How To Protect Your Hearing In A Loud Home

When the subject of noise pollution comes up, most people think of loud environmental sounds such as airplanes, jackhammers, and city traffic. Rarely is our home the first place we think of when it comes to high decibels. However, when you think about it, our homes can be loud with constant noise including:

• Vacuum cleaner: 65-85 dB
• Hair dryer: 60-95 dB
• Blender: 80-90 dB
• Washing machine 50-75 dB
• Garbage disposal 70-95 dB

Don’t forget the hum of a refrigerator, the air conditioner rumbling, the low roar of the heater, the coffee grinder, and in some cases, even the neighbors. Our homes are full of hearing hazards, and it is wise to consider ways of eliminating or reducing the loud volumes.

Excessive Noise And Your Hearing

Excessive noise pollution within the home causes health problems. A few of the ways the constant sounds vibrating through your home can affect you include:

• Hearing problems. Repetitive exposure to high levels of noise can result in hearing loss.
• Health Issues. The effect of prolonged noise exposure produces aggressive behavior, loss of sleep, stress, fatigue, and hypertension resulting in overall health problems.
• Sleep disorders. Of course, loud noise will keep you awake. Inadequate sleep often leads to constant fatigue.
• Cardiovascular issues. High-intensity noise levels cause high blood pressure and increase heart rate as it disrupts normal blood flow.
• Communication. Excessive noise levels make conversation difficult if not impossible.

Steps You Can Take To Quiet The Place Down

Without question, the best way to handle hearing loss is to prevent it. An excellent place to start protecting your hearing is in your own home.

• Decrease the volume of electronic devices you regularly use such as the television, radio, and personal devices.
• If it is time to replace a major appliance, search for a machine that operates at a lower volume.
• Keep a pair of noise-canceling headphones around the house if you participate in noisy hobbies.
• Adjust and if it is still loud in the house, consider purchasing ear plugs to keep ready for when you anticipate loud noise exposure.

Buying The Right Appliances

Consider noise when you are purchasing a home appliance or tool. The best way to prevent excessive noise in your home is to keep it out in the first place. Buying the right machines can help you keep the sound level down. The good news is that many engineers are now designing appliances with noise reduction in mind. If you choose to do a side by side comparisons of products be aware that manufacturers do not test their products under the same conditions. You will find that evaluations by independent testing agencies will provide you with the most reliable information regarding appliances.

A home can be a loud place! Over time, the constant exposure to loud noise in the house can lead to irreversible hearing loss. Take the time to identify the loud sounds in your home and take steps to quiet or eliminate them if possible. Your hearing health will benefit from the effort.