Need to supplement double glazing, temporarily

[CW1]

Hi,

Am renting a flat while I wait to move into a house, but it's on a main road & the traffic noise is really getting to me. The flats are only about a year old & are double glazed but you'd never know that by the amount of traffic noise I can hear.

Is there something I can do to temporarily shut the noise out, something cheap ? Can't fix anything permanent even if I wanted to, would be against "the rules", so couldn't even replace the blinds with heavy curtains.

Thanks !

[logman]

Short of standing a mattress up against the window, all i can think of is ear plugs / muffs..

[Solarjunkie]

Any extra layer will help overnight, when you are not so worried about actually letting the light in! For example, you can tuck a blanket over the blind.

But the best cheap option I know is to simply cover the windows with clingfilm, across the frame. You can sellotape it round the edges. Cheapest known triple glazing.

[CW1]

Well, don't particularly want to get another mattress ! Got enough "surplus" bits as it is, having moved out of a 2 bed house :o) As for not letting light in - not a prob ! Can't open the blinds anyway, what with it being on the main road & peeps would peer in. But the cling film sounds a great idea, will defo try that - thanks !

[joko]

you could try a room divider - you know just 3 large wooden frames, hinged together with thick fabric or wood stapled across.

at night you could lean it up over the window for extra insulation.

also if your bed is against the outer wall, move it to an inner wall - you'd surprised how much sound carries through solid objects by vibration

[stanleyman]

I believe new properties qualify for soundproofing grants in this situation. Worth contacting your landlord but it won't help you in the short term. I hope you have checked out the noise levels etc. in your new house and presumably you had this opportunity with the flat!

[mullein3]

when i moved in this house it wasnt double glazed..and i live on a main road lots of traffic..well the previouse tennant had put a sheet of thick pvc accross the window and secured it with hooks..it was quite thick about a quarter of a inch at least and it was really good..it was a solid piece of pvc and it was removable to clean the windows..it was just as good as the double glazing i have now...

[logman]

If your considering flimsy stuff like food wrap, why not get a large sheet of bubble wrap and pin it on 8 maisonary nails, one at each corner and one on each side..

[pauludall]

On a new property there should be trickle vents to the top of the window and i think these can be closed or blocked partially this may help

[CW1]

Well, just to update.

Put the clingfilm up, think it's dulled it slightly. Tried the bubblewrap too but that seemed to make it worse ! Plus, I'm on the ground floor & I noticed car headlights were being reflected back towards the car so actually looked dangerous !

Stanleyman, I certainly won't have this prob with the house ! ;o) The one I'm letting out has NO double glazing but is in a cul-de-sac so hardly any noise. The new one's in a cul-de-sac too, AND has double glazing - I'll be thinking I've gone deaf when I finally get in there !!

Until then, guess I'll have to find a cheap piece of perspex ...