Can you hear any outside noise with your windows closed ?

frank1978

Can you hear any outside noise with your windows closed

JGB1955

Yes... traffic passing, dogs barking at night, fireworks, helicopters passing overhead ... but not much else. We sleep with our bedroom windows 'on the latch' but don't hear anything at night - until the ruddy dawn chorus starts up and/or the milkman rolls up.

EssexExile

Of course.

comeandgo

Yes, I have a chimney so will always hear something.

neilmcl

Bit of an odd question but yes.

FreeBear

Some noise, yes. But heavily muted (in my opinion), and rarely a problem.

parcival

We have modern double glazing but do hear muted sounds. Not a problem for us and I would have though virtually impossible to eliminate all outdoor noise.

MovingForwards

Yes.
I'm assuming when the DG was originally fitted and the window surrounds refitted, there have been gaps left between the surrounds and the walls.

What I've started to do is go around all the surrounds to fill the gaps as best as I can.
When I've finished doing the temporary fix to the surrounds, I then need to repeat the process with the window frames where they meet the surrounds, as I can see parts are failing (shrinking or fallen out).
The outside joins may need to be done, but I've not got the stomach to hang out the windows of my flat to try and do them, it's also not the right weather up here.

In reality I need to take the surrounds off, fix the gaps and refit the surrounds. Way too advanced for me at the moment as I've not sussed how these surrounds have been fitted.

I've also filled gaps along the skirting. This has helped with sound traveling from outside at the front and where my flat is joined to the lad across the landing, his alternative and cigarette smell doesn't enter my flat.

From what I've done so far, it's cut down some of the noise and also reduced any potential drafts.

I live on the main village road.

If you provide more information about your windows, what you're experiencing and what you thought would happen, members can provide guidance. Your home will never be totally soundproof.

FreeBear

MovingForwards said: In reality I need to take the surrounds off, fix the gaps and refit the surrounds. Way too advanced for me at the moment as I've not sussed how these surrounds have been fitted.

Filler strips and trims are more often than not, just bedded in on a layer of mastic/frame sealant. Tap a stripping knife in to the joint, and it should just peal off. Clean off as much mastic as you can, fill the gap between frame & wall with expanding foam (use a gun as it is much easier to lay down a fine bead), and then run some frame sealant down. Bed the filler strip down on the sealant, and wipe away any excess.

Jeepers_Creepers

Frank? What's the issue?

New D-G that you suspect ain't done properly?

Obviously you'll hear some things through the shut windows, but it should be hugely muted. If there is even a tiny gap, say around a badly fitted seal or through it not closing tightly against the seals for some reason, then it should be pretty obvious. What you'll tend to hear is the same as you hear with the window open, but just at a lower level; the fidelity should still be there if there's a gap.

With a properly sealing window, the volume should drop, but also most of the higher frequencies - what you still hear should be very 'muffled'. If there's an actual gap anywhere, you would still hear higher freq noises. A good one is the 'hisss' of passing cars on a wet road - if that comes through clearly, then there's usually a problem. You'll need to wait until it rains for that test, tho'.

Another is birdsong.

MovingForwards

FreeBear said:

MovingForwards said: In reality I need to take the surrounds off, fix the gaps and refit the surrounds. Way too advanced for me at the moment as I've not sussed how these surrounds have been fitted.

Filler strips and trims are more often than not, just bedded in on a layer of mastic/frame sealant. Tap a stripping knife in to the joint, and it should just peal off. Clean off as much mastic as you can, fill the gap between frame & wall with expanding foam (use a gun as it is much easier to lay down a fine bead), and then run some frame sealant down. Bed the filler strip down on the sealant, and wipe away any excess.

It's not thin strips, this is 'planks' of wood around the inside of the wall window cut out and the inside wall. Decorative surrounds is probably the best description.

If I didn't want to keep them, I would yank one off in a different room to see what I'm dealing with underneath!