Lawn mower noise level. ROBOTIC MOWERS NOISE LEVELS

ROBOTIC MOWERS NOISE LEVELS

You’ll hardly know you have one. It’s probably one of the best kept secrets of the robot mowers, that they go about their business without disturbing the peace.

In fact, you can go about your day to day chores in the yard, and hardly hear them at all.

They range from a low of 50 decibels through to the loudest models at approx. 75 decibels. Even at 75 decibels they no where near as noisy as a conventional lawnmower that cranks out an average 85 decibels.

Here’s a comparison of some of the more popular robotic mowers available in Australia.

HOW DO THEY COMPARE?

Let’s compare to a few more common household devices or appliances to give you a better understanding of the different noise levels in your yard and home.

We measure noise levels in decibels (dBA), starting from 0 which is like the softest sound a person can hear with normal hearing all the way up to the sound of a shotgun that measures around 170 decibels.

• 50 – refrigerator
• 50 – 60 electric toothbrush
• 50 – 75 washing machine
• 50 – 75 air conditioner
• 55 – 70 dishwasher
• 60 – 85 vacuum cleaner
• 60 – 95 hair dryer
• 65 – 70 robot lawn mower
• 65 – 80 alarm clock
• 70 – 80 coffee grinder
• 80 – whistling kettle
• 80 – 90 food mixer or processor
• 80 – 90 blender
• 80 – 95 push lawn mower
• 120 – chain saw
• 157 – balloon pop
• 170 – shotgun

IS THAT ENOUGH TO WORRY MY NEIGHBOURS?

It’s very annoying, and you don’t want to be that neighbour.

Well, you could be mowing your lawns on a Sunday morning, lying in bed and the neighbours wouldn’t even know.

So, you won’t be disturbing your neighbours, one less thing to worry about.

WHAT ABOUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?

Not even then will you need to worry about disturbing the peace. From anywhere more than 15 – 20 metres you probably can’t hear them.

Closer than 15 – 10 metres you’ll start to hear a gentle whirring noise, it’s not very noisy and it’s certainly not distracting or annoying.

Should You Wear Ear Protection While Mowing?

Most homeowners have an impression that electric mowers are not too loud. Hence, they do not see the need to protect their ears.

If you happen to share this feeling then you are wrong. The sound of a lawn mower can reach up to 100 decibels – equivalent to the noise level of a chainsaw!

Ear protection keeps you safe from flying debris and the mower’s annoying noise. So, if you are wondering whether should you wear ear protection while mowing? then the answer should be pretty straight.

Should You Wear Ear Protection While Mowing

Yes, you need to wear ear protection while mowing! Although electric mowers have quiet engines, they possess rapidly spinning blades that produce a loud and roaring hum, about 75 to 80 decibels. This noise level is just below the 85-decibel limit set by the Occupational Safety and Heal Administration. Thus, you may lose some of your hearing over time.

Even so, the decision to have ear protection depends on the lawn mowing equipment. For instance, you do not need to cover your ears when using a reel mower.

However, ensure that you confirm that the sound is within the recommended range. Also, please read through this article for more insight on lawn mowing and ear protection.

Can a Lawn Mower Cause Hearing Damage?

Chores like mowing the lawn may appear common and harmless. But the loud sound the lawn mower produces can be harmful to your ears.

And you are safer not taking the chore lightly. We measure sound in decibels, and anything over85 decibels, like heavy traffic, can cause hearing damage after eight hours.

In addition, continual exposure to such sound will lead to total hearing loss. Worse still, any exposure to sounds over 140 decibels causes immediate hearing damage.

Therefore, it is prudent to always measure the sound before getting comfortable mowing. Also, it is possible to know when the sound is higher than the set limit.

For instance, check whether you need to raise your voice to get another person’s attention. If yes, the surrounding sound totals more than the safe 85 decibels and harms your hearing.

Lawn mowers and hair dryers can go up to 90 decibels. Well, this attribute may appear advantageous as the appliance will do more work.

But the sound can harm your ears in just two hours. This aspect is threatening to landscapers and hairdressers who work with these loud noises all the time.

However, they can deal with the scenario by having ear protection and taking frequent breaks. Also, three minutes are a safe maximum duration for continuous 100-decibel noise.

Interestingly, a rock concert with up to 110 decibels of sound can lead to hearing loss in 45 minutes. In addition, the louder sound gets, the less time they need to inflict damage, regardless of the appliance.

On top of that, let us debunk some of the common myths about protecting your hearing during lawn mowing.

• Mower Adjustments. Believe it or not, there is nothing you can do to the electric or gas mower to negate the need for hearing protection. The noise comes from the spinning blades, not the engine. so, the engine seems rather quiet in comparison to the blades.
• Earbuds and Headphones. It would be best to avoid using earbuds or headphones to drown out the mower’s noise. Unfortunately, you will not block any noise with this equipment. Instead, they add more intensity to the existing damaging noise and cause Rapid hearing loss.
• Cotton Balls Can Work as Ear Plugs. Please note that cotton balls are not a replacement for ear plugs. They do not block noise even if you squeeze them into your year. In addition, cotton balls and other related material’s noise reduction rating is close to zero.
• Ear Plugs are Dangerous! Ear plugs are very spongy and do not harm the eardrum. Thus, do not stress about them pushing the ear wax too far into the ear. In addition, you are safe if you use them correctly.
• Hearing Protection Is Just For Pros. Landscapers take ear protection seriously because they are around professional-style mowers for more than forty hours a week. On the other hand, most weekend mowers think they are not at risk with the mower noise. Thus, they think they do not need ear plugs or muffs. Well, this assumption is false and dangerous.

NB: Hearing damage is cumulative, especially when the noise is steady from a mower. However, it takes some time before it is apparent. But the hearing effects are real and will happen if you ignore ear protection.

Can You Listen to Music While Mowing the Lawn?

Yes. It is possible to listen to music while mowing the lawn. Comfortable ear plugs are safe for your ears, whether in a quiet place or around a noisy mower.

However, it would be best to manage the related risks as listening to music while mowing the yard can be bad and painful for your hearing.

Besides, the primary argument against using headphones to listen to music is that you’ll be less aware of your surroundings.

In addition, operating your gadget to change apps or songs will distract you from the job and even cause an accident.

• You will not hear when the mower hits an obstruction and thus an increased risk of a failed mower. Even worse, it is easy to spit the object out and hit yourself or another nearby person.
• It is possible to turn quickly and hit someone, especially when using a zero-turn ride-on mower that can turn on a dime.
• You could come out into the road or street when mowing on a busy street, try to turn around the mower and head back, and miss a car because you did not hear their engine.

Fortunately, it is possible to control the above hazards. Better still, you can listen to your music while operating loud outdoor appliances and keep safe.

• Assess if you are ready and fit for the lawn mowing project. Are you hungover? Did you have too much coffee? Did you get enough rest? This way, you’ll avoid being absent-minded while working and thus hurt yourself.
• Go to the project area and get a good view of potential hazards. Check for anything different or new and obstructions like chairs, bikes, and toys. Also, confirm with the weather forecast for rains as they make the ground slippery and risky.
• Consider whether the surrounding area is dangerous and needs blocking off. Say, you can put some orange cones to warn drivers and bike riders when mowing a cul-de-sand with a grass island. Likewise, put a warning sign when working in a backyard without a fence.
• Evaluate if you have the correct protective gear. For example, it would be safe to have eye protection, closed-in shoes, and ear protection. In addition, you can add some gloves and long pants for added safety.
• Take a break and have some water when you feel tired and agitated. Also, feel free to come even 30 minutes later after resting.
• Read the user manual if you are a first-time mower. In addition, please do not be in a hurry to complete the work. Just go slow!

NB: The above tips sound like a lot of work. But better safe than sorry! You wouldn’t want to be among the many people who suffer injuries from outdoor power tools at home.

Additionally, it would be safer to go for the best lawn mowing headphones if you must listen to music.

You can consider the 3M WorkTunes Bluetooth hearing protection as it offers excellent noise isolation and good sound quality.

Other traits for excellent lawn mowing headphones are:

• You can hear the podcast, music, or phone call over the mower’s engine noise without blasting the sound volume. This scenario is possible if you have ear plugs and earmuffs with in-built Bluetooth connectivity.
• The headphones are comfortable in your ears and do not fall off when you move your head around during mowing.
• The equipment should be wireless with an ideal battery life of about ten-plus hours.
• Lawn mowing headphones should withstand rough handling as you’ll use them in dusty, dirty, and wet environments.

It would be best to forego the music if you cannot follow through with the above instructions.

Otherwise, you will have all the noise exposure from the power tool in addition to full-blast music.

How Long Does it Take to Get Hearing Damage From a Lawn Mower?

Sound ranging from 95 to 100-decibel range can damage your hearing in as little as 15 minutes. Unfortunately, most power tools for lawn mowing produce noise within this range.

Therefore, it is prudent to adhere to the recommended safety tips and embrace ear protection. Otherwise, you’ll soon have noise-induced hearing loss.

Your ears have cilia, tiny hair cells that convert sound waves into electrical energy that moves through the auditory nerve to the brain, which interprets the sound.

Further, loud sounds damage these cells, and since they do not regenerate, you’ll have noise-induced hearing loss.

Noise-induced hearing loss is irreversible and permanent. However, it is possible to avoid this condition by avoiding long exposure to sounds over 85 decibels.

And please get ear protection if you must work with loud equipment.

What are Three Warning Signs of Hearing Loss?

Loss of hearing can be devastating to anyone and might take several years to adjust and to come to terms with the fact that one’s hearing is compromised.

Below are some of the early signs of hearing loss:

You Strain to Listen – and it’s Exhausting!

You are likely to suffer from hearing loss when you strain to listen to conversations, and they are even more exhausted than usual in the evening.

Also, you may have difficulty following through conversations like a bad phone connection or fading radio station.

Believe it or not, hearing is solely a brain activity. Hence, it needs to add more effort to process the sound when you have a compromised auditory system.

Even worse, the brain may not interpret the sound from your inner ear with a broken signal. Hence, listening becomes hectic.

In addition, you will struggle to hear consonant sounds. For instance, did the speaker say throw or show? It is possible to lose your ability to hear high-frequency sounds like S, F, Th, V, K, P, and Sh.

Generally, the above problem is often because of age-related hearing loss or presbycusis. But it is possible to show this symptom if you keep exposing yourself to noise above 85 decibels.

Even worse, you may misunderstand essential parts of a conversation and respond inappropriately.

You Have Ringing in Your Ears

Ringing ears and hearing loss often go hand in hand. Also, the symptom is a result of damage to the auditory system.

So, the brain tries to fill in the missing frequencies it does not receive from the system.

Understanding Conversation in Crowded Places is Increasingly Difficult

Another symptom of hearing loss is the inability to determine speech in noisy environments.

In addition, you may prefer to avoid social situations like impromptu celebrations with friends and family get-togethers where you need to concentrate on the conversation.

Can you remember the last time you heard crickets chirping or birds singing? Also, do you hear when the car’s turn signal blinks? Well, if these queries resonate with you, it is time to check your hearing.

What to Listen to While Mowing?

You can listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks while mowing your lawn. However, it would be best for you to check a few things when choosing a music playlist.

For instance, the songs should be tolerable, so you won’t want to skip any of them. Besides, the song should have enjoyable quality throughout and must be best to listen to on max volume.

In addition, it would be better to recite most of the words, and the song should be starting fast.

Some music playlists for mowing include: ‘Walkin’ on the Sun by Smash Mouth, The Heat is ON by Glenn Frey, Sunburn by Fuel, Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves, I Melt With You by Modern English, and Gimme Some Water by Eddie Money.

Alternatively, you can choose to get some audiobooks. However, please ensure that you consider interesting books.

Select authors that you love listening to and stories that keep you alert. This way, you’ll get maximum inspiration, which will translate into your work.

Popular lawn mowing audiobooks include Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, The Burning Man by Phillip M. Margolin, The Green Mile by Stephen King, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman.

Others include Blood, Sweat, and Tears by Winston S. Churchill, Burnt Offerings by Laurell K. Hamilton, Bataan Death March bt Stanley L. Falk, and The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank by Erma Bombeck.

How Loud Is a Riding Lawn Mower?

A riding lawn mower can produce noise levels of up to 90 decibels, whereas Push mowers are in the high 70s and low 80s range.

Also, this noise level is where the Occupational Health and Safety Administration recommends ear protection. The noise level of normal conversations among individuals is often at 60 decibels.

In addition, the logarithmic formula that calculates decibels doubles sound intercity about every ten decibels.

So, a riding lawn mower is eight times as loud at 90 decibels, while a Push lawn mower is four times as loud at 80 decibels.

Also, this noise is similar to the extremely loud noises of passing cars at a highway speed at ten feet or a blender three feet away.

Worse still, the above levels are just below the 120-decibel rating that works as the threshold of pain. Therefore, it is safe to have earmuffs or ear plugs when operating riding or Push lawn mowers.

Fortunately, it is possible to get electric mowers with a decibel rating below the level of normal conversations.

In addition, cordless electric Push lawn mowers produce noise levels as low as 56 decibels, whereas manual push reel mowers have a 55-decibel rating.

Please note that riding lawn mowers are not the worst offenders in your tool shed. Chainsaws and gas-powered string trimmers can go up to 110 decibels, requiring you to have ear protection.

What Is the Primary Purpose of Hearing Protection?

If you wear h earing protection, you prevent noise-induced hearing loss. so, hearing protection devices reduce the noise energy reaching your inner ear.

Therefore, your hearing cells can easily convert sound waves into electrical energy for interpretation.

It is safe to have PPE for hearing protection for employees working in noise levels equal to or greater than 85 decibels.

Also, it would be best for workers to wear hearing protection correctly for maximum safety.

FAQs

Some of the most prevalent questions around this subject include:

What’s The Best Hearing Protection For Mowing?

Earmuffs and ear plugs are the best hearing protection devices for mowing. Earmuffs are mostly professional tools and more effective than plugs. In addition, they are easy to use, and you put them on like headphones.

The average cost of earmuffs is around 15. The price can go higher depending on product quality. But a greater price does not necessarily translate to better protection. The fit is what matters most.

Remember to check the muff’s cushioning. It should cover your ears and cover your head all the way around. Thus, evaluate the customer reviews if you buy these products online. Better still, ensure that the company has a goods return policy.

Feel free to return earmuffs whenever they turn out to be ill-fitting. Avoid using them as they may keep sliding and expose your ear to damaging sound levels. Thus, you end up using even more money for medical help.

Alternatively, you can go for ear plugs that have foam. They are user-friendly and quite cheap. Roll the plugs between your index fingers and thumb until they can fit your ear. Then, insert them and wait till they expand to fill the ear canal.

Pinch the plug ends and pull slowly during removal. In addition, a box with 200 ear plugs costs a little over 20 and can last a few years. Therefore, it is possible to make a one-time purchase for your five-year lawn maintenance routine.

It is okay to get rigid ear plugs if you do not want to keep rolling the plugs to fit them in your ears. These ear plugs are like little fir trees, with the skinnier top part going into the ear first. However, they are a bit more pricey than the foam type. You need approximately 100 for 100 pairs.

Fortunately, the ear plugs are reusable several times. Thus, the average cost will be the same as foam plugs in the long run. Also, you can buy the rigid plugs a pair at a time for 3 per set if you do not mow often.

Moldable plugs are perhaps the most comfortable hearing protection devices. Heat the ear plugs in boiling water to soften them. Then, let them cool for some time and insert them into your ear not too deep into the ear canal.

What Happens If You Don’t Use Hearing Protection While Mowing?

Regular or continuous exposure to noise levels above 85 decibels causes hearing damage, even if minor. Also, remember that mowers make about this much noise and more. Thus, it is always safe to use ear protection.

Hearing protection keeps the noise from reaching your inner ear. over, you may not notice any hearing loss from a few mowing sessions. However, the constant acoustic assault will take its toll eventually.

Besides, ear damage and hearing loss are cumulative. It happens so gradually and slowly until the results are serious. Fortunately, you can consider seeking help when you notice the signs below:

• Frequent complaints that everyone is mumbling.
• You have to turn the television or radio up louder and louder to hear it.
• It is not possible to hear higher-pitched sounds well.
• You avoid social situations because following through with conversations is difficult and frustrating.
• There is a constant ringing in the ears.
• You have a muffled quality to sound.

My advice? Please use hearing protection while mowing before it is too late. so, it would be best to consider devices that fit for a comfortable lawn mowing session.

Sometimes you may be working for more than three hours. Thus, you need to invest in comfortable earmuffs and ear plugs.

Also, it would be better to always go for devices that cancel noise from the surrounding environment. Otherwise, you will be adding more noise to your ear when you listen to music when mowing.

So What’s the Difference Between Noise-Canceling Headphones and Hearing protection?

Noise-canceling headphones feature a microphone that listens to the ambient sound and then produces a negative sound to cancel out this ambient. The devices use internal electronics and block harmful frequencies from entering your ear.

On the other hand, hearing protection blocks harmful noise from coming into your ears. It uses soundproof materials to isolate your eardrums and prevent hearing loss. And even better, the tools have speakers insides the barrier to play music at a regular volume.

How Do I Reduce the Noise on My Lawn Mower?

The best way to keep the mower from making excess noise, likely to lead to hearing loss is by staying on top of your maintenance game, such as changing your lawn mower blades regularly.

Please keep the engine cooler clean, wash or replace the air filter, and check the spark plug frequently. Also, you can pad the mower’s inside with sound-deadening mats as they absorb vibrations.

so, the products even dampen the noise a washing machine would produce. Better still, it is possible to attach the material outside the motor case to muffle some sounds.

Lastly, you can consider getting quiet mowers such as battery-operated, electric, or Push reel mowers. Also, they are lighter and easy to operate compared to gasoline and noisy lawn mowers.

Why are Lawn Mowers so Loud?

Lawn mowers are so loud because of their internal parts. For instance, the appliances have mufflers that restrict the airflow needed for power. However, these parts make a lot of noise and can cause hearing loss.

Mufflers get hot very fast and easily suffer from cracking and corrosion. so, they feature baffles that sometimes break free and produce a metallic sound. No wonder the too much noise from your lawn mower.

At the same time, the noise may be coming from muffler gaskets. These are metallic pieces between the muffler and the engine. And you will hear sounds and notice gas coming out if they break.

Fortunately, it is possible to manage harmful noise from the mower by checking these parts occasionally. Also, please examine them to confirm that they are in good shape and their correct positions.

Conclusion

The hearing loss association of America shows that one in every five Americans suffers hearing loss. Unfortunately, these numbers increase up to one in every three by 65.

And even worse, over 60 percent of those who experience the conditions get it from work-related tasks like lawn mowing.

So, let’s check out the available safety measures by answering the question:

Should You Wear Ear Protection While Mowing?

A reel mower may not require these devices as it does not produce harmful sound. But it is prudent to wear hearing protection for all your other lawn mowing devices.

Further, please get comfortable devices, especially if you’ll be on your feet for about three to four hours.

The longer you expose yourself to lawn mowing noise, the higher the risk of getting hearing loss. So, always store a pair of earmuffs or ear plugs near the mower to avoid forgetting them.

Rhys Charles

Rhys is a passionate landscaper, a self-proclaimed barbecue expert and the author of this site. He combines his lawnmowing expertise with his engineering background to teach you about how to not just take care of grass, but also the equipment you use.

The pros and cons of electric lawn mowers

Electric lawn mowers have arrived. We lay out the pros and cons of these green yard machines.

Sean Jackson is a creative copywriter living in Florida. He’s had work published with Realtor.com, theScore, ESPN, and the San Francisco Chronicle. In his free time, Sean likes to play drums, fail miserably at improv and spend time at the beach.

Once upon a time, all lawn mowers were gas-burning beasts whose pull-start motors relied as much on elbow grease as internal combustion just to get started. These days you have more options. While big-box stores still have plenty of gas-powered models on display, there’s a growing number of electric mowers available to purchase.

If you’re new to electric lawn mowers, there are some things you should consider before buying one. Electric mowers certainly offer some unique benefits, but they have some performance limitations you will want to be aware of too.

This guide examines both the benefits and drawbacks of electric mowers. By the time you’re done, you’ll hopefully have a sense of whether or not they’re a suitable fit for your specific lawn care needs.

Pro: Quieter operation

Electric mowers can produce up to 75 decibels (think washing machine volume), whereas gasoline mowers are quite a bit louder at 95 decibels (motorcycle volume). If you live in a suburb, an electric mower will be a less disrupting option for your neighbors.

Pro: Less maintenance

One of the biggest perks of electric mowers is there is less maintenance involved. With gas mowers, you have to replace parts annually. Examples are spark plugs, oil and air filters. That’s not the case with electric mowers. And these savings will increase every year, making an electric model more economical.

Pro: Easier to maneuver

Electric lawn mowers are lighter than their gas powered siblings. That means they’re easier to whip around tight corners and navigate through your yard. For example, the EGO Power Plus 56-Volt 21-in Push Cordless Electric Lawn Mower weighs 62.6 pounds after assembly.

Conversely, gasoline lawn mowers can be much heavier. The Craftsman M250 160-cc 21-in Self-Propelled Gas Push Lawn Mower with Honda Engine weighs a hefty 90 pounds. While the self-propelled engine improves maneuverability when you mow, it is still a heavy object to lug around when it is not in operation.

Pro: Cleaner for the environment

Gasoline-powered mowers emit lots of airborne pollutants. According to the California Air Resources Board, one hour of mowing generates the same pollution as driving a car for 300 miles. Indeed, the Environmental Protection Agency states that gas lawn mowers contribute the lion’s share of nonroad-related air pollution generated nationwide.

A clear clean alternative is the electric lawnmower. The Electric Power Research Institute notes if we replaced half the gas-powered lawn mowers with electric ones, it would reduce the same amount of emissions as removing two million vehicles from the road.

Pro: They can be less expensive

If you are looking to save money, electric lawn mowers might be a wise option to consider. Electric models start as low as 88, the price for the 11-inch, 10-amp Electric Hover Walk Behind Push Mower from Sun Joe. However, this model has a relatively narrow cutting width.

Alternatively, for gas-powered mowers tend to start at around 170. For example, the Yardmax 20-inch 166cc OHV Gas Walk Behind Push Mower and 20-inch 125 cc Briggs Stratton Gas Walk Behind models each cost 169 and cut wider swaths of grass.

So saving a little cash also means you’ll take more time and effort to cut the same area than you would with a bigger mower. Generally, the wider the cutting platform, the more money you’ll pay. For instance, the wider Sun Joe Mow Joe 20-inch model will set you back 170 even though it’s an electric model.

Con: Shorter run times

If your yard is more than half an acre, then an electric model might not be the best choice. Many electric mowers, like the Sun Joe Hover Walk Behind model use a cord. It allows you to mow a yard up to a quarter of an acre. However, that tether can also be a hindrance as you work.

Other electric models run on charged batteries and offer runtimes ranging between 20 and 45 minutes. If it takes longer than this to mow your yard, this limitation is a problem. To finish the job, you’ll have to wait for the mower to recharge. A better solution is to keep another charged battery on hand to extend your mowing time. However, that requires you purchase an extra standalone battery.

Con: Not the best for larger yards

For homeowners with hilly or larger yards, finding the right mower can be a challenge. A riding lawn mower like the gas-powered Toro IronForged Deck Zero Turn Riding Lawn Mower will do the job. It has a huge cutting width of 60 inches and will definitely finish big yards quicker.

You can purchase electric riding mowers as well. The Ryobi 42-inch 75ah Battery Electric Riding Zero Turn Mower offers a decent cutting width of 42 inches. Still, if you have a yard encompassing multiple acres, it will take you longer to finish the job with an electric model like this one.

Con: They are not as powerful

When shopping for a mower, one thing to consider is its torque rating. Torque is the driving force behind a blade’s rotational movement. Electric lawn mowers generate substantially less torque on average than a gas mower does. It means a gas mower will be a much better choice to tackle challenging terrains like hills and dips.

Overall, the lawn mower market continues to expand with diverse offerings. For homeowners with larger yards, gas-powered mowers will still be the best fit, as they have the durability and power to tackle large projects with ease.

Meanwhile, if you want to reduce your carbon footprint, then an electric lawn mower is the wise way to go. Either route you take can help you gain a healthy-looking lawn that boosts the curb appeal and value of your home.

In the meantime, here are some other tips to keep your yard looking great:

Why Are Lawn Mowers So Loud? Causes solutions

Yea, I hear ya, the sound of a mower at full tilt, especially early in the morning can feel like an attack on the senses. Surely if they can make a truck quiet, they can make a mower quiet, right?

So why are their lawnmowers so loud? Mowers are loud because mufflers fitted to most engines are a cheap basic type known as – Absorptive type mufflers, they create very little gas flow restriction which is great for power but bad for noise.

Manufacturers could make a mower less noisy, but they don’t because they don’t want to sacrifice cost and engine power.

The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) which is the association of outdoor equipment makers, decided voluntarily back in 1974 to set a noise level target of 95dcb for mowers.

Noise Source and Solutions

Although the engine makes most of the noise you associate with a mower, a surprising amount comes from a spinning blade, much like the blades of a helicopter cutting through the air. Next time you see an electric mower stop and listen, most of the noise you hear is the blade cutting through air and grass. Electric mowers are not as quiet as you might think.

Anyhow mower noise comes from four main sources, listed below are possible solutions for excessive noise. If looking to go below 20 decibels, I suggest a donkey.

Exhaust/Muffler – Exhaust heatshields become loose and baffle inside become loose also. To test, give the muffler a tap with the handle of a screwdriver and listen for the tell-tale rattle.

Check your Muffler for damage, these guys get very hot and are prone to cracking and corrosion.

You already know mowers cause lots of vibration, and stuff just comes loose, that’s why it’s a good idea to check over your mower regularly looking for loose stuff. The baffles live inside the muffler and sometimes break free causing a thin metallic-sounding rattle. Mufflers get really hot and vibration can cause them to crack. They can be repaired by your local muffler shop.

Gaskets – Gaskets are used to mate the muffler to the engine. They create a seal, and as you can imagine when it breaks down you get lots of noise and fumes. Gaskets are easy to replace.

Blade Noise – Blades make a surprising amount of noise. Blade tips cut through the air at over 200 mph and most lawn tractors will have 2 and maybe 3 blades.

Bare Metal – The underside of mower decks is just painted. Debris thrown against the deck resonates like a bell.

You can DIY this one, at the auto parts store you can buy spray-on bed liner which adds sound deadening and metal protection to your deck.

Just make sure the deck is clean and dry before painting outdoors. You can check out a video on that subject right here.

Also, try sticking sheets of self-adhesive bitumen car sound deadening material in a few places on the deck topside. You can pick these up in an auto parts store. Sure it might look a little odd, but it does help.

Engine – Obviously the engine is a major contributor to noise levels. Valves, rockers, camshaft, crankshaft, and especially the fan (located on top of the engine) can be considerable. There are things you can do to help minimize the noise. Valve lash should be checked and adjusted every year, it doesn’t take long. Not only will it cut down on noise, but it’ll also give you more power and better gas mileage.

Engine Fan – Most small engines don’t have coolant they are air-cooled and so they need a fan to pull cool air across the engine, and fans are noisy.

Check out “Valve lash adjustment”, it’s for a walk-behind mower, but the process is the same for any OHV engine. Engine oil is another opportunity to help reduce noise. When oil gets old it gets thin which causes engine ratel. Your mower needs a tune-up at the beginning of every season. Check out “Tractor mower tune-up”.

Valve Lash – Valvetrain will be noisy if there’s excessive lash.

Of course, your engine may rattle because it’s worn, if you think that may be possible, try using a thicker oil or try Lucas oil treatment, it’s great stuff, you will notice a quieter engine, I promise. The engine fan is needed to cool the engine, so it’s got to stay. But try putting self-adhesive bitumen on the underside of the hood, really does help reduce noise.

Body – Body panels, deck linkages levers, etc. will rattle and squeak as the engine and blades cause them to vibrate. Greasing all-metal deck arm contact points will reduce noise, spraying with WD40 will help also.

Check your hood and seat rubber stops, replace them with a DIY fix if needed. Run a blade down some old rubber hosing, great for pushing onto the edge of a rattling hood, MacGyver style.

Linkages – Keep all the metal-to-metal links well-greased, it helps dampen rattling and squeaks. Check that the rubber hood and seat stops are in place.

Muffler Types

The two main types of exhaust mufflers are – Absorptive mufflers and Reflective mufflers. Most mowers are fitted with the less expensive absorptive type muffler. So what is the difference between the cheap one and the more expensive one? Design, materials used, and execution.

Absorptive Mufflers

An absorptive muffler is a very basic muffler, probably the one fitted to your mower. It doesn’t use any clever engineering, it does a poor job of noise reducing. It will usually incorporate a spark arrester, which is a mesh screen that catches any sparks that might exit the engine.

This muffler causes a very little restriction to gas flow which is great for power, that’s why racing cars are so noisy. This type of muffler is fitted to most lawnmower engines.

Reflective Mufflers

Reflective mufflers or resonators – Engineered to kill noise using clever acoustic engineering. Sound waves are pushed through perforated baffles in resonating chambers where some noise is canceled out, known as Destructive interference. Special acoustic suppression temperature resistant material (not unlike rock-wool) is sandwiched between the chambers and the exhaust outer casing, this further suppresses noise.

The larger the muffler the quieter the motor, that’s why high-end luxury cars have very large mufflers. The downside to this type of muffler is flow restriction – the baffles and chambers cause restriction to the flow of gases which in turn causes backpressure, and backpressure reduces the power of the engine.

Super Quiet Lawn Mower Mufflers

Here’s a possible solution it’s the Super Trapp Quiet Muffler, I haven’t used it so I can’t comment first hand, but doing some research, it seems to do the business. Check out the YouTube video below. The Super Trapp is a Reflective muffler type, it uses witchcraft and wizardry to make an engine as quiet as a cricket.

Mufflers – Some makers do a better job than others, John Deere mufflers do a first-class job.

Lawn Mower Louder Than Usual

Mowers create a lot of noise and vibration, the engine and spinning blades set up vibrations that over time will start to pull your mower apart. A lawnmower can make many different types of noises, they can be squeals, squeaks, constant howls, cyclical noise, or just a general harsh roughness. Some noises are just impossible to describe and I know describing noises may not be useful to some.

What is useful, is to see when the noise is present, is it present as soon as you start the mower, or only when you are driving, or maybe only when the blades are engaged. This kind of detective work will help you find and fix the problem quickly.

If you need a new muffler check out the Amazon link below.

Check

If you feel your mower is louder than normal, you can check a few of the more common noise sources. Some of these won’t apply to walk behind mowers but most will.

• Oil level ok?
• Blade(s) loose (cyclical noise)
• Muffler or brackets loose (loud roar/rattling)
• Muffler gasket leaks (loud roar)
• Muffler cracked or broken (loud roar)
• Hood loose or contacting the body (rattling)
• Seat brackets loose or rubber bushing worn/missing (rattling)
• Debris caught in the drive line (cyclical noise)
• Belt pulley bearings worn (harshness/howl)
• Blade spindle bearings worn (harshness/howl)
• Belt worn/damaged (cyclical noise)
• PTO clutch worn (harshness/howl) (Tractor/Ride-on)
• Deck carrying arms loose/dry (rattling)
• Wheel bearings dry (squeal/Squeak)
• Steering dry (squeal/Squeak)
• Transmission worn (harshness/howl)

This isn’t a complete list, and as you can imagine there are many possibilities, but these are the more usual causes of noise.

Blade Spindle

Blade spindles transfer the power to the blades. They are bolted to the deck and have bearings on top and bottom to provide smooth spinning.

The bearings wear out and can cause a howling roar when the blades are on. The bearings can be replaced, but often replacing the whole spindle makes more sense.

Pulleys

Pulleys are used to drive and route belts around the chassis. Most will have bearings and they’re the ones that cause trouble. They’re a common source of noise.

Generally, if you have a worn-out belt, then chances are one or more pulleys are also worn, and vice versa. Pulleys are fitted to the driving belt and also to the cutting deck belt system.

Most pulleys employ integrated bearings but some are replaceable.

Belt Wear

Belt wear or damage will cause a cyclical noise as the damaged area contacts the pulleys. Damaged cutting deck belts will also cause lots of vibration.

Hey, I’m John, and I’m a Red Seal Qualified Service Technician with over twenty-five years experience.

I’ve worked on all types of mechanical equipment, from cars to grass machinery, and this site is where I share fluff-free hacks, tips, and insider know-how.

And the best part. it’s free!