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Is Soundproofing Your Windows Worth It?

Soundproofing windows

Is Soundproofing Your Windows Worth It?

Posted on in Blog

Is noise keeping you awake at night? Perhaps it is preventing you from enjoying your favourite TV show? This noise issue has become a far more common problem face by Australian homes especially in the major cities like Sydney and Melbourne. While many believe that the best way to deal with the unwanted noise is by soundproofing your windows, the process as well as the cost could be a deal breaker.  We all know that windows are often perceived as the greatest source of noise penetration, soundproofing your windows is said to be a reliable way to improve the comfort of your home. But is it truly worth it?

Noise Reduction

Common outside noises such as nearby construction, quarrelling neighbours, screaming children or through traffic can be frustrating but at the end of the day bearable as long it stays on the outside of your house. Your home should be your sanctuary where you can switch off from hectic day and relax.

Generally noise affects one or two sides of house so you don’t necessarily need to treat all the windows but rather just a handful.  This might typically cost a few thousand dollars ($5000-$10,000) but given the median cost of a house in Sydney or Melbourne is over $1 million dollars it means the investment in retrofitting double glazing is less than 1% of the value of your home.  Not a huge cost for comfort when you think about it.

Soundproofing solutions can allow you to sit stress free while on a conference call, enjoy your family dinner or talk all night long with your friends (with zero interruptions).

Home Privacy

It’s easy to think that soundproofing your home is only efficient in blocking unwanted noise from the outside, however, it also blocks the noise inside from getting out. So, no matter if you are trying to manage the noise from your neighbours, or you are the noisy neighbour, you can be at peace knowing that your soundproofed windows maintain the privacy of everyone involved. You don’t want to have to tiptoe around your own house to placate the neighbours or worry they are listening in.   Sometimes the cost of our own privacy is priceless.

Your Health

The constant loud noise your body is exposed to every day  impacts both your physical and mental health.  Prolonged exposure to noise has the potential to influence cardiovascular diseases, which include high blood pressure, stroke and other heart related diseases. The costs associated with the prolonged exposure of noise outweigh the cost of soundproofing installations in your home.

Regular exposure to noise can lead to a decline in sleep quality. With sleep being an essential part of our functioning, sleep deprivation comes with an array of health issues. From mood swings to memory retention, sleep is widely recognised for holding high importance to our daily functioning. Tossing and turning as you listen to the traffic or the party down the street can cause frustration and stress.  This anxiety snowballs to make sleeping more difficult. What would you pay for a good nights sleep when you have an important meeting or event the next morning.

Return on Investment

According to YourHome, the Australian Government’s guide to environmentally sustainable houses, it is identified that the cost of cooling and heating your home and the cost of windows are very closely related. This in turn can mean that the installation of energy efficient windows can be a great investment towards reducing your annual energy bills, specifically during peak seasons. Depending on the size of your home, the costs and savings will be different for everyone. It is estimated that the standard house can save roughly $200-$300 per year with the installation of double glazing. If you are a heavy user of the heater or air-conditioner the savings may be higher.  With the current cash rate in Australia of 0.1%,  having your money in the bank is not very enticing.  So if you can enjoy the desired benefit of warmth, comfort, and peace and quiet and save a few hundred dollars a year this is a good return on investment.

Is Soundproofing Your Windows Worth It?

While noise is something you might be able to live with for a little bit, population growth and the consequential rise in neighbourhood activity, will mean that the noise crisis will only continue to get worse. Therefore the installation of a double-glazed window is an investment that you (and your body) will appreciate.

Creating a home that prioritises your health and well-being is enough for us to think that soundproofing your home is worth it. On top of soundproofing, double-glazed windows also bring a reduction in heat loss or heat gain to create year-round thermal comfort in your home in addition to helping you save on those energy bills. All those benefits and just a fraction of the cost of the home you bought.

Magnetite’s Retrofit Double Glazing and Soundtite solutions can reduce up to 70% of noise coming through windows or doors. The systems are specifically designed to maximise the acoustic air cavity while minimising the noisy air leaks.  Magnetite’s Double-Glazed Windows and Soundtite Secondary Aluminium System can be installed on existing windows and will provide your home with the comfort you desire. Get in touch with our Magnetite team for a free measure & quote and to see you the benefits for yourself.

  1. Conduction
    Heat moving through an object (i.e. heat will travel through an aluminium, or steel frame more easily than through a timber or PVC frame).
  2. Radiant heat
    Heat from the direct sun. It can pass through space until reflected or absorbed.
  3. Convection
    Heat flow resulting from air movement e.g. either 'natural' convection - warm air rises, or 'forced' convection - a breeze by a window, both can result in a draught by a window.
  4. Infiltration
    Air leaks around the frame, around the window sash and through the gaps in the movable window parts.

When evaluating your options to improve the thermal performance of your windows, the following double glazing key performance criteria should be considered:

  • U-Value (Uw) represents heat transfer through a window, irrespective of direct sunlight. The lower a window’s U-Value, the better the insulation performance.
  • Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) measures the solar energy that passes through glazing. The lower the SHGC, the less solar heat is transmitted through a window.
  • Air Infiltration or leakage measures the rate at which air passes through gaps in window joins and seals. The lower the air infiltration, the better a window’s energy performance.

The Window Energy Rating Scheme (WERS) Thermal Performance

Aluminium Frame Windows

Glazing Type Cooling Stars Heating Stars Cool% Heat% Uw SHGC
Single glazed 3mm clear glass* half blue star red starhalf red star 7.4 0.77
Single glazed 3mm clear glass &
4.5mm Magnetite		 blue starblue starhalf blue star red starred starred starred starred starhalf red star 35% 59% 2.9 0.67

Timber Frame Windows

Glazing Type Cooling Stars Heating Stars Cool% Heat% Uw SHGC
Single glazed 3mm clear glass* blue starhalf blue star red starred starred starhalf red star 20% 28% 5.5 0.69
Single glazed 3mm clear glass &
4.5mm Magnetite		 blue starblue starhalf blue star red starred starred starred starred starred star 37% 61% 2.6 0.66
Single glazed 3mm clear glass with
Solartite** and 4.5mm Magnetite		 blue starblue starblue starblue starblue starblue starhalf blue star red starred starred starred starhalf red star 76% 45% 1.8 0.20

 

*WERS standard typical industry window
**Solartite is a range of high performance window film. The window tested above has Solartite’s low-e film.

Magnetite vs Traditional Double Glazing – What the experts says

Winter - the ideal situation is to let in as much of the sun's heat and then trap it inside to maintain a comfortable environment in your home or office. This will also significantly reduce heating costs and saves you money. The ideal window for winter will have a high SHGC to let the sun's heat in and a low U-Value to prevent the heat from escaping. Clear windows without shading films are better suited for winter climates.

Compared with traditional double-glazing, Magnetite’s double-glazing solution can provide better results during winter or for cold climate areas such as Canberra, the Adelaide Hills and Blue Mountains.

Magnetite's clear acrylic window panels allow the direct heat from the sun's rays to enter the building and once inside, Magnetite's superior magnetic seals retain the heat, giving Magnetite an advantage over conventional operating windows.

Glazing Type Cooling Stars Heating Stars Cool% Heat% Uw SHGC AI
Double Glazed 3mm clear glass/12mm air
gap/3mm clear glass IGU (Insulated Glass Unit)*		 blue starblue starhalf blue star red starred starred starred starred starhalf red star 40% 55% 3.0 0.61 5.0
Single glazed 3mm clear glass &
4.5mm Magnetite		 blue starblue starhalf blue star red starred starred starred starred starred star 37% 61% 2.6 0.66 0.5

 

*WERS standard typical industry window

Summer - the ideal situation is to minimize the heat coming in from outside and prevent the cool air inside from escaping through the window. This will make your home more comfortable and reduce your air-conditioning costs. The ideal window for summer, or for a large west-facing window, will have a low SHGC to limit the heat from the sun's direct rays, as well as, a low U-Value to prevent the heat in the air outside from moving through the window and warming the cool conditioned air inside. It is better to have a shading film on the first (outer) glass pane to limit the heat that enters the double glazed unit.

The combination of Magnetite retrofit double glazing and Solartite outperforms the traditional insulated glass unit for hot climate. Magnetite fit over an existing window with reflective film will give better summer heat control than a double-glazed window with supertoned glass.

The Magnetite system stops the conduction and convection of heat better than glass windows giving superior results for summer conditions. Combined with a film or a shading device, Magnetite is the ideal solution for the hot Australian conditions.

Glazing Type Cooling Stars Heating Stars Cool% Heat% Uw SHGC AI
Double Glazed 5mm Supertoned glass/6mm
air gap/5mm clear glass IGU (Insulated Glass Unit)*		 blue starblue starblue starhalf blue star red starred starred starred starhalf red star 54% 425% 3.30 0.461 5.0
Single glazed 3mm glass Solartite**
and 4.5mm Magnetite		 blue starblue starblue starblue starblue starhalf blue star red starred starred starred star 73% 38% 2.4 0.19 0.5

 

*WERS standard typical industry window
**Solartite is a range of high performance window film. The window tested above has Solartite’s low-e film.

Click here to view pdf version of Magnetite WERS test result.

Noise Reduction Technical Data and Results

Proven Results

Noise pollution is one the biggest problems faced in the cities today, particularly in a high-density living. Unwanted noise can be responsible for sleep loss and lack of concentration. This can lead to a deterioration of health through increased stress levels, headaches, high blood pressure and loss of hearing.

Noise penetrates windows through leaky seals or vibrations through the window structure. To reduce noise, a window should minimise air infiltration, hold enough weight to limit vibration and allow a large air cavity. This cavity, or air gap, is the key to secondary glazing.

Expert Advice:

CSIRO Research by John Davy shown an air cavity can effectively enhance sound insulation performance. The larger the air cavity the more noise the window system can reduce. Results show a wide air gap of 100-125mm will improve sound insulation by an average of 7dB(A) more than windows with a narrow gap of 8-13mm.

Window or Glass Door Type Total Glass Thickness (mm) Air Cavity Thickness (mm) Sound Insulation (dB)
Single Glaze 3mm 3 0 23
Single Glaze 6mm 6 0 27
Double Glaze Narrow Gap 9-12 8-13 31
Double Glaze Wide Gap 9-12 100-125 38

 

The human ear is less sensitive to low frequency sound. According to a study released by the CSIRO, the human ear needs a change of 3dB to detect a difference in noise levels and the human ear perceives a change of 10dB as a doubling or halving of the noise level.

If you double the thickness of glass in a window the noise level will decrease by 3dB the least amount possible to make a difference. If the glass is laminated there is no perceived difference in noise reduction.

National Acoustic Laboratory Testing:

Working with the principles of noise transfer, Magnetite® and Soundtite are designed for high performance, which is achieved by combining air tight seals with the ability to maximize an air cavity and the flexibility to vary glazing thickness to suit. Magnetite® is excellent at reducing general noise such as busy roads, commuter trains and noisy neighbours. Whereas, Soundtite works well to combat low frequencies noise such as garbage truck, freight trains or airplane during take-off and landing.

Test Code Material Tested Rw* Improvement
ATF 707 (test window) Aluminium sliding window, 3mm float glass with mohair seals 23 N/A
ATF 709 Test window, 100mm air gap and Magnetite System (4.5mm acrylic panel) 35 52%
ATF 1507 Test window, 100mm air gap and Magnetite System (10.0mm acrylic panel) 39 70%
ATF 817 Test window, 100mm air gap and Soundtite (6.38mm laminated glass) 41 78%

 

*The Weighted Sound Reduction Index (Rw) is a measure for sound insulation performance of a single building element such as windows. The higher the Rw rating, the better the sound insulation.