Reducing Noise Pollution.
Apart from the well documented energy saving and aesthetic properties of double glazed window panels, one of the other hidden benefits of is how they help to reduce noise penetration from the outside of the property into your conservatory. Having an effective sound barrier between the inside and outside of the room, especially in an urban or built up residential area can very often make the difference between living in comfort and living in perpetual noise pollution torture.
Modern double glazed units help to reduce incoming noise pollution as a by-product of the sealed glass panes. The glazed panes are made up of two panes separated by a spacer and then they are sealed together. Just prior to the glazed units being sealed the air inside the gap is removed and a vacuum is left inside. As sound is not capable of travelling through a vacuum (as sound relies on the vibration of air molecules) the sealed units then effectively become a passive sound barrier.
The reverse could also be true in that if you have an “active” and “boisterous” family, it could save your neighbours from being a little overexposed to too much of your family enthusiasm!
Obviously the panes themselves will not eliminate the entry of all noise into the family home, but a simple way to see how much noise can be reduced is just to open you window fully listen to the volume of noise with it open and then close the window and listen again – no matter what type of window you currently have installed in your property, the drop in noise once you close the window will be very noticeable, around 25dB. (Decibels)
Sound is measured in decibels or dB, and a typical normal sound comfort level for people is around 35dB and prolonged exposure to 90dB or above can damage your hearing (or your marriage!) and bear in mind that dB is not a simple measure like temperature, sound intensity doubles approximately every 3dB, that means a that the sound of a TV playing at 73dB is twice as intense as one playing at 70dB
- Sound of breathing: 10dB
- Quiet fridge or library: 35dB to 40dB
- TV, washing machine: 70dB
- Heavy traffic / shouting: 85dB to90dB
- Baby crying: 110 dB (sometimes even louder)
Figures quoted by installers and manufacturers show that simply by installing high quality sealed double or triple glazing to your conservatory you could achieve a 50% reduction in noise – that would turn a noisy high street into a quiet library.
John has been around the building industry since he was a child. With a degree in civil engineering, John is a highly valued contributor to our website.
