How do you ensure glorious silence in your home?
Choose peace and quiet so you can relax without being disturbed by outside noises. Minimising noise promotes your well-being and helps you focus on what really matters.
Do you live close to a level crossing? Do your neighbours often make noise or can you hear the planes taking off? These are at least three good reasons to choose acoustic glass.
Silence and tranquillity have a direct positive impact on your quality of life. With less noise pollution, you enjoy a better night's sleep. This allows you to concentrate better and be more productive during the day. Opting for silence is therefore a good thing for your health!
How does acoustic glass work?
Each type of glass provides some acoustic insulation. However, certain types guarantee significantly better sound insulation. Three main factors contribute to sound insulation:
Thickness of the glass: Thicker glass and the number of layers of glazing (double or triple) reduce sound transmission. It stops a certain amount of decibels passing through the glass. Obviously, triple glazing has a greater impact than double glazing.
Asymmetry of the glass: Choosing different thicknesses for the outer and inner glass has a significant impact on sound absorption. By choosing the right combination, acoustic improvement can be achieved.
Foils and coatings: Special coatings are available that can be applied to glass to improve sound insulation. These coatings help to absorb and reduce sound waves. Foils (usually a PVB film, or polyvinyl butyral) placed between the panes of glass also play a major role in sound insulation. It significantly reduces sound transmission. Moreover, besides acoustic benefits, this film also has an unintended security advantage. It makes it difficult for burglars to break in and makes the glass less dangerous when broken.
Silence in your living space: The interplay of various elements
However, it is important to note that other factors also play a role in ensuring silence. The weakest link determines the final sound comfort.
When striving for silence, you need to consider aspects such as window frames, walls, doors and ventilation systems, as they all affect sound transmission. A holistic approach that considers all these aspects ensures the optimal protection of silence in your living environment.
Which acoustic glass best suits you?
This table lists you from the least acoustic glass (left) to the most acoustic glass (right). The fewer decibels, the quieter your home.
- Attention!
On average, the additional cost of acoustic glass is less than 1% of your total window cost.
- No attenuation
- Ideal for quiet environments
- Minimal attenuation
- Double, symmetrical glass panels
- db reduction: ±32
- Light, noticeable attenuation
- Double, asymmetrical glass panels
- db reduction: ±34
- Good attenuation
- Double glazing + film
- db reduction: ±40
- Spectacular attenuation
- Double glazing + acoustic foil
- db reduction: ±45
What are decibels?
Decibels (abbreviated as dB) are a unit of measurement to measure the intensity of sound or noise levels. Sound is caused by vibrations in the air and is measured on a scale of decibels. Human hearing is sensitive to a wide range of sound levels, from very soft sounds to extremely loud sounds. The scale of decibels is logarithmic, meaning that each increase of 10 dB corresponds to a ten times greater intensity of sound. For example, a sound of 70 dB is ten times more intense than a sound of 60 dB.
Choosing the right glass can help reduce noise levels, but it is important to note that sound insulation is limited to certain frequencies. Sound-insulating glass can be effective in reducing sound transmission in the mid- and high-frequency range, such as traffic noise or voices. However, it can be less effective in attenuating low frequencies, such as the vibrations caused by a heavy truck driving by. These low frequencies are 'felt' more than heard.
It really seems like there are no cars driving past in the street.
We and all the residents of our apartment building have decided to have new windows installed. We live on the street side on the first floor. On the advice of the glass installer, we chose soundproof glazing throughout, and I guarantee you: it does its job. You used to be able to hear just about every car on the street, and now it seems like there are no more cars on the street. The glass is no thicker than the previous one and even fits into the old joinery.
Anna Murowski
Renovating flat on street side
In modern working environments, a calm and quiet atmosphere is very important for employees' health and productivity.
As an architect specialising in office design, I am convinced of the benefits of sound-insulating glazing. In modern working environments, a calm and quiet atmosphere is very important for employees' health and productivity. Sound-insulating glazing can play a crucial role in creating this environment. Busy street noise from outside, as well as conversations from inside, can be dampened.
Jan Meylandt
Architect