Has anyone upgraded their windows in order to reduce outside noise?
 

My neighbor's house is very close to mine. They have a pool pump that creates an annoying noise that goes right through my windows. They have reduced the pump speed but I still hear it inside my house. I was wondering if anyone has upgraded their windows in order to reduce outside noise; did it make a big difference? I don't really care about any energy savings, just noise reduction. Can you recommend any vendors, and give me some idea of the cost?

Pool pumps have a humming vibration noise that will be very difficult to block out. You probably already have double pane glass, so you would need to upgrade to expensive triple pane, but you would most likely still hear the pump. One thing that may work is a fixed hurricane shutter, but you would not be able to use the window. Another thing you can try is heavy block out drapes.

I once attended an open house for a new house where the builder had built a pool next door with the pool pump about 10 feet from the master bedroom. The windows were shut, but you could still feel and hear a humming noise from the pool pump. That would be a non-starter for me.

Hearing pool pumps is a common complaint here due to the nearness of neighbors. We bought our home between two lots that were not large enough to put in a pool so we would not have to put up with that in the future. We also passed on a home we were going to buy that the neighbor had just put in a pool and we could hear the pump in the home we were looking at. In any event, hearing the pump is better than living next to pickle ball courts.

One problem is that many houses have a garage on one side of the house and bedrooms on the other side. When a new pool is installed, the pool contractor will locate the pump on the garage side right next to the next door neighbor's bedrooms. So, the neighbor hears the noise, but the pool owner is not affected nearly as much.

I think The Villages needs to address this issue with new rules.

On a related topic, all wind chimes should be banned.

I understand that “White Noise Generators” help drown out background noises.

I’d recommend researching that further.

Starting at $20 on Amazon

You might also be hearing noise conducted through the ground. You seem to be on good terms with your neighbor, so I would ask them to see if it would be possible to have noise/vibration pads installed at the pump. I would also contact a pool supply company (like pinch a penny) and ask if they know of a pump enclosure to cut down on noise. I would then offer to buy one for the neighbor. You contact a window supplier and ask them about the possible installation of a storm window outside the existing window to cutdown on the noise. I had a neighbor that was really into having a very quiet room to listen to music. He found sound absorbing panels which he placed on the walls which were very effective in making the room very quiet.

When I am not sure about something I often do an internet search and your problem intrigued me so I did. It looks like there are some YouTube videos on this topic and the link below suggests vibration pads as one solution among others and as Tinker suggested, etc. I would see if the pump noise could be reduced before I spend money on the window as a last resort.
14 Effective Ways How to Quiet a Noisy Pool Pump

Amen on the wind chimes.

Your neighbor needs a better pump. A Pentair Whisperflo earns it's name. I have a pool at my Non-Villages place and I literally have to walk up to the equipment sometimes to be sure it's running. Those pumps aren't cheap though and it's not a fix you can implement. Good luck!

I usually just take my hearing aids out....

Seriously look into the "White Noise" generator. You can buy them on line and they are probably cheaper than new windows, plus if you get a portable one you could move it around to find the best spot for it.

You could also purchase an Amazon Echo(or equivalent) and set it to play your preferred background noise by voice command. It is also a great aid for insomnia.

My preferred background noise is "Brown Noise" but there are many other options. YouTube has them all. Good chance that visitors won't even notice it playing.

If there is a significant period of time when you are not around, perhaps your neighbor would alter his pump schedule. Another alternative might be for him to run it while you are sleeping. It is an easy thing to try. Sure, the pump will normally be run for a short time after chemicals are added, but the daily run might be done on a schedule that fits yours.

In south Florida I owned a house near a road and heard noise. I upgraded the windows to what I call “impact glass”. Supposedly glass strong enough to withstand hurricane force winds so one is not required to shutter (something we did in south Florida). Amazing. Zero noise. So quiet. I like quiet. The windows were three times the cost of regular windows. But I did not have a lot of windows and worth it to me to also not to have to shutter when a hurricane came through.

It seems odd to me that we do not have shutters here in central Florida and if Milton was not the 100 year storm they say and we see more, I’ll look into getting impacted glass for my current home in the villages. With Milton, even though I have double pane windows now, they shook and vibrated quite a bit on the exposed pond side during the storm. I know Romac does windows in The Villages, but I have not researched vendors. I’d probably look to have an Orlando based window company come over, as it likely would be less.

That's the answer right there.
And they save $$$ on power usage as well.

Had a house in SE Florida before moving to TV. Installed impact glass and it did a great job reducing the noise. Work was down there and can not make a recommendation about a local company. Window cost2- 3x more for materials 10 years ago.