How loud is 70 decibels?
70 dB is loud enough to annoy but not to damage hearing. The US Environmental Protection Agency names 70 dB averaged over 24 hours as the level that protects against hearing loss over a lifetime.
- Sounds like
- A vacuum cleaner or a washing machine
- Loudness
- Loud
- Safe per day (NIOSH)
- No limit
- OSHA workplace limit
- Below the limit
70 dB on the decibel scale
Tap another sound to compare- Safe · under 65 dB
- Caution · 65–85 dB
- Risk · over 85 dB
What 70 dB sounds like
- A vacuum cleaner
- A washing machine on spin
- Freeway traffic at 15 m
- A busy restaurant
Vacuuming, running a washing machine, standing next to a busy road. You need to raise your voice a little to be understood.
Is 70 dB safe?
70 dB does not damage hearing on its own, even over a full day, but long stretches of it are tiring and can raise stress and make it harder to concentrate. Damage starts from about 85 dB.
70 dB compared with other sounds
| Compared with | Difference | Sounds | Sound energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whisper (30 dB) | +40 dB | 16× as loud | 10,000× more |
| Conversation (60 dB) | +10 dB | 2× as loud | 10× more |
| Heavy traffic (85 dB) | −15 dB | 2.8× quieter | 32× less |
| Concert (110 dB) | −40 dB | 16× quieter | 10,000× less |
Rule of thumb: +10 dB sounds about twice as loud and carries ten times the energy. See what is a decibel.
How to check if a sound is 70 dB
Open the free online decibel meter on this site and allow the microphone. Hold your phone or laptop where your ears would be, wait a few seconds, and read the average rather than the momentary number. For a reliable, calibrated reading you can save or show to someone else, use the Decibel Meter app on iPhone.