Lawnmowers can make a lot of noise but is a necessary evil. Lawnmowers might disturb you and your surroundings, but you can’t do away with the equipment because your lawn needs it.
You wouldn’t want the grass on your lawn to turn bushy and look untidy, right? A lawn with well-trimmed grass to supplement the beautiful flowers, plants, and trees can make your garden look much more beautiful.
Talking of noise, the noise level of lawnmowers can affect our hearing and damage them. So what do you do? It would be best to avoid machines with high noise levels to protect your ears. But for that, you must understand the suitable decibel range for choosing the best lawnmower for your garden.
In this article, we have discussed how many decibels a lawn mower produces and the noise levels of different types of lawnmowers so you can make the best choice.
Let’s get started with the article.
What is a Decibel? What Does it Measure?
The unit decibel, or dB, is used to measure sound intensity. The scale decibel is logarithmic and is used to measure the intensity of sound and how it feels to our ears.
Sound equal to or above 85 dB is not safe for our ears. Sounds above 120 dB can cause hearing loss. Ears are sensitive and prolonged exposure to loud sound is not suitable for hearing.
Lawnmowers can be loud, and regular exposure to this sound for an extended period can be harmful. Hence it is necessary to take precautions to protect your ears. Buying lawnmowers with a safe noise range and using earplugs when using one can be helpful.
How Loud is a Lawn Mower?
The sound level of lawnmowers can vary according to their types. The average sound produced by gas-powered lawnmowers is between 85 to 95 dB. This noise range is unsafe for ears if exposed for a long time. This sound can also disturb your neighbors.
Lawnmowers can be excessively noisy for various reasons, such as noise-producing blades or bad-quality mufflers. Here are some common causes for a lawnmower to be loud.
- Damaged blades: If the blades are not sharp and dull, then it will cause the lawnmower engine to make loud noises. Check the blades regularly and replace them to prevent noises if needed.
- Bad quality mufflers: If the muffler is of low quality or old, it is bound to make loud noises. Keep a regular check on the machine and replace the mufflers when needed.
- Loose screws: If there are any loose screws and bolts in your lawnmower, then it can cause loud noises. Check the internal components of the machine to avoid loud noise.
You can figure out that your lawnmower is very noisy if you have to shout while talking to others, your ears hurt, or you feel a ringing or humming sound after switching it off. There are also various tools available that you can use to know the sound level of your lawnmower.
Next up, we will be discussing the sound level of different types of lawnmowers.
How Loud is a Lawn Mower? Different Types
The noise level of lawnmowers can differ from one another because each type has its sound range. Some machines are less noisy than others, while a few others can produce extreme noises.
It’s better to understand the sound level of each type of lawnmower to differentiate between them.
Below we have mentioned some of the lawnmowers and their noise range for your help.
1. Gas Lawn Mower
The sound level of these lawnmowers is above 85 decibels and can cause hearing damage if used for a long time.
Gas lawnmowers are considered one the loudest types of lawnmowers. So, please avoid using the machine for an extended period and check it regularly to ensure any damages.
2. Riding Lawn Mower
This lawnmower is the nosiest among all. It produces a sound level of approximately 95 decibels or above. It can damage your hearing or can lead to hearing loss.
These mowers are convenient to use. However, the noise range is high, which is unsuitable for ears. Check for any damages if the sound range goes beyond the sound limit.
3. Electric Lawn Mower
These lawnmowers are quiet and suitable to use. It produces a sound of 75 decibels. This sound range does not cause hearing damage. However, it is only advisable to use it for a short period.
Using a lawnmower with this sound level wouldn’t cause discomfort compared to other lawnmowers.
4. Robot Lawn Mowers
These lawnmowers are the quietest among all. Robot lawnmowers produce sound between 50 to 70 decibels which won’t prove uncomfortable for the ears.
They do not disturb the surroundings with loud noise and are easy to use. You can peacefully use it anytime as it would hardly make any noise.
The lawnmowers mentioned above are a few types you can consider for your garden. They vary according to the sound levels and comfort of use; we suggest you choose the lawnmower that suits you and your garden.
FAQ’s
Ans: Yes, lawnmowers can be very noisy. However, the sound range varies according to its type. Loud lawnmowers can cause hearing damage.
Ans: The robot lawnmowers are the quietest. Electric lawnmowers are also quiet and suitable to use.
Ans: If your lawnmower produces more noise than necessary, it might be damaged. A few of the reasons will be low-quality mufflers, loose screws and bolts, or the machine getting old. Check the parts and replace them if required.
Ans: Lawnmowers are simple-to-use machines. However, sometimes people find it difficult to turn off the lawnmowers after use.
Conclusion
Lawnmowers are a must for maintaining your garden, but it has one drawback. They can be very loud which can affect your ears. Extended exposure to this kind of sound can damage your ears severely. So, try to avoid the noise by wearing earplugs.
We hope this article will help you understand different types of lawnmowers’ sound levels. From now onwards, buy a lawnmower with a sound range you are comfortable with and clean up your garden whenever possible.