Secondary Glazing on option for conservation area/listed building with single glazing?

[Dianalouise]

We live in an apartment in a gorgeous converted listed Victorian building in a conservation area. We have humongous windows that are wooden framed and single gazed and look gorgeous, but are thorough hopeless as noise reduction. I’ve been thinking about secondary glazing (where the glass is actually attached to the existing pane so there is no difference to the external view.

has anyone done this? Any thoughts on whether there was a significant noise reduction? The heat efficiency isn’t so much of a problem…I think maybe as the walls are about a meter thick so well insulated. But the street noise is pretty bad. Keen to know if this will help!

Not sure exactly what secondary glazing you mean as there are different types. Our house is listed and in a conservation area and we have bought Perspex, magnetic secondary glazing. There are several firms that make it to size for you to diy fix and others that measure and fit it (which obviously is more expensive). It’s virtually invisible and because it can easily be removed doesn’t normally require listed building consent. Ours has made a difference to the noise levels, amount of condensation and made the rooms easier to keep warm.

You can also sometimes keep the window frames and get the glass switched out for thin double glazed units. We have done this in a listed building in a conservation area (with permission). Combined with fitting a ventroller brush system which stops drafts round the sashes, it has definitely reduced outside noise.

I know there seems to be a myriad of secondary glazing options but also aware our building and planning department are particularly picky (also a World Heritage Site). The magnetic/stick on look most acceptable (we can’t change the frames at all) and potentially most cost effective?

@Geneticsbunny i will look into that too…I suspect it would have been done at the time the buildings were renovated if it had been possible, but that was 13 years ago so technology may have moved on!

The other options I’m seeing for secondary glazing are quite unsightly or impractical (as in you need to slide the secondary glazing out the way to be able to open the windows). I’m just really after noise reduction without spoiling the look.