Street Noise Reduction in the City

Even though Maggie and her partner Don had just bought their home, they were almost ready to sell it. Until they moved in, they didn’t realize just how much street noise would filter through their windows from the nearby Northeast Portland traffic and auto body shop. After three weeks, they knew the house needed significant street noise reduction.

Maggie slept with earplugs and still got woken up. The traffic noise was especially hard since their infant son Max needed his naps. The windows of the 1913 Craftsman also leaked air badly, scoring the lowest possible on an air leakage test. But replacing them for street noise reduction wasn’t an option since the original wavy leaded glass was one reason Maggie and Don fell for the house.

What could this family do to reduce street noise and create a quiet home? Would quiet windows solve their problems? They installed Indow window inserts in their first floor bedrooms, dining room, and living room.

Their quality of life improved dramatically with this traffic noise reduction strategy. The outside sound is so muffled, no wakes up in the middle of the night. They achieved energy efficiency without replacing their gorgeous windows. They no longer talk about moving.

And while Indow inserts are sometimes referred to as interior storm windows, she doesn’t consider them that. In her old house, she had storm windows she never once took off. In her new house, when they burned something cooking, they easily removed the Indow inserts and opened all the windows to catch a fresh breeze.

Read more about soundproofing in noisy neighborhoods: Bay Area Noise Control & Soundproofing in NYC.