Sound abatement?

Ask replacement window questions & get answers!
Post Reply
Message
Author
melbedw
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2020 4:27 pm

Sound abatement?

#1 Post by melbedw »

We live in a 1940s one-story house in Knoxville, TN, with original single-pane wood windows. Most of the windows are non-functional, i.e. hard to open, won't stay shut, cracked. We do have storm windows in place, but those also appear to be quite old.

We live off a moderately busy street. The noise has not bothered me in the 2.5 years we've lived here until very recently. Now, rumbling street noise is all I can hear. I'm hoping new windows might provide at least a little more sound abatement over what we have now, plus we should certainly (I hope) see some energy savings.

We have received three quotes to replace 22 windows in our home—

Champion Comfort 365: quoted $18,900 18 windows, combining two three-window sections into sliders
Marvin Infinity: Local window installer, quoted $18,400 for 21 windows (we realized after he left that he left out a window)
Provia Endure: same local installer as Marvin; quoted about $12,500 for 21 windows

My questions—

Are any of these windows particularly good at blocking sound? If not, is there another company I should be looking into?
Are there specific upgrades I should ask about in regards to sound abatement?
I'm planning to get a quote on Sunrise as well as a second quote on Provia Endure. Are there other brands I should be looking into?

I appreciate any help you can provide.

User avatar
Windows on Washington
Posts: 5308
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:23 am
Location: DC Metropolitan Area-Maryland/Virginia/DC

Re: Sound abatement?

#2 Post by Windows on Washington »

Depending on the thickness of the storm windows, the noise could be worse. Is that likely, no.

The Marvin is the best of those products and ask that dealer for a quote on offset glazing. The offset glazing will help with the noise attenuation.

User avatar
toddinmn
Posts: 1067
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2009 9:02 pm

Re: Sound abatement?

#3 Post by toddinmn »

The Pro -Via will have the best thermal, air and structural numbers and is the best value of that bunch. Don’t know if they offer offset glass options though.

WindowsDirectCinci
Posts: 250
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2016 2:46 pm

Re: Sound abatement?

#4 Post by WindowsDirectCinci »

When you have the sunrise dealer out ask for NRG glass this should be available from Marvin also, not sure about the others. It's made specifically for noise reduction. Ask for STC ratings the higher the number the more sound dampening the window will have so you can compare between brands.

JonnySTL
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2020 9:13 am

Re: Sound abatement?

#5 Post by JonnySTL »

Just remember, there's more than 1 way to skin a cat with trying to accomplish noise reduction. I believe glass thickness, double vs triple pane, and laminates / coverings for the glass can all factor in. Make sure to look at all your options and where the performance ratings shake out and then what you are paying for a level playing field in those ratings. Same goes for U factor, SHGC, VT and CR ratings.

On a side note, I have 18 Endure windows going in hopefully in about 2-4 weeks. Our street has become increasingly noisier over the years and there's a train within a couple hundred yards. Getting double pane with DLA-UV glass but nothing additional for sound abatement. Spoke with some neighbors who have replaced their windows with similar, double-pane, double-hung windows and all say they have noticed a significant reduction in noise. We all had the standard, crappy contractor grade windows when houses were built. They are double-pane, but total crap.

User avatar
Windows on Washington
Posts: 5308
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:23 am
Location: DC Metropolitan Area-Maryland/Virginia/DC

Re: Sound abatement?

#6 Post by Windows on Washington »

Good feedback above from JohnnySTL.

The vast, vast, vast majority of folks will note an improvement in sound attenuation over their single pane, single pane with a storm, and builder's grade double pane with a replacement window. This is because of the added mass in the glass (most good replacements use a thicker glass) and something that is often overlooked...a lessened amount of air leakage. Sound is carried on air and if the window stinks at keeping air out, it will stink at keeping sound out.

The reason I asked as to the construction above is because we did one job where the sales person did not note that the client had extremely thick, monolithic, glass storms that were for blocking sound. The windows wound up being not as good as the originals until we upgraded them to laminated glass.

Post Reply