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Home | Window Styles | Sound Resistance

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We purchased the sound pkg. and the “quiet” is a real blessing since we live next to a busy highway. No more ear plugs! – Candy Buchanan

Traffic. Barking dogs. Booming nightlife. There are thousands of things that can interrupt the peace and quiet of your home, but with the right sound control windows, you can easily keep the noisy world outside.

The most widely recognized measurement for sound control is Sound Transmission Class (STC). The higher the number, the more effective a window is at preventing outside noise from entering your home. While standard windows are rated at 26 or less, our sound control glass offers a STC rating of up to 34*. So if it’s peace and quiet you’re looking for, our quality vinyl windows deliver.

* Rating of 34 is dependent on the type of glass package.

 

4 ways our insulated glass units (IGU) block out noise:

  1. Glass Thickness: Like a thick wall, thicker glass helps to reduce sound better than thin glass. You can upgrade the thickness of your glass on any of our glass packages to help reduce outside noise.
  2. Asymmetrical Construction: Glass panels of different thicknesses in our IGUs block a greater range of sound waves than panels of the same thickness. One panel blocks low frequency sounds and the other blocks high frequency sounds.
  3. Lamination: Laminated glass in windows helps to absorb sound waves to prevent sound from traveling through the glass.
  4. Air Space: The air space between our glass panels also helps block sound. The wider the air space in an IGU, the better at reducing noise levels.

How much of a difference does a change in ratings make? Higher STC ratings mean better sound control. A small change in the STC rating can make a big difference. A window with an STC rating of 34 can reduce exterior noise by 43%, bringing many loud outdoor noises down to a comfortable level, which is typically rated around 60 decibels. A noise reduction of 10 decibels cuts noise levels in half.
STC Rating
Noise levels
A window with an STC rating of 34 can reduce exterior noise by 43%, bringing many loud outdoor noises down to a comfortable level, which is typically rated around 60 decibels. A noise reduction of 10 decibels cuts noise levels in half.

Sound Control Glass