How Loud Do High Powered Backpack Leaf Blowers Get Up Close at the NON-Operator's Ear?

whatdidyousay

Member
Author
Nov 13, 2019
66
Tinnitus Since
2001
Cause of Tinnitus
Loud volumes
How loud are the high powered backpack gas leaf blowers that guys with a busy landscaping business might use? A quick Google search seemed to suggest a broad range of 95-115 dB at "operator ear level."

Is the absolute peak decibel point at his ears? What about me standing about 3 feet away and the leaf blower pointed in my direction?

I was awoken really early this morning and could hear them outside even though my room's all brick and without windows. So I kind of panic'd and rushed outside to move my car since the same leaf blowing people have scratched my car before with rock gravel and driveway/yard debris blowing around.

Questions:

- How loud would around 3-5 feet away be for the non-user and blower pointed in my direction? The chart I have says one could sustain only up to around 28 seconds at 115 dB.

- Do you think brief exposure of around a minute would cause permanent damage beyond a temporary spike? Someone else posted they got severe tinnitus from an hour at 93 dB with what I assume was the less powerful non-backpack models.
 
It all depends on how PRE-FATIGUED your ears are to THIS TYPE of damage-level sound.

If you're young, and your ears have had a nice and quiet life, then you can probably survive/tolerate this experience.

It also depends on your genetics, and how 'strong' your hearing nerve is.

Getting tinnitus from prolonged/over exposure to the sound of MACHINERY is horrible tinnitus.

Regarding your last question, it could absolutely without a doubt induce tinnitus in certain individuals. And for many, many other people, it would in no way cause tinnitus.

If you've pre-fatigued/abused your ears with headphones, for example, then one 'over the top' event with speakers, or a concert, could trigger tinnitus.
 
It all depends on how PRE-FATIGUED your ears are to THIS TYPE of damage-level sound.

If you're young, and your ears have had a nice and quiet life, then you can probably survive/tolerate this experience.

It also depends on your genetics, and how 'strong' your hearing nerve is.

Getting tinnitus from prolonged/over exposure to the sound of MACHINERY is horrible tinnitus.

Regarding your last question, it could absolutely without a doubt induce tinnitus in certain individuals. And for many, many other people, it would in no way cause tinnitus.

If you've pre-fatigued/abused your ears with headphones, for example, then one 'over the top' event with speakers, or a concert, could trigger tinnitus.
I think this post describes noise induced tinnitus, and the different predispositions, very well!

This seems to correlate exactly with how I developed tinnitus at least.
 
You can use a decibel distance calculator to get a good idea.

If the blower reaches 115 dB measured at one foot away (estimating this distance) then at 3 feet it will be 105 dB and 5 feet it will be 101 dB. At 50 feet it's still over 80 dB.

I would rather my car get scratched than get anywhere close to a leaf blower.
 

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