sound reduction
 

I have a question that does not really relate to efficiency of a home but to saving money on soundproofing? I am wondering if applying pressure to the center of a window pain could reduce sound transfer through the window? My theory is that it would reduce vibration which in turn would reduce sound transfer? I am in a condo and the neighbors patio is near my bedroom window and they talk pretty loud!... any ideas or thoughts? Thanks in advance :D

high pressured water hose

actually heavy black out curtains (velour) would do wonders

+1

and you get thermal insulation, and more efficient sleep imo

I have a lot of knowledge about the glass industrie. I am not sure about your idea of pressure it may help but it would be minimal. You could change the exhisting glass to laminated which would lower vibration or you could add a clear film which would also lower sound transfer but both of these although they would help would not be as good as double glazing with at least one piece of laminated glass or better yet placing another piece of glass on the inside on an angle from top to bottom. It does not have to be a steep angle. If your window is four feet high and you set your new piece preferably laminated an inch away from you existing glass at the bottom and hafl an inch away at the top this would be enough. This is what they do in recording studios, I have done a few of these over the years and this is very effective, I am not exactly sure about the science but if I remember correctly the angled piece bends the sound wave somehow.

Good idea :D I have a set of air-horns I have considered using! they will wake the dead :D

I was actually surprised how much sound they do block :thumbup: just pulling them open a bit made it way louder

Great idea! thanks! i may look into what it would cost to have the windows re-glazed with laminated glass. Only thing is that windows and doors are the strata's responsibility but i am sure they would not be opposed to me changing them out of my own pocket. A second set of glass inside may be a great place to start though... i would have never thought of putting the glass on an angle but it makes sense :thumbup: angles within sub boxes make a huge difference on resonance! if I can help it I never make a 90 degree angle when building enclosures.

Check before you buy the glass. I think tempered glass is what is used in studios, worth checking into

I need to replace my double pane windows due to failed seals, so I recently googled options for reducing noise too. Turns out there is very little difference between single and double paned windows for noise reduction, and the best way to reduce noise is to install a second set of windows. Something like this Window Noise Reduction Comparison

I like the curtain idea though, so I'm going to try this first. I'm surprised you would be willing to purchase something that you can't keep. Curtains would probably be your best bet since you can take them with you when you leave.

I used to do sound testing in commercial buildings, it was my experience that it is far easier to reduce the high frequency noises than the low frequency. In laymens terms if the noisy neighbors are playing music with alot of bass you may have trouble reducing the sound infiltration in to your dwelling.

The suggestion of hanging curtains is excellent idea for higher frequencies, the lower frequencies require more mass, like adding layers of drywall or concrete walls.

Another cheap idea is bubble wrap applied to the window, just wet down the window and the bubble wrap will stick to the glass, however this makes it difficult to see out.