Measure noise with a decibel meter

A local St Albans resident found this illustration of decibel levels on pinterest on a site called Boomspeaker. This illustration brings it home how hazardous noise can be at higher levels. The cone-like diagram covers sound from a whispering level to a painful high level at the top.

It is difficult to know just from hearing, how loud a sound really is. For those interested in noise levels, it is possible to buy a hand-held decibel meter. For example, Bunnings offers a handheld digital sound level meter for as little as $36 (and other options are available). A free app called Decibel X is available (alongside others) for iPhones on the App store and for Android phones on Google Play.