noise levels - double glazing

I noticed this when our house was done, (timber single glazed to pvc double glazed)so I'll have to say yes, plastic is more noisy than timber, regardless of the glazing....you'll get used to it in a few days though

Check they really seal properly. This is probably more important than the frame type. We have a couple of UPVC units where some of the keepers(?) don't engage properly leading to the rubber seal not evenly sealing. With these units noise from outside is much more noticeable than the well adjusted units.

Are they large windows? Some of ours have at least a 5'x5' pane and we noticed a reduction in high frequency noise, but an increase in low frequency. In our case it is wind striking from a certain angle and vibrating the glass. The new dg glass does seem to be more flexible than the old (35 year old) single panes.

I'll bet the sound path is round the outside of the frames. Your new windows were probably fitted in 5 minutes by a man wielding a can of expanding foam and some lengths of uPVC fascia to cover any gaps? I expect if you check the outside of the windows you'll find plenty of places where sound can get through.

David

Only if there are air leaks around the frame. Check the sealing around the frame, and the draughtproofing around the opening sashes.

More likely down to thinner glass?

there are no gaps around any of the frames, even underneath the cills, which seems to be a favourite for fitters to 'forget'.

Likewise the rubber seals are very tight when closed

The old pane was probably 6mm. The new one will probably be two 4mm (toughened I hope) panes.

You could have asked for 6mm glass if they had told you it would flex.

As for the OP noise problem then IMO there is something wrong as double glazed plastic framed windows should be quieter than single glazed wooden ones. I expect they haven't filled the spaces around the frame correctly, which may well be the cause of your noise problem too.

My experience is the opposite, less noise all round from traffic, fireworks, binmen etcetera. Are there any gaps not sealed?

The message from "Pete Cross" contains these words:

Possibly the old frames didn't have trickle vents and the new ones do.

You do n'arf know how to think laterally, don't you Skipweasel!! ______________________________ The Grim Reaper

The icing on the cake......................

They fitted the front door today, got paid and left, later my wife noticed something odd.............

NO LETTERBOX !

jeeeeeeeeeeeeezzz......

if you want to reduce sound transmission through the panes you need the panes to be separated by about 100mm or more. Normally they are only a fewmm apart which is designed for thermal insulation.

As other posters have remarked, there also seems to be an acoustic path through the frame in this case.

Whilst this is true, the thickness of the glass makes a big difference too.

It also helps if the panes of glass aren't quite parallel to one another.