What should be the ideal noise level in the house?

Noise can become a real nuisance in the home. To reduce the negative effects on quality of life and sleep, it is best to aim for an ideal noise level in the home. But how do you measure it? How can it be optimised? If the intensity of the noise is too high, if exposure to excessive sound levels is prolonged, this pressure can damage hearing. The higher the decibels, the less tolerable the noise.

Why aim for an ideal sound level in the home?

A few details on sound, noise, and their risks

First of all, note that as long as the volume of noise remains between 85 decibels and 120 decibels during a short exposure, your hearing will not be damaged.
While this level of noise is rare and almost impossible to achieve at home, it is important to remember that exposure to high levels of noise can be harmful to the ear and can result in partial or total hearing loss.
Watching television with loudspeakers, playing a musical instrument regularly at high sound levels, listening to music with the sound turned up to the maximum, living near an airport, having construction work carried out right in front of your home for long periods… Loud noise levels can quickly become a strong nuisance at home.
Yes, listening to classical music on high-power equipment and at high volume for long periods is as harmful as any other noise. It is the same when you listen to music with headphones or earphones.
Start with a simple principle: "Sound becomes noise when it is unpleasant or toxic to the ears. This means that it can be dangerous if you feel a negative sensation when you hear it. This rule comes from a prevention campaign.
Noise is not defined based on physical characteristics. Its dangerousness is assessed according to perceptual and biological criteria.
However, there is a way of measuring noise-level, which is established in decibels and which can be analysed and then remedied.

How loud is your home?

Simply put, a noise becomes unpleasant when its level exceeds 75 decibels. The same noise becomes harmful to the ear at 85 decibels and above. Above 110 decibels, even limited exposure can lead to hearing loss.
But at home, the problem is rarely not to exceed these thresholds. Rather, it is to reduce the noise from appliances, ventilation, air conditioning, or the street. These sounds can degrade the quality of life and sleep of the occupants of a dwelling.
As you may know, noise annoyance can lead to fatigue, irritation, and even depression, especially if the noise prevents good sleep.

As long as the sound environment does not exceed 20 decibels, you are fine and sleep well, the noise is almost inaudible. Try not to exceed 40 decibels so that you do not hear any disturbing noise. Above 60 decibels, your quality of life and sleep decreases considerably and it is important to take action.
Hence the importance of choosing your equipment carefully: many air conditioners exceed a sound level of 40 decibels! So how can we measure this noise level and reduce it?

How to measure the noise level at home?

Measuring the noise level at home is simple. To obtain data on the surrounding noise, use a sound measuring device, such as a sound level meter or a weather station.
Based on the loudness, you will then find out what your sound level is in decibels (dB). This measurement will then allow you to take action to bring the noise level to its ideal level: change equipment, move it, invest in sound barriers, etc.

To measure the noise level in your home, the Netatmo Intelligent Weather Station provides you with all the information you need through its sensors. With a measurement range of 35 to 120 decibels, the station sends you data about your noise level on an application, in addition to the air quality or humidity level.

Measure the noise level with a sound level metre (or other device with similar functions)

Measuring the noise level at home is simple. To obtain data on the surrounding noise, use a sound measuring device, such as a sound level meter or a weather station.

Based on the loudness, you will then find out what your sound level is in decibels (dB). This measurement will then allow you to take action to bring the noise level to its ideal level: change equipment, move it, invest in sound barriers, etc.
Nothing is more effective for measuring sound in your home than a sound level meter, the benchmark for sound measurement. Like other similar devices, it uses a microphone to collect data on the noise level in your home and provides you with clear and detailed information (in decibels) on the surrounding noise.
The sound level meter and similar devices, such as an adapted weather station or smart-weather-station, transform the sound pressure of the noise into a filtered electrical signal following a standard curve. This can then be represented by a value: the number of decibels.

Used by professionals as well as private individuals, the sound level meter, the decibel meter, the exposure meter, the noise dosimeter, and other sound measuring devices are often used in 3 specific cases:

To analyse the level of local noise pollution;
To confirm the compliance of the noise level with the acoustic standard;
To highlight noise pollution
With prices ranging from £20 to £100 on average (although some are cheaper and others over £1,000), a sound level meter remains an affordable device. There are electronic versions with LCD screens, but often the entry-level models are sufficient and accurate.
Do you feel that the noise level in your home is too high? Does noise pollution bother you and you would like to do more to measure and control it? Measuring sound is the first step in trying to achieve the ideal sound level at home. Just get the right device and start measuring!