ABOVE
Miele’s new luxuriously quiet S5 vacuum series has two forms of noise protection: a doubleskin layer on the exterior and a soundproofed motor. Available in vibrant colors, shown here in Capri Blue, the S5 performs brilliantly without raising a racket. M&M Vacuum is an authorized Miele dealer.

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Just a whisper of circulating air comes from the Zoe ceiling fan by Hunter Fan Co. Find Hunter fans at Lighting Unlimited.

THE DECIBEL STORY
Just how bad is the noise level? A sound’s loudness is measured in decibels (dB). According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, anything above 85 dB is harmful to our hearing, depending on how long and how often we’re exposed and whether we’re wearing hearing protection.

Normal conversations hit about 60 dB, a coffee grinder can register up to 95 dB and a stereo cranked all the way up can be a 110 dB assault on your ears. If you want real quiet, your best bet may be to hike into the Grand Canyon. On a night when there’s no wind, the sound level in the canyon is a mere 10 dB, which makes it among the quietest spots on Earth.

But short of an extended camping trip or becoming a hermit, how do we lower the racket in our daily lives?

NOISE POLLUTERS & ABATERS
Perhaps the greatest source of appliance noise pollution emanates from the common household vacuum cleaner. Its 90 dB roar puts that appliance in the same category as industrial air compressors (93 dB) and lawn mowers (94 dB). A number of companies now make vacuum
cleaners that are designed to dial down the din. For instance, Miele’s vacuums are so quiet you can run them and still hear a phone ring in the next room.

The kitchen is another potential source of noise pollution. The average dishwasher produces up to 66 dB of sound, just enough to intrude on conversations or compete with other activities. All the leading manufacturers offer dishwashers designed for quiet operation. Bosch, one of the best known names in its field, uses a suspended two-pump motor system along with heavy-duty insulation and coated metal parts to reduce vibrations and sound levels to a whisper.

Stove ventilating systems are another potential source
of kitchen noise. Bulthaup, among other companies,
offers a variety of powerful, versatile and extremely
quiet stove ventilation systems with numerous
variations and dimensions.

Bathroom ventilation fans also can add to the noise
level, producing a sustained whoosh that can
significantly detract from what’s meant to be a quiet,
meditative soak in the tub. Panasonic’s WhisperGreen
bathroom ventilation fans solve the problem by
combining ultra-silent operation with continuous
ventilation and improved air quality.

Or how about a toilet that doesn’t make a
commotion every time it’s used? Kohler offers a whole
line of products that flush without that annoying
high-pressure rush of water and then uses simple
gravity to refill the tank. And for quiet, total comfort in the bathroom or any other part of the house, it’s hard to beat a Nuheat radiant electric floor heating mat. Installed under floors, these mats create even, comfortable, foot-caressing warmth with no cold spots. A Zoe ceiling fan from the Hunter Fan Co. is another good fit for potentially any room in the house, delivering exceptionally quiet and reliable air movement.

SOUNDING OFF
Lowering noise levels by turning down the appliances may be all you need to restore peace and quiet. But sometimes it takes a more drastic solution — like adding soundproofing. It’s a complicated subject, but basically you should know that sound comes at us in two forms.
Airborne noise from conversations, TV or radio can actually travel through walls to assault our ears. Structure-borne noises from home theaters, stereo systems or live music can make those walls and everything within them vibrate.

Both can be tamed through a combination of solutions. Thickening the walls by adding Sheetrock, insulation or other materials like stone or brick will help keep sound from penetrating your living space. Double-paned,
insulated windows with acrylic frames are specifically designed to reduce noises from the outside. And carpeting or other soft materials like upholstery and drapes can be used to soak up sound waves.

How much will they help? All soundproofing materials and products have a sound transmission class (STC) rating which measures how much noise they’ll stop. The higher the number, the better that material’s sound-proofing capabilities.

The world is an increasingly loud place. But if you
want quiet in the house, the good news is you can get it
with a few prudent investments. And you don’t even have to raise your voice.

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