Sound Proofing for Sash Windows in Brighton, East Sussex

Sound Proofing by Smart Sash Windows

Smart Sash Windows can soundproof your home, and save you the trouble of lots of common problems. For example, do you live on the flightpath or near an airport? Airplanes give off a lot of residual noise, which can greatly interfere with your daily life, even if you don’t notice it all the time. Or, you don’t need to look farther than the street just outside to find more noise that impacts your home’s serenity, not to mention the value of your property. Finally, all of the extra and incessant noise can lead to sleepless nights, poor health, and ultimately, and overall higher risk of heart disease and increased stress levels.

It’s easy to dismiss these effects of noise pollution as no big deal. But even the World Health Organization has weighed in on the issue, claiming that more than 1.6 million people in the London area are suffering due to the effects of all this residual noise.

Smart Sash Windows has the solution! Since most of the residual noise from around your home seeps in through the windows, investing in strong, soundproof windows is a proven way to nip these problems in the bud. If you’re looking for a serene and peaceful home environment, even if you live in a busy area, you need to soundproof the windows. Plus, a quieter home can help you to sleep better, be healthier, and have a more balanced life. Of course, soundproof windows are also an easy way to raise the property value of your home, in addition to all of its personal benefits!

Smart Sash Windows offers a variety of solutions to this very real problem of noise pollution. Our methods include specialist secondary glazing, acoustic glass, and sash window double glazing. Each method has its own benefits and strengths; which one you use will depend on the type and intensity of the noise pollution in around your house. Here, we’ll explore these different methods so that you can choose the right solution to make your home a place of quiet and tranquil rest.

Secondary Glazing Sash Windows

Secondary glazing essentially means putting another window inside the existing window of your home. (It shouldn’t be confused with double glazing, which we’ll discuss a bit later on.) Basically, secondary glazing is preferable for improving the performance of already-existing windows. It’s also more effective for both sound and heat insulation. The only con is that it may alter the appearance of the window when you’re looking at it from the inside of the house.

Secondary Glazing is often the only option for older houses, especially those that have original wooden window frames and panes. And while it may change the appearance of the inside of the house, it will maintain the integrity of the period features on the outside of the house.

Acoustic Glass

The next common method for soundproofing your windows is acoustic glass. Simply installing acoustic glass has been proven to reduce interior noise levels by half, with no other action needed!

Plus, installation is very easy. We just remove the existing glass in the window panes and swap it out for acoustic glass, or soundproof windows. While you won’t get the added benefit of heat insulation, this is another great solution for maintaining the appearance of period homes, especially if the window panes are in good, strong condition.

Acoustic glass is a simple fix that can help you get better and more tranquil sleep and creates a more peaceful environment in your home. Plus, you won’t have to worry about the noise from outside distracting you or interfering with your projects.

Double Glazing

Double glazing is the option that’s best for modern homes that need a clean solution for noise and heat insulation. Plus, it doesn’t detract at all from the style of your home! The process works like this: First, we measure the windows and make careful observations about all of the features of the windows. Then, in our workshop, we carefully recreate exact replicas of the existing windows in your home. Finally, we fit these secondary windows into the spaces along with the original windows. Viola! Double glazed windows.

After the double glazed windows are installed, your house will look essentially the same, both from the inside and from the outside. The existing sash windows in your window frames will essentially determine the possible thickness of the double glazed unit that we’ll install. This measurement does change from window to window, but in general, we can put an 18mm double glazed unit, comprised of two panes of 4mm glass with 10mm of space between the two panes. Sometimes, we can increase the gap between the glass and take up to 20mm of space inside the sash window.

Sometimes, if you have sash windows that are wide enough, we are able to fits 24mm double glazed units, which are comprised of two panes of 4mm glass with 16mm of space between the two panes. But why should you care about the space between the panes in your double glazed windows? Well, a bigger gap between the panes means that your windows will be more effective in terms of dispersing sound waves, thus making your windows more soundproof.

All of our sash windows come standard with e thermal glass, which helps to improve the thermal insulating abilities of the window. We also use a draft-proofing system to ensure that your home stays warm and cozy all the time. Coincidentally, the draft-proofing system also helps to keep out more unwanted noise!

Sound Proofing for Commercial Buildings

All over London, we’ve been happy to provide our services for soundproofing for countless office and work spaces. Because so many office spaces and work centers are located right along main roads and high streets, it’s easy to see how many workers are often interrupted by the residual noise of the city life. This street noise is a big distraction to workers, and can really reduce the concentration and productivity of any given office. Secondary glazing is a great way to reduce all of that residual noise in the work environment and ensure that workers can achieve their maximum potential, free from distraction!

How it Works

Our process is simple and straightforward. All of our windows are made specifically for the customers who order them, so while the process may take a bit of time, the finished product is definitely worth the wait! At the outset of the project, we’ll come by and survey your property. This will take place within the first couple weeks of your initial consultation. From the time of order, you can expect to wait about 10 or 12 weeks until everything is fully installed.

1. Feel free to call or email us, and we can go into more detail about the process.
2. When we contact you to go over all your options, you can always let us know what you want from us throughout the process.
3. After that, we’ll schedule a survey of your property in order to get a good look at the existing windows.
4. Throughout this preliminary survey, our technician will:
   1. Measure all of your windows.
   2. Measure the noise pollution around your home or office.
   3. Explain all of your options for soundproofing.
5. Next, we’ll give you a final quote. At this point, you’ll be expected to produce 50% of this cost as the down payment.
6. We’ll send the order to our factory for bespoke windows. This is the longest part of the process; you may wait up to 10 weeks before the windows come out of the factory.
7. You’ll schedule a date for installation, depending on the day and time that is best for you.
8. Our technicians will remove and dispose of your old window frames. On the same day, they’ll install the new windows and frames.
9. After 6 weeks, we’ll come back to check that everything is running smoothly!

Can You Really Hear the Difference after soundproofing?

With London’s best-selling sash window product, the 40bD Silent Sash, you can expect a noticeable reduction in the amount of residual noise that seeps into your home or office. For reference, a normal single glazed window can only block 25dB at most. If you’re looking for an even stronger product, you’ll soon be able to opt for the 45dB model, which is almost ready to be rolled out onto the market.

Do you Need Planning Permission for Windows?

In most residential areas, there aren’t any necessary planning permissions that are required form homeowners before they soundproof their windows. However, if you’re living in the London, you should keep the following information in mind before trying to proceed without any planning permission at all.

You don’t need a planning permission for these projects:

1. Repairing or making minor improvements to the windows that are already on your home, including repainting or refixing
2. Inserting new doors or windows that look similar to the doors or windows that they’re replacing

But, you should keep in mind that adding a bay window, since it’s technically considered an extension of your property, will probably require you to get planning permission. In addition, upper-floor side windows need to either be 1.7 meters above the floor level or else made from obscured glass.

As for the roof or skylights, as long as you stay within the following limits:

• Your new window doesn’t stick out more than 150mm from the top of your roof.
• The height of the finished installation isn’t higher than the existing highest point of your roof.
• Any windows added to the side slope of your house are made from obscured glass.

If you plan to install soundproof windows to a building located in a conservation area, or any building that is listed for its historical value, you may face some sticky situations. Such buildings fall under the protection of Article 4, which essentially prohibits you from making any big changes to your home that might interfere with the historical value.

The rules and regulations for Article 4 vary from area to area, as every local authority has its own set of standards. As this is the case, you should definitely consult your local planning authority before you undertake any restorations to your windows. Because most deposits for soundproofing windows are non-refundable, it’s a really good idea to make sure that you’re permitted to do these upgrades before you make any payments!

Why Choose Smart Sash Soundproofing?

Smart Sash stocks the widest variety of the highest quality hard and soft wood products. Plus, each and every soundproof window is made to order, which means that we can offer exactly what you’re looking for. With a 20 year guarantee, you’ll save money and energy through the years, as our products are especially protected against swelling and rot.

Every one of our products comes with a 10 year guarantee that is is backed up by the Consumer Protection Association. With such a secure guarantee, you can rest assured that your home improvement and soundproofing projects are in capable hands.

Our Method: We will never try to sell our products to you. Instead of a salesperson, we’ll send a capable specialist on the first visit. From the very start, they’ll help you understand what to expect throughout the process of soundproofing your windows. Then, they’ll go through all of your best options with you, perform a noise survey of your entire property, and the specialist will walk through the entire process alongside you.

Our Products: Super Sash is able to offer the most state of the art ‘noise reduction’ windows, with the most advanced methods of soundproofing that are available in the UK. plus, every single door or window that we sell is made to order, so you won’t find a more personalized service!

Our Expertise: The foundation of our expertise is our understanding of the Science of SIlence. All of our technicians and surveyors have undergone training from the Institute of Acoustics. They use all that they’ve learned and apply it to every single step of the soundproofing process, from the initial visit and survey to the final steps of installation.

Prices of Soundproof Sash Windows

Small: A small sash window which can block up to 40dB of residual noise costs about £1,300 on average. This quote is for a fixed sash.

Medium: A medium sash window which can block up to 40dB of residual noise costs about £2,200 on average. This quote is for a fixed sash.

Large: A large sash window which can block up to 40dB of residual noise costs about £4,750 on average. This quote is for a fixed sash.

Feel free to contact us for a price quote for your project. We also offer discounts of up to 30%, depending on the size and scale of your soundproofing project.

We’ll Come for a FREE Visit and Sound Survey!

Give us a call to arrange for a specialist who has been extensively trained in the science of soundproofing to come to your home and have a look at what needs to be done. We will NEVER send a salesperson!

First, they’ll measure the noise levels in different places around your home. They’ll use a special noise analyzer.

Then, they’ll help you go through all of the options for soundproofing your home, including all of the logistic and aesthetic factors that go into making the project ultimately successful.

Next, we’ll make sure that you understand exactly what you need and what needs to be done. (The requirements may be different for the front and back of your house, for example.)

Finally, we will ONLY recommend our own products if we truly believe that it is the best fit for your ideal project. If what we offer actually matches your vision of what your home can be, only then will we offer our services.

When you sign up for a free visit and analysis, you’re under no obligation to hire our services after that. This is just a great chance to understand exactly what we can offer, and see if our products and services are a good fit for your project!