Depending on the neighborhood in which we live, it may be hard or next to impossible to eliminate or even reduce the amount of outdoor noise that makes it through out windows and walls into our homes or places of work. It’s also something that can be very annoying during otherwise relaxing times. Whether it’s trains, cars, planes, barking dogs or noisy neighbors, external sound can be a burden. It can interrupt naps or normal sleep, distract us from working in our home office or just annoy us in general.
In the past, one of the best ways to reduce outdoor noise inside your home was to do a full replacement of your windows—installing higher quality and higher noise-reduction rating windows. Unfortunately, this type of replacement and installation comes at a huge cost. So, rather than making a huge investment, many just decided to put up with the noise. Today, there are some other options that can cost much less money but have the same impact on outdoor noise reduction.
We recently posted about Indow Windows, which are now being offered and installed by BelRed. Aside from benefits such as lower cost, reduced condensation and overall high performance, these window inserts can have a huge impact on reducing outdoor noise. In some cases, the noise reduction realized after installing Indow Windows has been just as much, if not more, than a traditional full window replacement.
One such case was with the marketing firm Foto Crush. When it needed a new home, the firm wanted to focus on a space with many windows for natural light to help spur creativity. They found it, yet it had a problem. There was a huge train that ran right behind the new office. Not wanting to pass on the opportunity for a fantastically renovated space, perfect for her firm, owner Cheyenne Pepper felt like going to any length to make the space her own would be worth it.
“We do design and photography for clients like Dreamworks, Disney, and Apple and love working in natural light. The office, with all of its windows, seemed perfect except I cringed at the thought of blasting train horns and worried that the windows would be too drafty.” She told the property manager, Mike Larking, that she and her employees had their hearts set on the space, but really needed a solution for the external noise.
Mike Larking did his research and decided Indow Windows inserts would be the best solution. After installation, the first train rolled by in near silence, according to the owner and tenants. Everyone looked at each other in shock and broke out into a small celebration. This not only resulted in a happy marketing firm, but happy tenants in Mike’s other spaces, as he decided to install Indow Windows elsewhere as well. It has also made a positive impact on the bottom line of his rental business.
“We realized that if we fixed our window problem we could lease the space for market rates… instead of leasing far below market. The return on the investment has been outstanding and we like happy tenants,” Mike said.
Similar benefits can come from installing Indow Windows in your home. If they work as well as proclaimed in the warehouse and train conditions in the case study above, they certainly can have a big impact in a residential setting as well. If you’d like to discuss how to reduce bothersome outdoor noise in your home, please contact us today to explore the installation of Indow Windows.
