How loud are leaf blowers and blower-vacs?
This, of course, depends on the type of blower you are using. It is worth remembering that any 2-stroke engine can be noisy and MowDirect always recommends wearing ear-defenders when using blowers, or indeed when using any kind of blower or blower-vac.
If sound levels are an issue, cordless and electric blowers are generally quieter and some, like the model above , are now starting to rival the power of petrol.
You may also want to look at brush sweepers which are, of course virtually silent and have become popular recently.
As far as noise levels are concerned, there are louder and quieter blowers. Older petrol and mains powered blowers tend to be louder than contemporary models.
A professional engineer who is genuinely interested in blower noise, and how it can affect the operator, Mr. Larry N. Will, an ex Vice-President at blower manufacturer Echo, has written….
“…today’s new blowers are very different. All are quieter than they used to be. Many are as much as 75% quieter than blowers manufactured a decade ago.”.
According to manufacturers lobbyists the average leaf blower puts out around 70-75dB(A). A blower categorised as a ‘quiet’ blower is one that puts out under 70 dB(A).
Larry Will designed the first stated 65dB(A) blower for Echo in 1995. 65 dB(A) is often classed as about the same sound level as a normal conversation in a room.
In the meantime, until someone invents a silent blower, there will always be some noise associated with leaf blowing and debris shredding, so do follow these simple guidelines…
1. Always wear ear protection, hearing damage caused by noise is permanent
2. Keep the throttle or speed control down if you are near unprotected passers-by or residents
3. Try to be considerate about when, and for how long, you use your blower
4. If you have very nearby neighbours or are going to be permanently close to other people when clearing, think about using a leaf-sweeper or at least a low-noise blower.