When you live or work in an urban area, noise pollution coming in through your home’s or office building’s windows can be a real drag. Noise from traffic, planes, construction, factories, and other common sources makes it hard to sleep and focus on work.
If you’re here, it’s probably because you’re suffering from some type of noise pollution that’s coming into your indoor spaces through your windows, and you haven’t been able to solve it. You might be wondering if there is some type of noise-blocking window film that you can apply to your windows to reduce the excess noise, so we’re here to provide you with all the answers.
Is There Such a Thing as Noise Blocking Window Film?
Window films are different types of pliable, polymer-based coatings that get applied to your windows for different purposes. They can block heat from the sun, reduce glare, reject harmful UV rays, improve energy efficiency, add privacy, and change the appearance of your windows.
However, the reality is that there is no specialized noise-blocking window film that can be used to block out significant amounts of outdoor noise.
While any type of window film may slightly reduce the sound vibrations coming through your windows, it won’t make any significant difference in the amount of excess noise you perceive in your indoor spaces.
If noise-blocking window film doesn’t exist, what can you do to soundproof windows?
If you’re looking for ways to reduce noise transfer through your windows, there are a few different things you can try:
- Seal gaps around the windows
- Add barriers in front of windows
- Try acoustic curtains
- Replace windows with double- or triple-pane windows
Seal gaps around the windows
A lot of exterior noise coming in through windows actually comes in through gaps, rather than through the glass itself.
To fix this, inspect your windows for gaps between the frames and the surrounding materials and seal them using acoustic caulk or weather stripping.
Also, if your windows open, make sure they close all the way and aren’t missing any seals where they close.
You may be surprised to find how much of a difference sealing up these tiny gaps makes in terms of the amount of noise coming inside through your windows.
Add barriers in front of windows
Another technique you can try to block some of the exterior noise passing through your windows is to add outside barriers just in front of the windows.
For example, you could plant a tall hedge or build a fence directly in front of the windows to absorb and reject some of the excess soundwaves. Noise will still reach your windows, but the barriers can help reduce how much makes it to and through the glass.
Of course, building such barriers isn’t always possible, and your ability to do so largely depends on whether or not you own the building’s surrounding property and how much space there is to add such barriers.
Try acoustic curtains
Acoustic curtains are made from a thick, heavy fabric that is designed to deflect the noise. You can get these types of curtains custom-made, so they fit your windows perfectly and don’t leave any gaps around them for sound to travel through.
Acoustic curtains won’t give you total sound isolation, but they are effective at reducing the amount of excess noise coming in through your windows. They also provide extra benefits, including blocking out light (which is nice if you like to sleep in a completely dark room) and adding some insulation to your windows.
Replace windows with double- or triple-pane windows
Of all the ways to reduce noise pollution in your indoor spaces, upgrading your windows to double- or triple-pane windows is by far the most effective. Unfortunately, this is also the most expensive option, which means it’s not always viable.
If you currently only have single-pane windows, upgrading them to double- or even triple-pane windows can be extremely effective at blocking out exterior noise. If you already have double-pane windows, you could upgrade them to triple-pane to increase their noise-blocking effects.
In short, adding an extra pane of glass always helps decrease the amount of noise you perceive inside your home or workspace.
If replacing your windows is out of your budget or isn’t an option for other reasons, don’t despair — there is a final, more cost-effective solution you can try…
Try This Instead of Looking for Noise Blocking Window Film or Paying for Window Replacement
What if we were to tell you that there’s a way to essentially add a pane of glass to your windows, without actually replacing each window and its surrounding framing.
Well, there IS such a solution — it’s called ArmorPlast® AP25.
ArmorPlast® AP25 is a containment-grade polycarbonate glazing shield that can be retrofitted into or onto your existing windows. While primarily designed for security purposes, AP25 can help to mitigate sound pollution because it acts as an additional pane of glass.
Since there’s no need to remove and replace your windows to install AP25, it’s much more affordable than upgrading to double- or triple-pane windows.
While there’s no magical solution to soundproof windows, adding a pane of polycarbonate security glazing can go a long way towards solving your excess noise problem, while providing a whole range of additional benefits.
Benefits of ArmorPlast® AP25:
- Mitigates exterior noise coming through windows (adds an extra windowpane)
- Protects your existing glass from impacts
- Prevents forced entry and burglary
- Acts as a storm damage mitigation barrier
- Is completely transparent
- Looks and feels like traditional glass, but is virtually unbreakable
The Bottom Line
Whether you’re losing sleep at night or can’t focus at work because of excess exterior noise, noise pollution is a serious problem. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce the amount of noise that passes through your windows.
While sealing gaps, adding barriers, and installing acoustic curtains can make a difference, the best way to reduce excess noise inside your property is by adding a pane of glass to your windows. The most cost-effective way to do this is by retrofitting polycarbonate glazing right on top of the existing glass.
Campbell Corporation is an authorized dealer and installer of ArmorPlast® AP25. Contact us today for a free consultation.
