by John MacGregor
HomeOwnerNet Columnist
Sometimes the quest for the perfect home leads us to places that aren't perfect because they're noisy. When that happens, let technology save the day by upgrading the traditionally weakest link in the castle's armor - the
windows. Do these examples sound remotely familiar to you?
- The house is close to good schools, a fine hospital, and there's a shopping center just a pleasant walk away through federally protected wetland. What more could you need? How about not listening to all the neighbors' dogs barking through your closed windows?
- The custom home site is eight miles from a ski area, 20 miles from a lake, next to a national forest, and right off a busy highway. One of the most custom features in the new home will be the windows.
- Easy access to the airport means you're in the flight path of 747s.
Check out these sound-deadening choices.
You've heard of double-paned windows. Now let's kick it up a notch to triple-paned windows. Triple-paned windows make a sandwich out of three pieces of glass separated by air, inert gasses, or a complete vacuum. Often some of the layers have low-emissive (low-E) coatings to increase energy efficiency. By their nature, triple-paned windows will provide quieter living spaces. You can check out how well triple-paned windows work at many
home and garden shows.
Some window companies offer special noise-reducing windows, such as Milgard's Quiet Line. The use of differing glazes on multiple layers and thicknesses of glass has resulted in some of the quietest residential noise transmission ratings yet for windows. Some companies have even begun integrating automotive-grade glass in residential soundproof windows. With all of these options, it pays to talk to an expert who can show you the differences so you'll know what you're buying for your home.
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About the Author
John MacGregor is a freelance writer and real estate investor with degrees from the University of California in Comparative Literature and Law. He has bought and sold several homes for profit.
