Home Depot’s Soundproof Windows & Products — and a Better Alternative

For most homeowners, home is a haven. It’s your space that looks, feels and even smells exactly how you’ve chosen it to. But in heavily populated areas or homes near things like airports, train tracks, or busy intersections, outside noise can disrupt your flow and bring in unwanted distractions. To help with noise reduction, homeowners frequently decide to invest in new windows from Home Depot and other retailers.

However, you might not need to completely replace your windows to help keep your home quiet and comfortable.

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Why Should I Soundproof My Windows?

Acoustics matter in your home, but it’s not the first thing people think of when they’re designing their space—quite often, the way sound travels in your space is an afterthought.

But better acoustics in the home adds to indoor comfort and helps humans actually enjoy their space.

“Acoustics often remain a neglected aspect of interior design and architecture,” says Sudeep Kolte at Housing.com. “Although we may not think of the sound and acoustics of our home, it remains an integral aspect towards greater comfort and a better ambiance.”

Studies have shown that an acoustically comfortable home can help to make things more pleasant for your family. The benefits go beyond a peaceful, serene space, though. A quiet home helps with better sleep, improved mental health, and even lower blood pressure.

Noise Reduction Windows and Other Sound Solutions

Home Depot and other large retailers offer homeowners a few products to make their homes more acoustically comfortable. It’s important to note that while no windows are 100% soundproof, there are a few solutions that might help to drastically reduce the noise in your space.

Double-Paned windows

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Double-panes are often the easy solution that is available and bought at big box stores, but they are not the best for sound performance. Plus, fully replacing all of the old single-paned windows on a home isn’t always a feasible option for homeowners.

High-performing double-pane windows can be pricey, so you might not be able to replace all of the windows at once, and even then, they may not provide the level of sound reduction you actually want.

While they are better than single-paned windows — because there are more surfaces for sound to travel through and the air between the panes acts as another buffer for noise — they may not be your best choice, especially if you have a historic home.

Some homeowners may want to keep the original, single-pane windows if they have a historic home, in order to preserve the architectural character. Many older windows are made of irreplaceable old-growth wood and replacing them with vinyl means the new windows will not aesthetically match the home. So instead of replacing the historic window, it’s suggested that homeowners opt for repairs and the addition of a storm window insert. These can be the best noise reduction option from historic windows to newly installed double-panes.

If you’re building a new home, choosing double-paned windows is a smart choice. If you have single-paned windows in your current home and you can’t replace all of them at the same time, see if you can work with a contractor to replace them in stages.

Or, to save on time, labor and money, you can use other implements with your existing windows in order to reduce sound travel.

Window Tape

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Home Depot offers a few budget-friendly options for noise reduction window products, like Protecto tape. The tape acts as an all-in-one product that helps to prevent air and moisture leaks around windows and doors, and a roll of it comes in around $20. This particular product needs to be added when your window is installed. Other products, like weatherstip foam tape, can be added after your window is installed.

Tape products like Protecto are an inexpensive, quick, and easy way to help provide some soundproofing, but it’s not going to cancel out much of the sound coming into your space because there is no added insulation to the window opening. You’ll need to combine it with other products to help effectively block unwanted noise entering the home.

Soundproofing Curtains

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Curtains are frequently recommended as a solution for noise-reduction in the home. Soft surfaces and fabrics can help to absorb noise in your space, and they can add a touch of style to your interior design at the same time.

Soundproofing curtains can run anywhere from $30-100. If you don’t want to completely replace your windows, the curtains act as a cost-effective alternative. As a bonus, most soundproofing curtains are also blackout curtains, which can reduce the amount of light entering the room, helping occupants sleep more comfortably.

However, while these types of curtains are better than uncovered windows, they are not a complete solution. Sound and light will still get through, no matter how high-quality the curtains are.

Caulking

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Many home improvement professionals recommend caulking as a way to block out sound—not just around windows, but other areas in your home that might let it noise.

“To reduce sound coming through walls and floors, caulk around light fixtures, receptacle boxes, and door casings,” writes Lisa Kaplan Gordon for Houselogic.

Caulking isn’t going to prevent all noise from coming into your home, and you’ll need to re-caulk those areas again in the future. Plus, if you don’t pick just the right color, it can be an eyesore—especially in a few months or years when it starts to crack from age.

But, by including caulking in your soundproofing strategy, you’ll add to the acoustic comfort in your home, without hurting your budget.

Window Inserts

If you don’t want to replace your old windows and options such as installing curtains, caulking, and window tape sound like a hassle or don’t meet your needs, you’re in luck. Window inserts are a great solution to help reduce the amount of noise entering your home.

Indow soundproofing window inserts are an effective and easy-to-install noise reduction product. The inserts are custom-made to fit each of your windows exactly, and they are then installed by pressing them in your window frames—no mounting brackets or adhesives needed.

All Indow window inserts reduce outside noise by at least 50%, and the Acoustic Grade product reduces noise by up to 70%*.

Don’t Make Acoustic Design an Afterthought

If your home isn’t feeling like the escape that you need it to be, soundproofing products can help to make things more comfortable. Thankfully, you don’t need to completely redesign your home to make it acoustically comfortable.

Window inserts from Indow can help you achieve an indoor environment you’ll love and a peaceful place for your family. Find out more about Indow Soundproofing Window Inserts here, or contact Indow for a free estimate.

*We want to ensure our inserts help solve your noise problem. Overall noise reduction depends on the amount of noise coming through your walls, ceilings, floors, doors, and existing windows. Noise reduction will be less when placed over double-pane windows. Read our full Noise Reduction Sheet to learn more.