
A wood window with aluminum cladding, if there is an airgap between the aluminum and the wood, is not a bad compromise for both energy efficiency and sound control. Again, I am speaking in general terms.
Adding laminated glass as one of the two lites in the IGU will definitely help, plus laminated glass blocks 99% of the UV light that would otherwise cause fading. For a comparison, the best UV-blocking Low-E’s block maybe 80-85% of UV light.
As I have mentioned, the most important part of blocking sound in an IGU is the width of the spacing between the glass. Unfortunately, any space wider than ¾” and you will start losing energy efficiency…and generally, IG spacing varies between 7/16” and 9/16”, which is not the best for sound control.
One option is to ask the window company representative about the possibility of including storm windows as part of the package. The storm window will give you that airspace between the outer (storm) and inner (IG) that will definitely help in controlling some of that noise.
BUT, as is said often here, the most important part of all of this is a tight, quality window that is correctly installed – including the storm, if you decide on that option.
If the window isn’t “tight” or if it is installed poorly, then there is no amount of money you can spend that will help your situation. And, John, it is virtually impossible to block all noise. You WILL still hear some noises even after spending lots of money on trying to block them out. Unfortunately, some salespeople tend to be overly enthusiastic about their ability to block unwanted noise, and that generally leads to a disappointed and occasionally disgruntled customer. And no one wants a disgruntled customer!