Triple-glazing can help your home become less noisy while providing additional insulation.
Though triple glazing may help reduce noise levels, several factors may impede its efficacy in terms of noise reduction. These include the thickness of the panes, the gap between them, and gas filling.
The thickness of the glass panes
Mixed factors impact the soundproofing of triple glazing. Of particular note is the thickness of glass panes; thicker panes tend to reduce noise more effectively due to having more mass. Gaping between panes also has an impact, as it determines how much outside noise enters your home and which gas type you use to fill gaps between panes. Both of these factors play a part in how soundproof triple glazing performs overall.
Though some companies claim that triple-pane windows can help reduce noise, the truth is they don’t block much more than double-pane windows do due to not having enough space between glass panels to trap unwanted soundwaves, as well as not possessing additional mass to increase their effectiveness at blocking noise reduction.
Laminated windows are much better at dampening noise due to being thicker and comprised of multiple layers of glass, as well as being harder to break. This makes laminated windows an excellent solution if you live in a boisterous area.
Triple-glazed windows block unwanted noise and are energy efficient, helping you save money on heating bills. In addition, low-emissivity coatings prevent heat from escaping the home, while their durability surpasses that of double-glazed windows.
The gapping, or the space between the glass panes
Triple-glazing windows not only serve to conserve energy efficiently, but they’re also great noise reducers. Consisting of three thick layers of glass that reduce noise from outside entering your home, triple glazing can significantly lower outside noise penetration levels and fill gaps between panes with heavy inert gases like argon, which further dampen sound pollution—an invaluable benefit for those living in areas with frequent noise pollution, like noisy neighbours or ambulance sirens.
Gaping between glass panes works hand in hand with each glass panel’s thickness to manage noise penetration. A gap that’s both too wide and too narrow will weaken the soundproofing properties of triple-glazed windows, as will their type and amount of noise-blocking ability.
Triple glazing may be more cost-effective for soundproofing, though triple-glazed windows still deliver significant noise reduction benefits. Single-pane windows only achieve an STC rating of 26, compared with 28 for double-glazed UPVC double-glazed windows with an added layer of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) between panes of glass for better soundproofing results. Consider adding acoustic glass between panes of double-glazed windows if the additional soundproofing of polyvinyl butyral between double-glazed panes
The gas filling
Soundproof glazing can be an ideal way to reduce noise intrusion if you reside near busy roads, railway lines, flight paths, or industrial units, as it helps minimise high-frequency sounds entering your home. However, regular windows don’t do an effective job at blocking sound vibrations as they pass right through them, potentially having an adverse impact on sleep quality, health, and overall well-being.
Triple glazing performs better in terms of sound reduction than double glazing due to factors like gap size and type as well as gap spacing. Argon and Krypton gases are particularly good at dampening sound. Both offer thermal efficiency with no colour or smell to be concerned about.
Both forms of triple glazing can block out external noises effectively, with acoustic glazing providing greater acoustic performance due to using laminated glass to strengthen its acoustic performance. This hard surface resists soundwaves more effectively compared to standard triple glazing; however, it doesn’t offer similar energy savings benefits as standard triple glazing does.
The lamination of the glass panes
Many homeowners living close to main roads suffer from noisy neighbours or live close enough for noise pollution to affect their quality of life and disrupt sleep, potentially increasing their risk for dementia and decreasing their quality of life overall. Protect yourself and your home by soundproofing for extra peace and quiet!
Acoustic triple-glazing glass can help those seeking to enhance the acoustic performance of their property. Laminated with polyvinyl butyral (PVB), which not only reduces noise but also stiffens windows, making them harder to break, it is an ideal option for replacing current windows while at the same time decreasing external noise pollution.
Although triple glazing generally performs better at reducing unwanted noise than double glazing, other factors should also be considered when selecting soundproofing windows for your property. For example, thickness and space between panes both play an integral part in soundproofing windows; if either of them is insufficiently thick or large gaps remain between panes, they won’t be as effective, and an objective sound test rating (such as an RW rating) provides an objective measure of their ability to stop noise penetration.
