Soundproof Windows

Have used citiquiet. Seems to work fairly well.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 7:36 AM

used cityproof. They do high quality work. People do not even realize that there is anything out of the ordinary when looking at my windows. They blend in pretty seamlessly. Cityproof is the most expensive though but liked their design over citiquiet. However, both would provide excellent sound proofing and also significant energy savings. Cityproof uses well engineered sliding windows with a felt seal as opposed to citiquuiet which uses rolling wheels.

Note: I had 1/2" in my bedroom and 1/4" in my living room and I really can't tell much of a difference wrt noise reduction. So you may want to consider that as an area of savings since they push the 1/2" and it is much more expensive.

My apt looks over the BQE in Cobble Hill and the difference is night and day. It felt like a new apt when the windows were first installed.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 9:31 AM

I second Cityproof! Christopher Ulrich was the Cityproof rep. who came to my house and gave me the consultation. He was professional and the whole process was quick and painless. I had the 1/2" windows installed in my bedroom because I'm near a car wash and the loud music in the evening was interfering with my ability to sleep. I didn't really need it anywhere else in my apartment because my front windows, which overlook a busy street, already had them installed before I moved in.

I had no idea that there wasn't much difference between the 1/2" and 1/4" in terms of sound reduction. I considered getting the 3/4" glass, but now I'm glad I didn't. Too bad I splurged for the 1/2", but I must say that I'm pleased with the result. I can actually fall asleep with someone washing their car and blasting their music just outside my window.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 3:13 PM

WRT to the 1/2 and 1/4" that I wrote about previously...

My research had suggested that it is really the space in between the windows which creates the soundproofing. In my case, I had easily more than 3" (3" being ideal). Perhaps if you do not have that amount of space, you may want to consider the 1/2" anyway.

Either way, I never really got great answers. I had even posted on an engineering forum with conflicting opinions. However, I have borrowed a decibel meter from a neighbor and the difference is not at all apparent.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 4:29 PM

The installation quality of a window is very important (the window should form a tight seal with the frame, and there should be no air gaps), but a good way to judge (meaning, "is the really expensive window worth it?" keep in mind that the smallest change in sound that humans can perceive outside of a laboratory setting is 3 dBA) price vs. sound reduction is to take a look at the window's technical specifications. The OITC (outdoor-indoor transmission class) rating will let the buyer know approximately how effective the window is at attenuating sound coming from the the outside. Some manufacturers still use the STC (sound transmission class) rating system for their windows, which is more appropriate for interior spaces since its raiting system is primarily based on the frequencies that comprise speech (while the OITC rating system includes more of the lower frequencies that are apparent in vehicular traffic, especially trucks). As a result, the STC rating of a window is typically higher than the OITC rating. To get a detailed sense of how effective your new windows would be at attenuating outdoor noise, a building facade composite calculation can be performed. Although, the facade of a building is usually only as good at attenuating noise as its weakest link (window air conditioner, cheap window, etc). That being said, the OITC rating is a good metric, along with price, to guide you in your decision.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 4:42 PM

Oh my god. Please call Citiproof. They are marvelous. I was skeptical at first, but Christopher Ulrich was very professional, answered all of my questions, and even gave me the names of two references in my own neighborhood who had used them so that I could ask them questions. Fabulous. I live across the street from a bar / lounge who's patrons hang out after the bar closes at 4 AM. The difference is like night and day. While they are not cheap (I paid $1,680.00 for the 2 in my bedroom) they are worth every penny, there's no tax because its a capital improvement, and with our co-op, there was no problem because it installed on the INSIDE. Good luck!

Posted by: guest at September 4, 2007 6:14 PM