What are Decibel Levels?
Decibels (dB) are used to measure how loud sounds are. A higher decibel number indicates a louder sound - for example, a lawnmower at 90 dB is significantly louder than someone whispering a 30 dB. As part of the audiology exam, the audiologist measured the softest sounds that you could hear at various frequencies (pitches).
Decibel Levels of Common Sounds:
20 dB: Ticking watch
30 dB: Whisper
40 dB: Refrigerator hum
50 dB: Rainfall
60 dB: Normal conversation, dishwasher, sewing machine
70 dB: Vacuum cleaner, washing machine
80 dB: Subway, busy street, alarm clock (two feet away)
85 dB: Average traffic
90 dB: Lawnmower
95 dB: MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
100 dB: Chainsaw, snowmobile, blow dryer, subway train
110 dB: Screaming child
120 dB: Rock concert, thunderclap
130 dB: Jackhammer
140 dB: Gunfire, jet engine
150 dB: Rock music (peak)
Sources: American Tinnitus Association (http://www.ata.org/for-patients/how-loud-too-loud) and California Ear Institute website (http://www.californiaearinstitute.com/audiology-services-audiogram-bay-area-ca.php)
Decibel Levels of Common Sounds:
20 dB: Ticking watch
30 dB: Whisper
40 dB: Refrigerator hum
50 dB: Rainfall
60 dB: Normal conversation, dishwasher, sewing machine
70 dB: Vacuum cleaner, washing machine
80 dB: Subway, busy street, alarm clock (two feet away)
85 dB: Average traffic
90 dB: Lawnmower
95 dB: MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
100 dB: Chainsaw, snowmobile, blow dryer, subway train
110 dB: Screaming child
120 dB: Rock concert, thunderclap
130 dB: Jackhammer
140 dB: Gunfire, jet engine
150 dB: Rock music (peak)
Sources: American Tinnitus Association (http://www.ata.org/for-patients/how-loud-too-loud) and California Ear Institute website (http://www.californiaearinstitute.com/audiology-services-audiogram-bay-area-ca.php)
