There are many different ways to describe what a safe dB level is, but one thing is true for sure - if your kids are sleeping in a place that doesn’t have enough soundproofing, they’re going to hear things they shouldn’t.
If your kid is waking up in the middle of the night and trying to get out of bed, they won’t have time to get dressed and figure out what happened if you tell them they’re hearing “things.” Instead, they’ll just assume the worst - they’ll think they woke up screaming. And it’s never a good time for your child to wake up screaming!
Keep reading to learn more about the best ways to protect your ears.
There are many different answers to the question of “what is a safe dB level?” A safe dB level usually equates to an average of 70 decibels, with an upper limit of 85 decibels.
But what does this mean, exactly?
To put it into perspective, having the TV play in the background at 50 decibels is usually acceptable. If the noise doubles to 100 decibels (the equivalent of someone yelling in your ear), some hearing damage can occur within 15 minutes! Yikes! Double yikes.
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If you are 3 feet away from someone, and they have to raise there voice to be heard, then you are probably to somewhere to loud. This is not a good measure, but if you are able to hear the person, then you are in the safe zone.
This will work a lot better if you use a sound meter. There are 2 type of these :
Mobile Phone App, these are the best, as they are on your phone and you can take them with you. These one shown below is very good, called “Sound Meter”
A stand alone device that you will need to buy, called “Sound Meter Plus”, these are the best for professional use.
A sound meter will display the dB level as well as the decibel level that is above or below this range.
This is will work well for long term measurements in places such as offices or factories, where they want readings taken every 10 minutes of how loud something is running. For example: If a machine runs at 85 decibels all day long, then the average level would be 70 decibels after 8 hours. This would be acceptable.
As the dB level increases, the amount of time that you can stay in an environment without damaging your hearing reduces. The chart below shows the common times that you can stay in an environment before it becomes harmful.
| 80-85 | Damage to hearing possible after 2 hours |
|---|---|
| 95 | Damage to hearing possible after 50 minutes |
| 100 | Hearing loss after 15 minutes |
| 105–110 | Hearing loss possible in less than 5 minutes |
| 110 | Hearing loss in less than 2 minutes |
| 120 | Pain and ear injury |
| 140–150 | Pain and ear injury, possible death |
150dB can burst an eardrum, 180-200dB is enough to kill a person in a few seconds. This is why the decibel levels for firearms are so low, and why most limits for noise abatement buildings are between 70-85 decibels
129dB is the world record for loudness of human vocal sound.
You will need ear protection if you are exposed to noise above 90 decibels for more that 15 minutes.
The most common types of ear protection are:
Ear plugs are very cheap and popular, they have to be removed for swimming, showers and sleeping. Ear muffs are also very popular among workers and people who want to prevent the sound from hitting them directly. They block the sound, making it impossible for you to hear anything but the sound that you put in there. They can be expensive however, up to $100 for a pair of large ear muffs.
Rigid Foam Ear Plugs, these are a single insert type of ear piece. These are designed to go in the ear canal but not all brands fit all people. These do not fit over ear canal sensors, if you have them.
Closed Cell Foam Ear Plugs, these again are a single insert but with some sort of silicone liner around the foam pad. The most common type for noise work is called the “earplug”. This is not for everyone and can be uncomfortable to wear for longer than 15 minutes at a time .
There is a safe dB level, which is around 70 decibels, and at 80 decibels you will need to wear ear protection. Knowing your safe dB level is important for your health. A good way to remember this is by thinking that if you can hear the sound, it is too loud. If you can’t hear someone when they talk to you then it isn’t too loud.
Last update on 2023-11-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Yes 120db is a very loud volume, it will normally damage you ears in a short time.
120db is a measure of sound intensity. It is considered to be very loud and can cause hearing damage if sustained for a period of time.
While it is possible to measure the db level of a sound, it is subjective and depends on the environment in which the sound is heard.
Noise pollution of about 50 to 55 db is enough to get the neighbours annoyed!
Noise pollution is an issue that often goes unacknowledged. It can be especially harmful to people who live close to busy streets or airports.
In fact, any amount of noise above 50 decibels can be detrimental to one's health. This is why it's important for people to be mindful of the noise levels they produce, especially when living in close quarters with others.
Headphones are a popular way to listen to music and other audio content, but how loud is too loud? According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), any noise above 70-75 decibels (dB) can damage your hearing over time.
A dB is a unit of measurement for sound intensity. The louder the sound, the higher the dB level.
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Experience : Hi, I am Nick, and I have suffered with ear problems my whole life, mainly tinnitus. I have tried a lot of products to help protect my ears over this period, and several devices to block out the constant ringing
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