What the numbers in our guides mean, and what they do not. Every figure is sourced, and we do not measure anything ourselves.
What a decibel is, what the A in dBA adds, why 3 and 10 decibels matter, and why the figure on the box is usually the quietest setting the maker could find.
September 21, 2026 · 5 min read
Read articleA figure that is fine in a laundry room is too loud beside a bed. See the official reference points, and the published figures that meet them, room by room.
September 21, 2026 · 6 min read
Read articleBathroom fans and range hoods are rated in sones, not decibels. Here is what a sone is, why it is easier to compare, and why we never convert between the two.
September 21, 2026 · 5 min read
Read articleMost appliance noise has a dull cause: a floor that is not level, dust, loose screws or the wrong wall switch. See what the makers' own manuals say to check.
September 21, 2026 · 7 min read
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