Right now my home studio is an unfinished basement. There are a few windows in the basement that are old singple pane glass, about 2' x 1'. I was wondering if it would really cut down on my sound leakage outside to replace them with a more modern design, double paned and perhaps something designed to be sound proof?
Basement Windows
- Thread starter guinsu
- Start date
RICK FITZPATRICK
New member
There is no such thing as soundproof. A window that is rated for x-db transmission loss is only as good as the wall the surrounds it, and would be EXTREMELY thick and heavy glass. If "soundproof" is what you are after, your best bet is to build a sealed insert to cover the existing window. Again though, its only as good as the existing wall. If you built a window with a transmission loss rating of 100 db at 20 hz, but put it in a wall sheithed with insect screen, what would you have?
fitZ
punkin
Univalve & Avatar Speaks
Well, if your basement windows are like mine, they're equipped with a spring loaded quick release mechanism to allow for quick removal of the entire window for escape purposes. These things simply don't seal up nicely. I've had a hell of a time trying to find well insulated windows which still meet with the egress requirements.
I'm just signing up to this thread to see where it goes.
I'm just signing up to this thread to see where it goes.
RICK FITZPATRICK
New member
Not much. Unless it doubles the mass, and is sealed. Even then, it is only a 6db improvement at absolute best. Like I said, you can only get as good as the wall anyway, and it would be impossible for us to tell you what your TL(transmission loss) is through the existing structure. Thats why I said to cover it with a sealed insert made of a couple of layers of plywood or drywall and filled with insulation. This should bring it up or close to the TL of the wall. Otherwise, you get what you get.
jonmmartin
New member
I have similar sized basement windows. I was thinking about using Glass blocks. The ones that are about 12"x12"x4" or so. Does anyone have any experience with these as far as sound attenuation is concerned? Would they help or be part of the problem?
Thanks for the help.
Thanks for the help.
Modern_Talking
New member
guinsu said:
I guess you might get different opinions on this topic but I just bought my house and converted most of the basement for a studio. mind you, the windows in my basement were about 25 years old. my backyard faces the control room which has a window and my backyard faces a busy street (traffic) too. I was gettting noise coming into the control room. changed the windows, got doubled glass awing style and problem solved. a lot much better than before. and it cost me $200cdn and it took me half an hour to install it. so now I changed all remaining 3 windows in the basement and remember, its an advantage during the winter too. no cold air coming in and no heat loss escaping.
so yes, change them. you won't be dissapointed. and again. very easy to install. if you want instructions on how to install them let me know. i never installed windows before, and it took me about 40min or less per window.
Jeff_D
New member
I got glass block coming next week- only about $100 per window installed- glass block is gonna have a way better STC than a single or double paned window.
http://www.glassblockdesigns.com/GB-185.pdf
Pittsburg Corning is what I'm having installed- the block i picked (my selection was a lot smaller than all the choices on that website) is rated about 31db. Not bad for a window.
http://www.glassblockdesigns.com/GB-185.pdf
Pittsburg Corning is what I'm having installed- the block i picked (my selection was a lot smaller than all the choices on that website) is rated about 31db. Not bad for a window.