Understanding Decibel Charts And How Loud Sounds Are

Sounds surround us constantly, and their intensity can affect our hearing health. Loud noise levels can damage your hearing, temporarily or permanently. Approximately 40 million Americans could have noise-induced hearing loss, permanent hearing loss caused by excessive noise.

We measure sounds in decibels; decibel charts help us understand sound levels. From there, we can assess how exposure to specific volumes might impact our hearing over time.

In this blog, we’ll dive into the basics of decibels, how to interpret decibel charts, and why knowing about sound levels is crucial for your hearing health.

Sound travels in waves, and the amount of energy created by these sound waves is measured in decibels (dB). The decibel scale is logarithmic, meaning that a 10 dB increase represents a sound that’s 10 times more intense. The louder the sound, the higher the decibel level.

How to Use a Decibel Chart

1. Locate the Sound. Find the sound or activity you’re curious about (e.g., vacuum cleaner at ~70 dB).
2. Evaluate Risk. Check the risk level based on both decibel level and time of exposure.
3. Take Action. Use ear protection for noises above 85 dB. Limit exposure time for louder sounds.

Hearing health experts typically caution against prolonged exposure to sounds above 85 dB without protection, such as earplugs or noise-canceling devices.

To put it into perspective:

• Spending hours in an environment with  100-120 dB without hearing protection can lead to tinnitus or permanent hearing loss.
• Daily activities like using power tools or leaf blowers (90-100 dB) can cause harm even if you’re exposed for short periods of time (15 minutes or more).

But it’s not just about the decibels. Three main factors influence the severity of hearing damage from noise:

• Sound level—how loud the sound is
• Proximity—how close you are to the sound
• Time—how long you are exposed to it
  

The louder the noise level, the less time it takes for the damage to take place. In fact, for every 10 decibels of noise exposure, the intensity of the sound goes up 10 times.

At 85 decibels, the maximum recommended exposure time is 8 hours. But by 100 decibels, the noise exposure limit drops to 15 minutes, and at 110 dB, the exposure time plummets to just 1 minute. Exposure to sound levels any longer than that could result in permanent hearing loss.

Learn more about Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. 

Understanding decibels is the first step toward safeguarding your hearing. The good news is that noise-induced hearing loss is preventable. Here are a few ways to protect yourself from the harmful effects of high noise levels:

1. Use earplugs or earmuffs when exposed to loud environments like concerts, construction sites, or while using machinery.
   
   
2. Learn which sounds in your environment are too loud. If possible, turn down the volume to a safer decibel level.
   
   
3. Apps and decibel meters can help you measure the noise levels in your environment. We’ve listed several decibel meter apps below that can help you understand how loud your environment is.
   
   
4. If you’re unable to control the sound's volume, distance yourself. Take a walk away from the source of the sound and give your ears a break.
   
   
5. If you’re using headphones, follow the 60/60 rule—listen at no more than 60% volume for no longer than 60 minutes at a time.