HowLoudHow to Measure Your Neighbor's Noise
Measure inside your home, at the spot where the noise bothers you, with windows closed, for at least 5 minutes each time. Log the date, time, duration, average level (Leq), peak, and the background level once the noise stops. Most authorities judge noise by how far it rises above the background and by the time of day, not by a single number.
Step by step
- Open a meter. The online decibel meter works for spot checks; the HowLoud app saves each session with location and lets you export a PDF for your diary.
- Stand where you normally are when the noise annoys you: the bed, the sofa, the desk. Hold the phone at head height, away from walls.
- Close windows and doors unless the complaint is about noise that reaches you with them open in summer, in which case note that.
- Measure the background first during a quiet moment (often 25–35 dB at night). This is the number the noise will be compared against.
- Measure the noise for at least 5 minutes. Write down the Leq (average) and the peak. Note what it is: music, footsteps, a dog, a machine.
- Repeat on different days and times. A pattern (every Friday after 11 pm) is far more persuasive than a single reading.
What counts as too loud?
Rules vary by country and city, but they cluster around the same figures:
| Situation | Typical limit |
|---|---|
| Inside a bedroom at night (WHO guideline) | 30 dB(A) average, 45 dB single events |
| Inside a home, night-time municipal limits | 35–45 dB(A) |
| Inside a home, daytime | 45–55 dB(A) |
| Outside a home in a residential area, night | 40–50 dB(A) |
| "Statutory nuisance" style rules (UK and similar) | Judged on level, time, duration and frequency, often 10 dB above background |
A neighbour's music at 60 dB inside your bedroom at midnight is loud: that is the level of conversation happening in your own room and roughly 30 dB above a normal night background. See how loud 60 dB is and why 45 dB wakes people up.
Building a noise diary
Officers and landlords respond to evidence. A good diary has one line per event: date, start and end time, source, Leq, peak, background, and what it stopped you doing (sleeping, working, hearing the TV). Two to four weeks of entries is usually enough to show a pattern. Keep the phone readings honest, with the same spot, same distance and same settings every time, and say in the diary that they come from a phone. Many councils will then install a certified logger for a week, which is the measurement that counts legally.
What to do with the numbers
- Talk to the neighbour first, with a specific ask ("the bass after 11 pm"). Showing a reading helps because most people underestimate how far sound carries.
- Escalate with the diary to a landlord, building manager or the local environmental-health or noise team.
- Ask for a certified measurement if it goes further; your diary tells them when to measure.
Frequently asked questions
Can phone readings be used as evidence?
They support a complaint and help an authority decide when to send a certified meter, but they are rarely accepted as proof on their own. Your diary of times and patterns is often more useful than the exact dB value.
How loud is too loud for neighbours at night?
Anything that puts your bedroom above about 35–45 dB(A), or single sounds above 45 dB, is likely to breach night-time rules in most cities, especially if it is 10 dB or more above the normal background.
Should I measure from the shared wall?
No. Measure where you actually experience the noise; officers do the same. Readings against the wall exaggerate the level.