Why should you use mass loaded vinyl sound barrier

Lately, we got an enquiry on whether or not mass loaded vinyl sound barrier is effective in blocking sound through the windows. The short answer is that it can possibly work, but there can be some disadvantages. Let us dig into those disadvantages for this application. We all know that extra noise can damage hearing and impose a threat to our well-being.

There are various remedies that can be undertaken, like wearing hearing protection, removing you from the situation, lessening the noise from the source, or treating the environment to lessen the noise that is the main cause. However, what if you are not able to follow any of these suggestions and you are trying to get a solution to the extreme street noise leaking through the windows? For this, you need noise barrier backed composites.

Mass Loaded Vinyl is a dense polymer material that is used widely in commercial and industrial applications. Getting a way to hang the sound insulation panels can be problematic, as it can result in tearing if grommets are used. There are denser MLV on the market but using a denser version does not lessen the tearing aspect.

Sound, just like water, will get any kind of open areas to escape. In case of a window application, if you found a way to hang MLV, you may end up with a product that comes with many exposed edges and areas that create voids for sound to escape into the building or apartment. Those gaps can leak sound into the space you were trying to lessen the noise level in.

However, what if you are still interested in getting quilted fiberglass absorbers? Perhaps you live in an apartment building and you are restricted to what you can do. There are various websites that deal with acoustical curtains, always check the thickness before buying.