Words by Martin Roberts, Celebrity Angel Property & Home magazine
According to a European Union study, about 40 percent of the population is exposed to dangerous levels of road traffic noise, with children, the chronically ill, the elderly and shift workers particularly prone to health effects from noise pollution. One of the easiest improvement we can make is to look at our windows.
Jacob G Figura, CEO of Hugo Carter Ltd, says: “Growing awareness and understanding of what harms us as human beings is changing the way people live. Harmful effects of air pollution and climate change are the subject of lively public debate. Noise pollution is joining the other two at the top of people’s concerns.”
“Noise is often a determining factor when buying new property, kitchen and home appliances or even mattresses.“
“We can see a huge surge in interest in noise reduction technology, partially fuelled by the change of people’s work habits, which was a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The more people work from home the more they realise the need of having a silent environment to excel not only at work but also to relax after.’
Double or triple glazed windows are certainly a good approach to reducing noise levels; they can reduce levels by around 30dB. Of course, they have to be properly fitted; building elements such as trickle vents, poor fitting gaskets, and gaps between the frame and wall will all allow noise to pass into the room, so the entire frame has to be considered in order to do a good job. In some cases, a laminated layer of, for example, PVB (Polyvinyl butral) between the sheets of glass can reduce noise pollution without affecting the clarity of the glass. And of course, double-glazing has added benefits, such as reducing dust and particulate pollution from outside and preventing heat loss, so you can save on your heating bills.
Energy efficient windows and doors of all types can be customised in size, shape, colour and stain so they’re suitable even in conservation areas, and of course, you can choose your own selection of fittings so your windows look good too.
Martin’s Tip
“Triple glazing is more expensive than double – and in some cases not much more effective in reducing noise. In some cases, it can actually be worse than a double glazing equivalent if it’s of equal thickness, so if noise reduction is your main aim, check figures carefully before you opt for the triple-glazing option.”
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As featured in Celebrity Angels Property & Home with Martin Roberts, 2020