NOISE REDUCTION
NOISE REDUCTION
WINDOWS BUYING GUIDE
Today's world is filled with noise, making it harder than ever to enjoy peace and quiet at home. Traffic, trains, planes, and industrial sites all add to the constant background noise that disrupts daily life.
Windows and doors are often the biggest culprits for letting outside noise in. Even when closed, standard windows leave gaps that weaken sound insulation and allow unwanted sounds to pass through easily.
That’s why many places — from recording studios and classrooms to hospitals, offices, and music rooms — turn to Magnetite acrylic window inserts to block noise and create a more comfortable, peaceful environment.
What is a Noise Reduction Window?
A Magnetite acrylic window insert is installed on the inside of your existing window, creating a wide, sealed air gap between the panels. This air space helps absorb and reduce outside noise before it enters your home. These inserts are made from durable, clear acrylic designed for maximum performance.
Why Use Noise Reduction Windows?
Gaps and thin glass in standard windows make it easy for outdoor noise to travel indoors, disturbing the peace and comfort of your home. While no system can block every sound, Magnetite acrylic window inserts significantly reduce loud, distracting noises, creating a calmer, quieter environment.
As cities grow busier and noise pollution rises, more homeowners are turning to solutions like Magnetite to limit sound transmission and make their homes more peaceful and relaxing.
Things to Look for When Buying a Noise Reduction Window
While no windows are fully soundproof, there are several steps one can take to reduce the noise transmission in their home. Noise travels in two different ways: One is through the air and the other is to the material your dwelling is composed of. There are two ways to measure noise: they are Sound Transmission Class (STC) and Outdoor/Indoor Transmission Class (OITC).
Most standard windows have an STC rating of around 26. The dual-pane windows feature two panes of 3mm glass. By having more panes (layers) of glass your window increases the insulation aspect which helps thermally, but only slightly diminishes outside noises. The sound waves will continue to pass through the layers as a result of conduction.
Window selection is based on different features related to the sound reduction. Adding additional panes of laminated glass or acrylic improves the effectiveness for slowing sound transmission. While choosing a noise-resistant window, one must correlate the features of a window to their performance.
Noise-cancelling windows must have a lab-tested weather-stripping coating that substantiates their performance. While shopping for sound-reducing windows, you must consider for what frequency one wants to sound-proof against.
According to the Acoustics Industry, the sound-stopping quality of windows is measured on the STC scale. It means the higher the number of STC, the more a window inhibits sound. With your basic single-pane window you have an STC rating of around 26. A dual-pane window has an average STC rating of 28. However, windows having an STC rating of 45-50 are good sound-proofed windows that can block as much as 95% of noise.
Noise-resistant windows are crafted and designed to ensure best-in-class sound insulation. When installed with noise-cancelling laminated glass, the door & window solution will help to reduce sound intrusion by up to 42decibels.
While buying a noise-cancelling window, you must do your research. You can choose the best windows for noise reduction based on the following factors:
Thickness
Generally, the thicker the laminated glass or acrylic, the less noise one will hear. Magnetite offers a max thickness of 6 mm.
Laminated Layers
A layer of, for example, PVB (polyvinyl butyral) between the sheets of glass can reduce noise pollution without affecting the clarity of the glass.
Air Gap
The greater the gap between sheets of glass, the better is the protection. Adding heavy gases like argon in the gaps will reduce noise even further.
It is crucial to check for sealed cracks around windows. Windows having sealed cracks are filled with a sealant, and this is one of the most effective ways to reduce outdoor noise. Secondly, the windows must have a second or even third pane of glass to make it double or triple glazing, which is an effective option.
Other features you can look at while choosing the best windows for noise reduction are:
- It must be easy to clean and maintain.
- It must be airtight as it helps to keep pollutants at bay and enhances air quality.
- It must increase the home’s real-estate value.
- It should have a double-sealed mechanism.
- It must filter out external noise by up to 42 decibels.
- It should be customized according to residential or commercial properties.
PURCHASING NOISE REDUCTION WINDOWS
Choosing the right window with proper installation ensures that the seals are airtight keeping the noise out. So how would you know which noise reduction windows are best for you? For instance, you may need to replace your existing windows with higher quality single or double panel laminated glass to reduce noise transmission.
You can trust Magnetite Canada in helping you choose the best solution. Magnetite Group will make the process simpler by providing the right quality noise reduction windows for your residential properties, recording studios, classrooms, music room, hospitals and clinics, office cabins and conference rooms. Visit Magnetite Canada’s website for your sound dampening needs.
The costs for new custom-built sound-proofing windows can be up to C$10,000 per window plus installation charges on average. However, with Magnetite Canada’s sound reduction inserts, you can create a relaxing
MAGNETITE COSTS 40-60% LESS THAN REPLACEMENT WINDOWS
MAGNETITE® IS A CANADIAN PATENTED WINDOW INSERT (PATENT #3,004,733),
APPROVED BY NATURAL RESOURCES CANADA AND THE CANADIAN MORTGAGE AND HOUSING CORPORATION
Expert Advice:
Research by Dr. John Davy at the CSIRO has shown that secondary windows will reduce more noise than single glazed windows or even traditional double glazed units. This is due to the large buffering air cavity between two windows. The larger the air cavity the more noise the window system can reduce.
Magnetite is able to utilize these facts to the advantage of the end user. Our magnetic seals provide one of the lowest air infiltration rates of any operational window. Our slim extruded framing allows us to maximize the air cavity obtained for all window types. This allows us to use acrylic glazing, which is safer and lighter than glass in our window system, whereas traditional double-glazing uses thick glass and a narrow air cavity.
Magnetite is able to use safer, more manageable acrylic with a larger air cavity. Magnetite is excellent at reducing noise in the frequencies from 400Hz to 20,000Hz. This is ideal for reducing noise from busy roads, commuter trains, and noisy neighbors.
National Acoustic Laboratory Testing:
According to a study released by the CSIRO the human ear needs a change of 3dB to detect a difference in noise levels and the human ear perceives a change of 10dB as a doubling or halving of the noise level.
If you double the thickness of glass in a window the noise level will decrease by 3dB - the least amount possible to make a difference. If the glass is laminated there is no perceived difference in Comfort and noise reduction.
GIVE YOUR WINDOWS A HELPING HAND
