How to read the numbers: distance and duration first

Every level below assumes a measuring distance — without it, comparisons are void. Outdoors, sound falls about 6 dB per doubling of distance; indoors, reflections make the drop smaller. Duration matters equally: a 90 dB blender for 30 seconds is trivial, 90 dB workshop noise for two hours exceeds a day's NIOSH dose. For each sound we give typical dBA at a stated distance plus a verdict (relax / design / protect) using the rule: below 70 relaxed, 70–85 design consciously, above 85 protect and limit time. Measure each with 30–60 second Leq on the homepage meter at the same distances to check your own copies.

Quiet world: 20–40 dB — sleep and focus live here

1. Breathing and rustling leaves (~10–20 dB at close range). At the edge of hearing, only audible in stillness. Verdict: reference silence. If your bedroom minimum reaches this with windows closed, it is excellent.

2. Whisper and library (~30 dB at 1 m). A soft whisper, ticking watch, quiet library aisle. A good bedroom at night sits 30–38 dB; above 40 dB continuous, sleep fragments even when you think you slept through. Measuring note: 60-second Leq, windows closed, phone on the bedside table, nobody talking — the minimum is your background, peaks are intrusions.

3. Soft rain and calm courtyard (~40–50 dB). Light rain on grass, birdsong at dawn across a courtyard, refrigerator hum at 1 m (40–45 dB, up to 55 dB when the compressor ages). Relaxing background, safe indefinitely. If your fridge suddenly reads 55 dB where it read 43 dB, the compressor or fan needs service — meters catch appliance ageing early.

Daily life: 50–70 dB — where most hours happen

4. Quiet office and suburb (~45–55 dB). Keyboard murmur, distant traffic through closed glazing, birdsong plus light breeze. Concentration is comfortable; WHO daytime guidance for serious annoyance starts well above this. Open-plan offices that hold 55–65 dBA at desks are workable; above 65 dBA, errors and fatigue climb.

5. Normal conversation (~60 dB at 1 m). The universal reference. Needing to raise your voice at one metre means the background already exceeds ~65 dB. TV and background music at comfortable levels sit 60–70 dB; above 70 dB, entertainment becomes effort and neighbours notice. Note: record “62 dB at 1 m, dBA, 60 s Leq” — that string is worth ten adjectives in any landlord conversation.

6. Shower, dishwasher cycle, TV drama peaks (~65–70 dB). Noticeably loud but safe for hours. Tiring across a full day in combination — a 68 dB open kitchen plus 65 dB TV plus kids at 70 dB sums near 73 dB, which is why evenings feel louder than any single source.

7. Busy street kerb and vacuum cleaner (~70–75 dB at 1–2 m). Normal outside on arterial roads; 20–30 dB less inside with good closed glazing — measure open vs closed windows (same position, 60 s each) and the difference is your façade's gift. Verdict: below 70 relaxed, 70–85 design — close windows, move desks, limit duration.

Loud and risky: 80–120 dB — protect and limit time

8. Restaurant bustle and heavy traffic (~78–82 dB). Raised voices, clatter, bus interior. Tiring, speech needs effort, but a 45-minute lunch is low concern. Staff working 8-hour shifts here need assessment — brief visits and full shifts follow different rules.

9. Lawnmower, circular saw, club bar (~88–100 dB). Petrol mower at operator position ~90 dB, circular saw 95–100 dB, club bar 94–98 dBA, dancefloor 100–108 dBA. Safe times: 2 hours at 91, 1 hour at 94, ~15 minutes at 100 dBA (NIOSH). Protection here is duty, not option — earmuffs for tools, filtered plugs for venues. See safe limits with dose table.

10. Siren, jackhammer, concert front row (~105–120 dB). Jackhammer at 10 m ~100–110 dB, siren at kerb ~110–120 dB, front-row concert peaks 110–115 dBA. Pain threshold begins near 120 dB; unprotected acute damage is possible. Leave, seal ears, or move back — doubling distance outdoors sheds ~6 dB, and stepping 10 m back from a stack can halve your dose.

Four home spots to verify this week (with targets)

City flat, courtyard side, night, windows closed: 32–38 dB Leq is good; 40–45 dB means investigate (ventilation, fridge, street leak). Same flat, arterial side, window tilted: 55–65 dB is typical and tiring — closed double glazing should bring 25–30 dB relief; less means seals need attention. New build with ventilation: 28–35 dB background is good; above 40 dB continuous, check system speed and filters. Open office at noon: 55–65 dB workable; above 65 dB with spikes over 80 dB, move focus work or add absorption (rugs, curtains, shelves on the noise wall).

Assignment: measure these four (or your nearest equivalents) with 60-second Leq, same device, dBA, distances noted, and log them in the Noise Journal. Re-measure after one change — seals, layout, quieter appliance setting — and celebrate the Leq difference. Full method in the phone-and-PC guide and step-by-step workflow.

From feeling to number — and what to do next

With these anchors, every reading reads instantly: library feeling at 62 dB means error (covered mic, suppression, hidden hum); concert feeling at 75 dB after 20 minutes means habituation — ears deceive, the meter does not. The full 10–130 dB table lives in the Sound Level Guide; the spectrum view shows whether a problem is rumble, speech or hiss; and the home-noise playbook orders fixes by cost. Pick an anchor, measure, note distance and Leq — feel becomes data.

Typical values vary with model, distance and room — your measured Leq governs, not the table. Reference only; not for compliance decisions.