Is your home located on a busy street? If so, you may be looking for ways to reduce the noise that is coming in from outside. While having new windows installed is a great way to reduce noise, you can make additional improvements with your window treatments. Here are some things to consider when selecting window treatments for the purpose of reducing noise.
Reducing Light
One of the best ways to reduce outside noise is with curtains that block all of the light from outside. They are very thick, and end up muffling the sounds when they cover the window by forming a pocket of air that traps the sound. Unfortunately, a blacked out window may not be what you are looking for in a window treatment. Consider using those blackout curtains for the bedroom when you're ready to go to sleep, and pick something that is more sheer for rooms that you are in during the day.
Cellular shades can offer privacy and noise reduction, while also allowing light to come inside. The nice thing about cellular shades is that they come in all kinds of variations that allow just the right amount of light into the room. While you can get cellular shades that block the light, you can also buy versions that let in a lot of light.
Permanence
An issue that you may want to consider is how often you actually want to let sound into your home and see what is happening outside. You may want to see outside if there are children playing and you want to double check on them. In this situation, you may not like cellular shades that block out the entire window and may want, instead, curtains that you can pull back and see through.
Energy Efficiency
While blackout curtains are going to have a big impact on making your home energy efficient, you can go a step further by selecting insulated curtains that have a thermal backing to them. These will do a great job at helping regulate the temperature of your home while also blocking out the noise.
If you can't figure out what type of window treatment will work best for your home, you should speak with a local contractor that provides window treatments for homes. They can schedule a consultation at your home, take measurements of your windows, and recommend the best window treatments that will meet your needs.
Share6 September 2018
Every year, I make a list of spring cleaning tasks. Unfortunately, I’m a procrastinator. Therefore, I rarely complete every item on my extensive list. This year, I plan to start my spring cleaning early. One of the tasks I’m passionate about is cleaning windows. When I get finished with my windows, I want them to appear invisible due to their level of cleanness. To accomplish this task, I use both over-the-counter window cleaners and natural cleaning agents. To reduce the incidence of smudges, you can wipe your windows down with a newspaper. On this blog, you will learn how to clean your windows before spring arrives.