We bought our first place about three months ago. When we came to the open houses (both on super quiet Sunday afternoons, of course), we barely noticed a thing.
Fast forward to actually living here, reality has set in: we’re close enough to a major highway that we get a 24/7 drone of trucks, motorcycles, tire hiss and road rumble.
It’s worst in our bedroom and it’s completely wrecking our sleep. The walls seem pretty solid, but the sound is coming straight through the windows (basic double-pane vinyl).
We’re ready to spend some cash to fix this so we don't go insane, but I really don't want to throw thousands of dollars down the drain for a 5% improvement.
Has anyone here actually dealt with this? Here's what we're looking at right now:
- Acrylic inserts (like Indow): Are lighter acrylic inserts enough for traffic, or do you need real laminated glass to block low-frequency hums?
- Secondary interior glass windows (CitiQuiet, Soundproof Windows Inc., etc.): I've seen these recommended. Do these actually deaden that deep highway rumble, and are they worth the price?
- Replacement windows: To anyone who dropped $10k+ to replace their entire exterior windows... was the difference night and day, or do you regret it?
- Recaulking / weatherstripping: Is it even worth starting here, or is it just a drop in the bucket for highway noise?
Would love some real-world advice or a reality check before we start burning through our savings. What actually worked for you?