Traffic on I-35 or I-70, a neighbor's dog, a leaf blower at 7am: if you can hear it inside, most of it is probably coming through your windows. Glass is much thinner than a wall, and every gap around a sash is a path for sound as well as air.

The good news is that noise through windows is one of the most fixable sounds in a house. Below are ten ways to cut it, starting with the cheapest. The first few you can do this weekend; the last few are what a window manufacturer would tell you actually makes the biggest difference.

First, find where the noise gets in

Stand by the window on a noisy day and listen at the edges: around the sash, at the meeting rail where two sashes overlap, and where the frame meets the wall. If the sound is loudest at the edges, you have a sealing problem (tips 1–3). If it seems to come through the glass itself, you have a glass problem (tips 7–10).

10 ways to soundproof your windows

  1. Seal gaps and cracks. Sound travels through the same gaps air does. Fill cracks between the window frame and the wall with acoustic or paintable caulk, inside and out.
  2. Replace worn weatherstripping. Weatherstripping flattens and cracks over the years. New stripping around the sash is inexpensive and often the single cheapest improvement.
  3. Lock the window. On hung and sliding windows, the lock pulls the sashes together at the meeting rail. An unlocked window leaves a gap you can hear.
  4. Hang heavy curtains. Dense, lined curtains that cover the whole window and overlap the wall absorb a noticeable share of mid- and high-pitched noise.
  5. Add cellular shades. Honeycomb shades trap air in their cells, dampening sound and heat loss. They pair well with curtains.
  6. Use window inserts. An acrylic insert pressed into the inside of the frame adds a second barrier with an air space behind it. Inserts can be removed in summer.
  7. Upgrade single-pane windows. A single pane of glass blocks very little sound. A double-pane insulated window, with an air or argon space between two lites, blocks noticeably more and cuts drafts at the same time.
  8. Choose thicker glass. Double-strength glass is heavier than single-strength, and mass is what stops sound. Every Earthwise window uses double-strength glass as standard.
  9. Ask about laminated or mixed-thickness glass. Laminated glass bonds a plastic layer between two sheets, damping vibration; panes of different thickness keep the glass from resonating at one pitch. Ask which options your window series offers.
  10. Replace leaky windows with tightly built ones. A window that seals well is quiet. Fusion welding makes each frame and sash corner a single airtight piece, and a well-fitted sash with good weatherstripping closes the gaps that let noise in. If your windows rattle, fog up or let in drafts, replacement is usually the most effective fix of all.

What actually makes a window quiet

Window sound ratings, called STC (Sound Transmission Class), rise with three things: how airtight the window is, how heavy the glass is, and how the glass is built up. In practice, most homeowners notice the biggest jump going from old, leaky or single-pane windows to tight, double-pane ones — the same change that cuts drafts and energy bills.

That is why our windows are built the way they are: fusion-welded vinyl frames and sashes, double-strength insulated glass with a warm-edge spacer, and Fin-Seal weatherstripping with an extra center membrane against air infiltration. See our Artisan 143 and Eco-View 330 series, or compare them side by side.

Common questions

Do double-pane windows reduce noise?

Yes, compared with single-pane windows. The second pane and the space between the two block more sound, and a new double-pane window also seals better than the old window it replaces.

Is triple-pane glass quieter than double-pane?

Not always by as much as you would expect. A third pane mostly improves insulation; for noise, glass thickness, laminated glass and an airtight frame usually matter more.

Will new windows make my home completely silent?

No window makes a house silent, and low rumbling noise such as trucks and aircraft is the hardest to stop. But replacing drafty windows usually makes a clear difference, especially combined with curtains or shades.

I live in Kansas City. How do I get a quote for quieter windows?

Call us at 913-777-4862 or use our quote form. Our windows are made at 1414 E 19th Street in Kansas City, and every quote is free.