Can You Soundproof Skylights?
Excessive noise isn’t just an annoyance. It can be incredibly distracting too. For many, soundproofing certain rooms around their home is the best way to better enjoy their spaces. Think bedrooms where you can drift off in quiet comfort or offices where focusing on the task at hand becomes significantly easier. When crafting a home that perfectly fits our needs, it’s easy to think that soundproofing comes solely from the materials in our walls. But windows - especially roof windows and skylights - can also make a room excessively noisy. So, can you soundproof skylights? And, is it possible to do this in a cost-effective and versatile way, such as with the right skylight blinds?
Why can skylights be noisy?
No matter where you live in the world, there is noise around you. Caused by everything from traffic and wildlife to adverse weather conditions, the world is a noisy place. When we come into our homes, we’re looking for a safe and comforting haven to relax in. Any window in your home can generate noise. The wind rustling through gaps, heavy rain hitting the windows or the neighbour’s son revving his motorbike - all noises that can disrupt different parts of the day. Skylight windows are situated on the roof of your home. They are ideally located to allow as much natural light into a room as possible. But, alongside this, they are also a glass horizontal surface. If anything falls onto this glass, it’s going to make a noise. If, for example, you experience hailstones or heavy rainfall, you’re going to hear it through these windows. Sure - double and triple glazing will provide soundproofing to a degree. And, if you have very tall windows, this will likely be enough. But, if you keep getting distracted or interrupted by the noise you hear, it’s time to consider a solution.
Why reduce noise in your home?
As we mentioned above, your home should be the one place in the world where you can switch off. Four walls that you can relax to your heart’s content, surrounded only by the distractions that you want. Too much noise can be annoying. But, it can also:
- Make it difficult to interact with others during bad weather conditions
- Interrupt sleeping for both adults and children
- Interrupt phone calls - especially if you’re working from a home office
- Cause disruption during cinema evenings or family time
- Make a room unenjoyable to spend time in.
The good news is you don’t have to accept the noise that your household is experiencing. Outside of upgrading your skylight windows to triple-glazed models, there is a simpler and cheaper alternative - made-to-measure skylight blinds.
Can skylight window blinds reduce noise?
While most skylight blinds aren’t specifically designed to be soundproof, they will. When pulled down, these window coverings offer a physical barrier. This blocks out light, heat and provides privacy. But, it also reduces the amount of external noise that comes into your home. The beauty of using skylight blinds for this purpose is that you can choose the times in the day when you need them to block out noise. Perhaps you quite enjoy the sound of rain patter as you drift off to sleep. Maybe the traffic noise that keeps you away at night also provides white noise to your newborn baby while you try to get them in a routine. You can keep these window blinds open and enjoy the sounds that surround your home. But, when it all becomes too much, all you need to do is shut them and block out all of that noise.
What to consider?
In theory, the best type of roof blind to help soundproof your home would be one manufactured from honeycomb cell fabric. Also known as cellular shades, these blinds trap air within their cells. This prevents heat from passing out of the windows but also reduces external noise - sometimes by up to 50%. The best example of this would be our LanternLITE™ Honeycomb Blind. While this has been specifically designed for roof lantern windows, it can also be used on flat roof blinds and provides excellent soundproofing.
If your skylight windows are smaller, opt for a multi-layer fabric. The more layers, the more challenging it is for sound to pass through and become a disturbance. Our blackout skylight blinds, for example, feature a light-blocking panel sandwiched by two thermal layers. Not only does this prevent light from passing through and keep a room at a comfortable temperature. It also means you’ll have a quieter room to enjoy. It’s important to remember that no skylight blind will completely eliminate noise. Other factors, including the fabric of your building, glazing on your glass and home positioning will also play into it. But, it is possible to take some control and choose blinds that will help.
How can Skylight Blinds Direct help?
One of the things we focus on is ensuring that we offer the widest range of skylight blinds and roof window blinds to our customers. We want you to be able to find the right solution, whether that’s based on colour, pattern or functionality. That’s why you’ll find a wide selection of blackout skylight blinds as well as solar powered skylight blinds, translucent skylight blinds and 100% waterproof blinds. We have roof lantern blinds that blend seamlessly into your home, also offering soundproof solutions and ensuring natural light doesn’t become a hindrance. And, our team is constantly working on new designs and releases to make sure the right blind is available right here. If you have any questions or would like to speak to a member of our specialist team or cannot find the right window covering, please do get in contact. We’re here to discuss your requirements and provide a quotation so you can start planning on your side.
