Sound insulation of windows

If the building is located in the immediate vicinity of a very busy road, noise can occur very quickly. Every car, truck or tram that passes causes a lot of noise, which seriously impairs the quality of life. Even in rural areas, sound insulation of windows is often required – if the railway is close to a building or if the house is close to an airport, the best sound insulation is essential.

Classes of soundproof windows

The human being is very sensitive to noise. Even in sleep, the ear is an important sensory organ, so any sound over 25 dB should be prevented at night. Yet what sounds simple may be difficult to do in reality. Along busy roads, the noise level is around 70 dB, and in residential areas the noise level often rises over 40 dB. Special sound insulation of windows can reduce the noise level, but not only window materials play an important role in noise protection because noise penetrates even through the joints when installing windows. For example, the effective sound insulation of a window depends on the sealing of the window during installation by means of appropriate strips and the like.

DIN 4109 shows how important the issue of noise control is. The standard firmly specifies the sound insulation requirements for windows and doors, and even regulates the minimum requirements that builders must adhere to. There are a total of six classes of window protection from sound that must minimize noise according to certain values:

  • Sound insulation of class 1 windows: The glass thickness of these windows is four millimeters. The DIN standard stipulates that such a soundproof window reduces noise by 25 to 29 decibels. This variant includes a single-glazed window.
  • Sound insulation of class 2 windows: In order to achieve a sound insulation level of 30 to 34 decibels, the noise protection window consists of two glass panels four millimeters wide. Between the individual plates is a 16 mm thick layer of air that is filled with argon or other gas.
  • Sound insulation of Class 3 windows: These windows also have two panes. However, the plate facing outwards has a thickness of six millimeters, and the inner plate has a thickness of four millimeters. The space is filled with a mixture of gas and achieves sound insulation of 35 to 39 decibels.
  • Sound insulation of class 4 windows: To achieve sound insulation of 40 to 44 decibels, this noise protection window is based on a glass thickness of nine millimeters on the outside and six millimeters on the inside. PVC foil is applied to the glass filling, which further reduces noise generation.

Arcade system

  • Sound insulation of windows class 5: With sound insulation from 45 to 49 decibels, this sound insulation is especially suitable for factories and very noisy spaces. Two plates with a thickness of 11.5 and 9.5 millimeters are covered with foils, and the space between the plates is 20 millimeters.

Eforte system

Prestige system

Eforte Fusion system

    • Sound insulation of class 6 windows: These soundproof windows consist of so-called window boxes and offer noise reduction of more than 50 decibels.

Possibility of sound insulation depending on the type of window

Each window differs in size, shape and different load-bearing capabilities. Installation of sound insulation is possible on almost every window, including skylights and skylights where the degree of noise protection is determined by the sound insulation classes. The choice of appropriate insulation depends on the noise in the environment and the sensitivity of the residents, so people sensitive to noise should already when building a house or modernizing the space, should consider installing windows to protect against noise.

Why is sound insulation of windows so important?

Today we are surrounded by restlessness and sounds almost all the time, so it is impossible to completely avoid the noise. But this problem should not be ignored as permanent exposure to noise can negatively affect hearing. Constant noise reduces physical activity and can cause complications whose cause is difficult to determine. Do you also suspect that heart disease or hypertension can be caused by excessive noise?

Noise protection is important not only in private life, but also in business. Employers are required to provide their employees with adequate protection to prevent the possibility of hearing loss. Manufacturing companies not only have to protect production staff, but also the management located next to production. Sound insulation of windows is especially cost-effective in cases where offices are located in the production hall or are only a few meters away from the hallway. Reduced noise levels with sound insulation will allow for relaxed work that will reduce employee sick leave and massively increase productivity.

Possibilities of financing soundproof windows

The importance of installing soundproof windows can be seen in the various financing options. In densely populated areas, residents can get the necessary funds to install soundproof windows, and if funding is considered, homeowners can find out from the city administration. Many cities already have plans in which protected areas are marked separately. However, funding is partially limited to individual housing. Children’s rooms, living rooms and bedrooms are generally considered acceptable. Depending on the city and region, the federal government supports the installation of soundproof windows for sound insulation class 4, i.e. about 75% dB.

Soundproof windows can be upgraded. If existing windows need to be replaced and brought to a new state of energy regulation, it is advisable not only to take into account the classes of heat protection, but at the same time to insist on expanded sound insulation.