Sensitivity to noise differs from person to person. For those who suffer from a condition called hyperacusis, everyday noises at a moderate volume can be intolerable.
A relatively recently described condition, misphonia, indicates some people respond with heightened negative emotions to certain noises.
But outside these extremes, age, genes, previous exposure to sound and noise, the careers we have followed (teaching, for instance, is a notoriously noisy job) and the places we have lived to date all influence our response to unwanted noise.
What can be done?
Everest’s Acoustic double and triple glazing has a special polymer layer sandwiched between the panes of glass, specifically engineered to disrupt and absorb sound waves and minimise noise pollution.
The combination of laminated glass and different thicknesses of glass cuts down vibrations as well as noise, so less sound travels through the window.
In tests, Acoustic double glazed windows reduce sound by up to 40dB, which would take the loud 80dB noise from road traffic down to a quiet 40dB noise – that’s the equivalent to the sound of someone speaking in a library.
Everest triple glazing comes with the added benefit of energy efficiency. It is rated A++, the highest rating for windows, and is endorsed by the Energy Saving Trust.
How can it change your life?
Kate Miller, who lives close to a busy trunk road in south-east London, says the effects of installing double-glazed soundproofing windows were almost immediate.
“I was getting fed up with the traffic especially. It starts as early as five and there’s no let up until late at night any day of the week.
“The difference before and after putting in laminated windows was extreme – like walking out of a music concert hall into the foyer – that sudden drop in noise. Now the house feels more homely, like a haven.”
City life often means shift work or irregular hours. Rob Greig, a restaurateur from Liverpool, installed soundproofing windows at home when he found his hours getting later and later. “I sometimes only get to bed at 2am on busy nights such as Fridays and Saturdays.
“I’m a light sleeper anyway, and was getting woken up just by early traffic. With the new windows I get to lie in – catching up on sleep and living a normal life the next day, well, as normal as a chef’s life can be!”
