Got a noise issue? This toolkit can help.
What noise problem are you trying to solve? Maybe you want to persuade a neighbor, influence a restaurant owner, advocate for policy change, or hire a mediator. This starter toolkit can help you address a few common noise situations and help you put together effective resources.
Neighbor noise
We’ve all had this experience: you move into a new place and then you start hearing disruptive noise. The barking dog, the loud TV, the pounding feet across a hardwood floor. What can you do?
TOOLS
Install a decibel reader app like the NIOSH Sound Level Meter on your phone. Be aware that some low-frequency noise might go undetected by the app, even though the noise bothers you. Keep a spreadsheet or notebook and track when the noise occurs, what causes it, and what it sounds like. For situations like a barking dog, track the frequency. You can download this tracking sheet (PDF) to help you get started.
ACTIONS
Contact your neighbor and describe the noise and how it impacts you. They might be unaware of the noise they make. For example, if it’s impact noise, you can suggest rug pads or offer other inexpensive solutions. If this doesn’t help, or if your neighbor becomes hostile, consider a mediator. If you’re a renter and your neighbor won’t cooperate, you can also contact your landlord. When you’re bothered by prolonged noise but can’t reach the noisy neighbors, or if you’re kept awake by the noise, or if you feel threatened, call the police.
RESOURCES
Some cities like San Francisco have affordable mediation services like The Community Boards. Other communities also have professional mediators and specialists. Try searching for practitioners on Mediate.com.
Leaf blower noise
Humans tended gardens for hundreds of years without the aid of a leaf blower. But now leaf blowers are ubiquitous, and a sonic curse on anyone in their vicinity.
Gas-powered leaf blowers are the dirtiest and noisiest, and can exceed 90dB. There’s data to back this up. Chris Pollock and Geoffrey Sparks of Arup did a study. They found that the battery-powered models seemed as loud as gas leaf blowers at a distance of five feet. Yet they were 5 decibels lower than the gas models. But at a distance of 50 feet, the battery-powered models were “quieter” than the gas-powered ones. The battery-powered models tested at under 50 decibels. The gas-powered models had more low-frequency noise, causing them to be louder and more intrusive at a distance.
Many communities have already put restrictions on leaf blowers, requiring battery-powered models. You might want your city to be next.
TOOLS
Get a decibel-reader like the NIOSH Sound Level Meter app. And use a spreadsheet for tracking and documenting noise.
ACTIONS
Use your decibel reader to measure the indoor and outdoor noise level when you hear leaf blowers nearby. Contact your local legislators and other civic leaders about updating local ordinances. And contact Quiet Communities. They offer information on how to start an American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) zone in your area.
RESOURCES
Quiet Communities is an organization with a mission. Their goal is to “transition landscape maintenance to low noise, low emissions.” They provide research, community advocacy, resources, and listings for quiet landscapers. . And be sure to read the articles in The Atlantic by James Fallows. He’s been active in getting legislation for leaf blowers in Washington D.C.
Construction noise
You thought you could catch up on your sleep this weekend, but no luck. The construction projects in your neighborhood operate six days a week. By 8 a.m., you’re awakened by jackhammers, backup beeps, and forklifts. Is there anything you can do about this sleep disruption?
TOOLS
Use a decibel-reader app on your smartphone, like the NIOSH Sound Level Meter or NoiseScore. Keep track of noise levels in a notebook or spreadsheet. If you want to invest some money in a dedicated decibel meter that records and logs the noise level continuously, consider getting the SD-4023 | REED Instruments, which you can buy from Amazon. Wear soft earplugs if you want to sleep late in the morning. And consider fortifying your home with options like window inserts.
ACTIONS
Get familiar with your local noise ordinances. Consider asking the developer to use a noise fence or restrict weekend hours. Protect your weekend sleep and your ears by wearing soft earplugs like Flents (33dB). Of course, it’s impossible to do construction work in total silence. But you can ask the work crews to not blast their radios. And ask the contractor if they can start later on weekends. In addition, ensure that they make deliveries only during prescribed work hours — not before. Many locales also require a special permit for night work. If you’re disrupted by nighttime construction, find out if the crew has a permit. If not, file a complaint with your city. Still having issues? Consider taking the construction company to small claims court.
RESOURCES
Research the noise ordinances in your town or city. We list some of them here, and so does the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse. Most noise ordinances list the hours for construction projects. Many locales allow construction hours that begin at 7 or 8 in the morning, sometimes seven days per week. Often they prohibit deliveries to the site before the start of the work day. You can report violations to the city.
Workplace noise
If you work in an open-office space, the noise from your coworkers can make it hard to concentrate. And if you work in a manufacturing facility, the equipment noise could be dangerous.
TOOLS
Install an app like the NIOSH Sound Level Meter app or Decibel Meter. Wear earbuds or noise-cancelling headphones. If you work in manufacturing, wear soft foam earplugs and appropriate over-ear protection.
ACTIONS
If you work in a noisy open-office space, talk to your employer about adding sound panels to the walls or ceiling. Consider installing office pods for meetings and conversation. Talk to your coworkers about phone etiquette in the open space and on quieting your devices. Everyone should mute their computers and smartphones to reduce notification beeps. And finally, try to get away from your desk and find a quieter spot to work for awhile.
RESOURCES
You can find many articles online about coping skills for working in open spaces. Start with these articles from the Harvard Business Review and Entrepreneur.com
Restaurant noise
You go out for a dinner date at a new restaurant that got rave reviews for its food. But it’s so loud that you struggle to hear your date and you can’t wait to leave.
TOOLS
The SoundPrint app, of course. Everyone should have this app in their toolkit. It’s available for both iOS and Android.
ACTIONS
Use the SoundPrint app to measure and post the decibel reading of a venue on a map that everyone can use. Or use it to find a quieter place next time. It doesn’t hurt to post your observations on Yelp. And speak to the owner about adding sound-absorbing products to the walls or ceiling.
RESOURCES
Try suggesting sound-dampening resources to this restaurant, such as Audimute, Primacoustic, or Ecophon.
Need inspiration? Read this story in the New York Times about a successful anti-noise activist in New York City.
To learn more about noise mediation, listen to our Soundproofist episode #23.
Looking for a new place to live?
Download our checklist to help you avoid choosing a noisy building or a noisy neighborhood.
Decible tracker worksheet:
To help you get started, download this daily decibel tracker worksheet.
This is wonderful, thank you for putting it together.
The NIOSH app can be set to C or Z weighting to measure low frequency noise.
On iOS, the Noise Score app seems to be recording indefinitely, can’t stop unless you close the app.
Thanks for the additional info on the weighting settings. I’ll look for more user info on the NIOSH app and link to it (or write it myself). Also thanks for the info on recording with NoiseScore — might be a bug.