Unless you have kids running around the house loudly playing, you might be pressed to think of specific items in your house that are noisy or may operate at high decibel levels. Just like you might wear ear protection at work if your occupation includes high levels of noise or at a concert or sporting event to protect your hearing, at home we should also be mindful of our noise exposure. Here are some tips to reducing noise at home.

Do you like smoothies? Have you ever tried to carry on a conversation in the kitchen when the blender is running? Some common household appliances like your blender for example operate at high decibel levels that can be damaging to your hearing. If you can, exit the room when a loud appliance is operating. Another idea is to shop for quieter appliances when you need to purchase replacements.

Outdoor equipment can also be damaging to your hearing. Wear ear protection when operating the lawn mower, leaf blower and snow blower. If your hobby is working on cars in the garage or you have a wood workshop, be sure to keep ear plugs on hand when operating power tools.

Who doesn’t like music, but even at home it is important to be mindful of the volume. Earbuds and headphones pose the greatest risk for hearing damage for household members at any age. Family members should be knowledgeable about safe listening practices such as turning the volume down and taking listening breaks. Parents should ensure that children have limits on their use of earbuds. If you have a home gym or exercise machine, remember that equipment noise may make it harder to hear music through earbuds or headphones causing most people to listen at higher volumes. Look for headphones that block out exercise machine noise so that you can still listen at a safe volume while working out.

Being mindful of the noise levels in and outside of the house, can go a long way in helping you protect your hearing health.