As our city gets busier and homes are built closer to each other, noise will be an issue and can be controlled to make our lives more enjoyable.
Sound is caused by the vibration of a surface being transferred to a surrounding medium such as the air. The speed of the vibration can vary considerably and is called the frequency of the sound and is measured in hertz (Hz). It represents the number of vibrations per second of the object causing the sound. The frequency range of human hearing ranges from 20Hz to 20,000 Hz. Sound outside this range is present but we cannot hear it. The decibel was introduced as the quantity to represent sound pressure and is called the Sound Pressure Level.
Noise could be acceptable to one person but unacceptable to another. It is important to work out the noise that you are trying to alleviate and the desired level that you would like to achieve.
When you are looking to keep noise in….. or out of your home, it is important that you select the right make up of glass for the noise you are trying to abate. Standard double glazed units such as 4mm/16mm/4mmm will be great for thermal insulation, however, they are not designed to insulate your home against sound. Having said that, the double glazed windows and doors will be a huge improvement on your 3 mm single piece of glass.
In addition to getting the right double glazed units in place, you will need to make sure that you have insulation around the window/door, in the ceiling and that there are no other weaknesses in the building where noise can enter or leave.
Using a different thickness of glass from the outside to the inside will provide a good outcome. Using argon gas in between the glass pieces will also improve the performance. Laminated glass is often used in this application. It is important that the two glass frequencies are not divisible by each other.
Which glass do we recommend?
Australian Glass Group is our main glass supplier and they have a product called Audio Shield. This product incorporates a sound insulating core interlayer which is sandwiched between 2 pieces of glass.