Plumbing work continues, the laundry has been picked up, the cat is ensconced in his kitty house on the screened porch after indulging his curious nature and exploring inside the kitchen wall next to my neighbor's tub, and it is quiet here. Whether for a minute or an hour, I know not.
In today's world, particularly in urban areas, quiet is becoming a thing of the past. While my locale is typically viewed as suburban, the constant hum of traffic punctuated by the sirens of law enforcement vehicles or ambulances is a daily occurrence as I live adjacent to an eight-lane roadway. When one adds the conversation of workmen or neighbors coming in and out, barking dogs, toilets and showers in use inside and the odd television or radio playing, the noise becomes too much, at least for me.
My builder advises against new windows as he says they will make no difference to the energy bill and were never meant as insulation against noise. This obviously runs counter to what window professionals preach and I am curious to know whether any of my readers have replaced old windows and found a difference of any kind. My current windows date from the seventies and are single-paned which I believe is part of the problem. Should I change them out, I may be obligated to purchase impact-resistant windows. These are pricey, so more research is in the offing.
Free of contractors, the flat is silent. I'm going to put my feet up. Happy weekend!
13 comments:
Enjoy your silence. It is something I need to retain my sometimes tenuous grasp on sanity. Or at least silence from man-made noises.
My partern's sistence had double glazing installed (at enormous expense) when they lived in the UK. She said it made a huge difference to temperature AND sound.
When we got double paneled Windows installed it made a huge difference in that it very effectively shut out the street noise.
I'd look further into that window stuff. I'd expect that double-paned would make a difference. Happy weekend!
I disagree with your contractor. I have been building houses and involved in domestic and commercial building maintenance for more than 30 years. Modern double pain windows will shut out sound. He is right it won't shut it all out, but it will dampen the outside noise a good deal.
Our windows in England are double-paned, but I think it's more for insulation than noise. I guess it all depends on how much you're willing to spend and how severe the noise is!
I have nothing to offer on the window situation, but I certainly have sympathy for living in noise - it's more than a distraction for those sensitive to it; it affects quality of life. I hope you can find a way to reduce it.
I replaced old single pane windows. I can't speak to the energy bills since I did it before the first winter there, but I sure loved how much easier they were to open and close!
I imagine it would. Thanks.
We are required by Florida code to have impact-resistant windows now which are very expensive and there are evidently problems with them...
I am. Thanks. Enjoy your week!
Thanks. We are now required in florida to have impact resistant windows at much higher cost and apparently these can be problematic...
More to it than that in florida, unfortunately.
Me too. Cheers!
Post a Comment