| Reference | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|
| vacuum cleaner | 70 dB | Reference |
| lawn mower | 90 dB | Reference |
Daytime and nighttime need context.
A louder source can mask surrounding sounds. Move away from uncomfortable sound and avoid deliberately recreating it to compare a phone reading. This page does not set a safe exposure duration.
A daytime reading beside an active source is different from an overnight reading at your bed. Keep the microphone position and source distance in your notes. These examples do not reproduce your room or your phone’s calibration.
The scale is logarithmic.
85 dB is 55 dB above the 30 dB reference. On a sound-intensity scale that is approximately 316,228 times the reference intensity. It does not mean it sounds that many times louder, and this calculation does not certify a phone reading.
A number needs a record around it.
Note time, duration and context alongside the reading. Avoid identifying a source as a particular person unless you actually know. Keep personal notes on your device rather than entering them on this website.
Sources · vacuum cleaner example · lawn mower example · checked 2026-10-26
A few useful answers.
Is 85 dB too loud at night?
A single 85 dB value cannot decide that. Background sound, duration, frequency, room, sleep needs and the applicable rule all matter. Check the current ordinance and lease; a phone estimate is not legal certification.
What should I record beside a 85 dB estimate?
The local date/time and time zone, active duration, phone position, average and peak if available, what you heard and any uncertainty about its source. A phone cannot identify who caused it.