Ask An Expert
Question: Is there a way that I can measure a sound to see if it’s too loud?
Answer: You can download a sound meter app to your smartphone to measure decibel levels. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health tested apps supported by Noise Lab, Noise Hunter, and SoundMeter, which are available for Apple IOS phones, and found they have the most accurate A-weighted sound-level measurements. In addition, you will want to interpret the decibel level in relation to the amount of time that you are exposed to the sound. Louder sound outputs cause damage to hearing in a shorter amount of time than softer sounds. If you have concerns about your level of noise exposure, we would be happy to discuss this with you more.