The neighbor's air conditioner interferes with sleep, what to do
Air conditioning in an apartment building causes a lot of inconvenience to neighbors during the hot season. As you know, the windows are almost always open and the noises that this equipment makes greatly interfere with night sleep. If its noise at night exceeds 60 dB, you should contact the housing inspectorate.
The municipal commission must consider the appeal and determine the existence of an administrative violation, based on the regulations of the regional level.
No need to answer noisy neighbors with the same and spitefully turn on loud music, surf the walls and shout, and even more so use physical force. Such methods will put you in the ranks of the offenders, which carries a certain responsibility.
Noise as an irritant and its impact on people
Scientists have proven that noise is a health hazard. It causes a number of different diseases, such as hearing loss, deafness, people begin to suffer from insomnia, as well as cardiovascular disorders, all of which are a consequence of the effects of noise on the body. For vibration, you can contact our laboratory "EcoTestExpress".
Under the constant influence of noise, the pulse and breathing can become more frequent, the psyche is disturbed. Scientists have also proven that a person's presence in noise becomes the cause of his aggressiveness. A person cannot get used to the noise, it also reduces the efficiency and productivity of labor. Recent studies have shown that high saturation of sound can also cause various pain sensations. Therefore, when coming home, each of us just wants to be in silence, without being distracted by annoying sounds.
Measurement of the noise level in the apartment
The most common problem for large apartment buildings is the noisy neighborhood, which can cause great inconvenience.
And what is important, knowledge is needed precisely to solve the problem in accordance with the law. Therefore, we will deal with this issue below.
One of these provisions is that you can make noise in the apartment of your neighbors from 9 am to 11 pm. In this case, the noise should not be more than 40 decibels. And this figure is easy to determine with the help of a special device.
As for the night time, here the noise in the living room should be limited to 30 decibels. But again, it is initially worth clarifying this issue with the local administration.
How much noise can you make in an apartment and what to do if the neighbors from above disturb your peace?
It’s good if people living in adjacent apartments follow the rules of conduct and try not to disturb the neighbors too much, but if lovers of noisy celebrations and loud music have settled nearby ... Dear readers! The article talks about typical ways to solve legal issues, but each case is individual.
If you want to know how to solve your particular problem, please contact a consultant: Based on the simplest technical provisions, the noise from neighboring apartments, both from above and from below, should not disturb peace at night, that is, from 23 pm and until 7 am. During the day, neighbors have the right to behave as they please, including making noise, practically legally, so there is nothing to do here, you have to put up with it or try to negotiate with them on a personal contact. Officials can be fined in the range of 10-20 thousand rubles.
Permissible noise levels by law
The list of sanitary standards contains separate items regarding the permitted noise level. According to it, it is forbidden to exceed the noise by more than 40 decibels during the day, and by 30 at night.
In the regions, the rules may vary slightly, but for the most part, everyone obeys the same laws. You can not make noise after 22:00 and before 07:00 (or until 09:00).
Noise of music
It is important that the noise from the music does not exceed 30 decibels - not only at night, but also during the day. On holidays, when you want to turn on your favorite songs at full capacity, it is also forbidden to exceed this rate.
If the rule is observed, then listening to music is allowed all night long.
Repair work
The noise of the renovation of neighbors delivers many times more discomfort than the sounds of music or TV. A set of rules regarding the repair has been created. In simple terms, they boil down to the following:
- the duration of the repair without interruption should not exceed 6 hours. During this time, you must definitely take at least 1 break, not less than 60 minutes;
- it is forbidden to start construction work before 09:00, and it must be completed before 22:00;
- any work accompanied by noise is prohibited both on official holidays and on weekends;
- without special permission from the authorities, construction work cannot be carried out for more than 3 consecutive months;
- tools that generate noise over 40 decibels are prohibited.
Before carrying out repairs, ideally, you just need to calmly talk with your neighbors, explain how long the process will last. A simple human conversation can save you from many grievances and trials.
Noise level measurement
Words alone are not enough to accuse neighbors of an excessively loud lifestyle. Modern instruments help to determine the noise level.
Professional sound level meter
Simple budget sound level meters, which cost about 3,000 rubles, show very inaccurate data that cannot be relied upon when studying noise. Real professional devices are many times more expensive, and for the sake of one measurement there is simply no point in buying them.
Nevertheless, if there is such a sound level meter, then it is important to remember that if it shows 0, then this does not mean silence. The number 0 means that it does not perceive this range - for example, the noise level for the device is prohibitive, and it will show a zero mark
Noise measurement programs and applications
To measure, you need a program or application, as well as a high-quality microphone. You can connect a purchased microphone to a desktop computer. Smartphones and laptops have it built-in.
For smartphones, there is a handy Smart Tools app. The only thing to consider is the lower quality microphones on smartphones, which usually reduces the accuracy of the sound measurement by about 5 decibels.
A few more programs:
- for Windows: Decibel Meter Pro;
- for Android >
Call a specialist
In case of violation of the rules, you can contact the housing office
It is important to understand that neighbors are not required to open the door for them, and may refuse to talk. And the employees themselves have the right to issue a warning
Contacting the police and the prosecutor's office is another option to influence noisy neighbors, however, these law enforcement agencies are also only able to issue a warning and record the call.
Contacting Rospotrebnadzor
To measure noise, it is best to contact Rospotrebnadzor. After the procedure, this organization will hand over a document that will be a weighty argument during the trial.
To send an employee, you need to write an application. The examination is carried out at a time when neighbors like to make noise.
When Rospotrebnadzor refuses to examine, you should contact independent experts. The main thing is to check the documents and license for the right to engage in this activity. Otherwise, the application will not be valid during the trial.
What is noise and how does it affect the human body
By noise it is customary to mean chaotic sound vibrations that differ in frequency and intensity (however, from the point of view of physiology, any sound perceived negatively can be considered such).
Sources of loud sounds are conventionally divided into:
- Mechanical.
- Hydraulic.
- Aerodynamic.
- Electrical.
Initially, it was understood that excessive noise in the workplace or in the living room affects only the function of hearing.
So you can deal with the noise of a perforator without measurements.
Gather the following evidence to go to court:
- district police protocol;
- a certificate from a representative of the housing office about the facts of violation of silence;
- testimonies of affected neighbors;
- evidence of repeated neighbor warnings;
- video, audio recording of noise.
And even measurements are not necessary to achieve justice.
An example of this is the decision of the Tomsk court to impose a fine on a lover of loud music, which, according to him, sounds within the normal range. But, since normative music still annoyed the neighbors, the court considered it unacceptable.
In addition to administrative punishment, an extreme measure may even follow - eviction from the apartment (293 Art.
play the ukulele
to play on drums
play "Jingle Bells" on the piano
determine what key the song is in
What are the dangers of increased noise levels?
Irritation from noise has a cumulative effect, therefore the impact of it is insidious, because it does not appear immediately. As a rule, a person is completely defenseless against such a danger.
The regular impact of noise on the body causes bouts of insomnia, increases blood pressure. Over a long period, the formation of a process to reduce hearing acuity takes place. In this case, the disease is almost irreversible.
Increased aggression, low concentration - the consequences of systematic exposure to high volume. The result is an unsatisfactory level of labor productivity.
Watch the video: "Why it's hard to get punished for noise."
It is necessary to fight against an overestimated noise threshold, but the process, purely legally, is lengthy and complex. As a result, relations with neighbors will be ruined forever. The most reasonable solution in this situation is to seek a compromise that will satisfy both parties.
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Photo sound level meters
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What are the noise standards in the apartment
There are certain criteria that determine the permissible noise level in the apartment. If the level of permissible noise in a residential area begins to rise, this can become a significant cause for concern for residents, as well as cause a change in their functional state.
- In the daytime, the equivalent noise level reaches 40 - 55 decibels
- At night, the equivalent noise level should not exceed 30 - 45 decibels
According to these indicators, it is possible to conduct a study of the noise level in the apartment. There are also different types of noise, which depend on the sources. The root causes of external noise in a residential building can be called construction work, vehicles, industrial plants, advertising sound-reproducing installations. Internal sources of noise include those that are directly in the room. Internal sources of noise can be office rooms, shops and various workshops.
- 22 decibels - this level is characterized as silence, it is worth noting that such a noise frequency does not occur in natural conditions.
- An indicator of 25-26 decibels - at this level, the noise is barely distinguishable, it can be in an apartment with sufficient sound insulation and in a quiet place.
- An indicator from 30 decibels to 36 decibels - the room is very quiet, but the noises are already audible. Such a noise level can be at night in an apartment, for example, when a washing machine is running, or at night in a room in which the windows overlook the roadway.
- An indicator of 40-45 decibels - such noise is faintly audible (insignificant) but exceeds the background by 3-5 decibels. Such a noise level is possible in a room with a computer turned on, also with street noise.
- An indicator of 46-59 decibels is a normal noise level that still does not violate comfort conditions. It is worth noting that this level is exactly the one within which we find ourselves every day.
- An indicator of 60-75 decibels is already a fairly loud noise level, such indicators go beyond comfortable. Such a level of noise can be in the trading floor, noise near the ventilation chambers, the sound of the TV at an average volume, as well as the conversation of nearby people.
- An indicator of 78-114 decibels is considered a very loud noise, it can most often be heard: on the side of the highway, with a loud conversation of a company of people, inside a moving car, when a special vehicle siren is working, when several generators are working.
- An indicator of 120 decibels is already a pain threshold for a person.
- An indicator of 130 decibels is unbearable noise, it is possible to be in such conditions only in headphones. An example is the noise from an aircraft jet engine.
- An indicator of 180 decibels is fatal for a person; such noise can be caused by a powerful explosion.
Based on this, one question arises how to measure the noise level in an apartment in order to know whether it is hazardous to health or not. To do this, contact the EcoTestExpress laboratory, the laboratory specialists will help to examine the noise level in the apartment or, and show what consequences it has and how it affects the residents of the apartment
It is worth noting that the fight against the causes (which cause noise in the apartment) is very difficult. Unfortunately, in some situations, noise sources will not disappear, but it is possible to reduce their effect on the human body. Measuring the noise in the apartment will help us determine what level we are dealing with, and then determine all possible ways to solve this problem, because it's no secret to anyone that when a person comes home after a hard day's work, he has one desire - to relax and sit in silence.
It should be noted that the permissible noise level in the apartment is up to 55 decibels during the day, and up to 45 decibels at night. If your apartment is located above a store or other office space and it seems to you that there is a very high noise level in your apartment, you have every right to measure the noise in the apartment in Rospotrebnadzor.
It is necessary to measure the noise level in the apartment with any minimal disturbance, because peace and quiet is the key to health. After measuring and identifying irritants, it is imperative to eliminate them. For example, if you suspect that the sources of noise in your apartment are internal irritants, such as noise from an elevator or a garbage chute, then be sure to resort to complaints to the construction company, and it will measure the noise level in the apartment at its own expense with the help of Rospotrebnadzor.
After familiarizing you with the conclusion, the above campaign will be obliged to eliminate all irritants, but if this does not happen within the agreed period, then you can safely go to the growth supervision. The noise in the apartment is also measured or carried out by the private laboratory EcoTestExpress.
We turn to professionals
How to measure the noise level from neighbors or from a street store professionally and reliably if our arguments and conversations with them do not help.
We contact the local Rospotrebnadzor. Its functions include checking the requirements of the legislation on sanitary standards.
He makes checks and measurements in the following cases:
- interfere with fans and refrigerators of catering and trade enterprises, outdoor air conditioning and cooling systems;
- loud music from restaurants and other entertainment firms;
- the engineering and plumbing equipment of the building rattles and vibrates: pumps, elevators, transformers, etc.
Rospotrebnadzor does not measure noisy neighbors!
Sanitary and epidemiological station (SES) prepares measurements in the apartment and draws up a certificate for the court. Phone 8(800)775-16-47.
Often it is enough to reduce the vibration of the wheel and rails, which is achieved by improving their design. Also, improved brake designs help reduce noise.
The design of the railway as a whole also affects noise.
For example, installing noise barriers, similar to those around highways, helps reduce noise. Mounds of gravel around the rails also absorb sound.
Some noise pollution associated with railways is unavoidable. For example, an audible signaling system at railroad crossings is essential and helps prevent accidents. In conditions of poor visibility, it is thanks to her that pedestrians and drivers know about the approach of the train.
It is not so noticeable during the day, when there is so much noise around, but it is very well audible at night. Noise in residential areas is also often caused by loud music in homes, bars and restaurants.
wind turbines
The low-frequency noise they produce interferes with sleep and causes headaches and other symptoms in people living near the turbines, according to organizations that oversee the operation of wind turbine power companies.
These problems are so serious that people often leave their homes and leave to get rid of this noise. Proponents of wind energy, on the contrary, argue that these problems are not caused by noise directly, but by the nocebo effect. That is, the problems are not caused by the sound itself, but by the expectation that these problems should appear. At the moment, there are no long-term studies of this issue to understand who is right.
Applications are easy to use and available to anyone.
However, the results of such a measurement will not have strong legal force in litigation, since the examination must take into account many factors that are not recorded by the tenant when independently measuring the noise level using a computer application.
What to do when there is constant noise
If the neighbors are noisy and they are not interested in the discontent of other people, then you should file a lawsuit. Before that, it is desirable to perform 4 steps:
- Gather evidence of violations of the noise law. This can be helped by special devices for measuring decibels or by contacting special supervisory authorities.
- It will not be superfluous to check with the builders and the organization conducting the work, permits. Her absence will be a plus in the proceedings in court.
- Surely there will be other neighbors who are dissatisfied with annoying noise. You need to enlist their support and write a complaint together.
- Call a district police officer who will document the noise, which will help with further analysis in court.
At night, all sounds are heard much stronger, which often causes quarrels between neighbors.
How to measure the noise level in a residential area
Noisy neighbors, construction outside the window, working household appliances - all this can create an acoustic background, from unpleasant to physically palpable.
You need to try to fix the problem, but first you should measure the noise level.
That is, even if the sound level threatens hearing loss, people do not notice it.That is why in situations where people are exposed to loud sound for a long time, the sound level is measured with special devices to make sure that this level does not exceed the norm.
Usually these are sound level meters. Most of them are portable and can be purchased at an affordable price.
Sound dosimeters
If it is necessary to measure not only the sound level at the moment, but also the total dose of noise exposure over a certain period of time, sound dosimeters are used. Since hearing damage is often due to prolonged exposure to loud sounds, dosimeters help determine whether people working in noisy environments need to wear ear protectors or earplugs.
- Professional sound level meter
- Special computer programs
- Contacting Rospotrebnadzor
- Engagement of specialists
- Responsibility for exceeding
- Noisy Neighbors: Troubleshooting
Noise level in decibels in residential premises
- private rooms, apartments, MKD and buildings in which it is allowed to live;
- rest houses and boarding houses;
- complexes for the elderly and disabled;
- bedrooms in kindergartens and boarding schools.
For this category of real estate, the law provides for a permissible maximum noise level of 45 dB at night and 55 decibels during the day. For hotels and hostels, it is established in the regulations that loud sounds can be made in the evening up to 50, and in the morning 60 dB.
What is the noise level compared to?
In order to clearly understand the analogies of sounds with generally accepted sources, you should familiarize yourself with the table where you can compare the noise level of 40 dB with its increased values:
Table 1.
Signal size, decibel (dB) | Similar characteristics |
---|---|
25-40 | Human speech in a whisper |
37-59 | A stream of water pouring into a metal container |
82 | piano music |
40-45 | Working medium power air conditioner |
34-42 | Refrigerator of the old model in the start mode |
50-70 | Human/baby crying |
37-45 | Engine noise from a running elevator |
50-70 | Industrial hum in crowded places (supermarket, market) |
90-100 | Locomotive traveling 500 meters |
85-115 | Music produced by special equipment equipped with speakers and stereo effect |
70-80 | Household hair dryer in dry mode |
120-140 | Working perforator, hammer, chainsaw |
60-70 | Spin program for a loose washing machine |
120-140 | Take off / landing of the aircraft at a distance of 500 meters from the apartment |
Silence Law
You are constantly getting noise in the apartment. The law is on your side. If your neighbors regularly interfere with your peace of mind, and noise is heard from their apartment, there is a chance to resolve the issue peacefully.
Try to discuss this unpleasant nuance with them, this usually leads to positive results. However, it happens that noisy sounds are heard not from a neighbor’s apartment, but from a building located near your house.
24-hour bar in a residential building
Buildings that house nightclubs, shopping malls with voice-over advertising outside, parking lots where car alarms go off on a regular basis, cause much more trouble than noisy residents of the house.
Under such circumstances, it is necessary to turn to jurisprudence.
It’s worth starting with studying the law “On the Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare of Citizens”, or rather, its section, which describes the norms of silence.
Noise has a certain level, or rather a decibel. A special device can measure the level of noisy sounds. In the daytime, the decibel indicator should not exceed 40.
As for the night, here the noise level is allowed up to 30 decibels. If you just give the decibel figure to the culprit, it will not work.
Consider, for example, the noises that we hear daily in our apartment:
- Vehicle alarm - 99 dB
- Neighbor's alarm clock - 75 dB
- Home theater at full volume - 110 dB
- Loud scream - 90 dB
- Playing a musical instrument - 85 dB
- Raised conversation ―80 dB
- Busy street - 70 dB and so on.
There are many such examples, which means that our rights to silence are regularly violated.
When Examination Is Pointless
There are situations in which it is pointless to carry out an examination or noise measurement, even if the rules have been violated. There are a number of reasons that no one can control, for example, the crying of a child. It cannot be controlled, which means that there is no violation as such.
If you really are faced with such a problem, then you should understand the reasons and do everything possible to resolve the conflict. It is better not to bring the matter to court, but to try to resolve everything peacefully. Even if the noise disappears, it is only with good relations between you and the neighbors, so choose the right solutions.
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The apartment is our fortress, which protects us from a huge number of various external stimuli. Unfortunately, very often such a factor as noise prevents you from fully relaxing after a hard day's work. It is worth noting that residents of large cities suffer the most from noise. Recently, even various noise-insulating devices cannot fully protect against this scourge. First, let's define what noise is.
Noise is random fluctuations of a diverse physical nature, which differ in the complexity of temporal and spectral characteristics. Today, noise is one of the causes of environmental pollution.
What level is considered abnormal
The legislation of the Russian Federation protects citizens from unfavorable sanitary conditions. One of the indicators of the norm of a prosperous environment is the noise level (Article 23 of the Federal Law of 1999 No. 52).
The law distinguishes the following noise levels:
- inside the dwelling;
- external noise;
- external noise from the railway.
External noise in houses located near the railway may exceed the norm by 10 decibels.
However, the most popular subject of controversy is the noise from the apartment of neighbors in apartment buildings. If comfortable living in a residential area is not possible due to restless neighbors, measures must be taken.
The noise level in the apartment is the norm according to the law in st. petersburg
The amount of the fine for violating the “quiet law” as amended for repairs:
- for citizens - from 1000 to 3000 rubles;
- for officials - from 5,000 to 10,000 rubles;
- for legal entities - from 10,000 to 30,000 rubles.
Latest news The State Duma has a draft of a new “federal law on silence” in apartment buildings, which is designed to streamline regional norms and consolidate provisions on protecting the peace of citizens in the Housing Code of the Russian Federation and the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.
In particular, the document proposes to establish the official night time from 22:00 to 06:00.
The fact that responsibility for violators of the norms of silence is now fixed only at the regional level, negatively affects the implementation of these laws, including the one in force in St. Petersburg.
"silence law" in st. petersburg - how does it work?
This includes musical instruments, screaming, stomping, whistling and other noisy activities. The law contains exceptions to the above rules that allow noise in an apartment building at night. These are the situations:
- actions aimed at recovery after natural disasters and emergencies. This includes crime prevention. For example, if your car was broken into by intruders and the alarm system went off, this is not considered a violation of the silence;
- cultural events and holding official holidays.
Permissible noise level The noise level in an apartment is measured in decibels.
If you think that the neighbors are violating the norms established by law, call Rospotrebnadzor or the sanitary and epidemiological service. They will measure the noise level and give you the appropriate act.
The law on silence and noise in the apartment at night
The only exception is the celebration of the New Year. From 23:00 on December 31 to 04:00 on January 1, fireworks can be fired - such actions will not violate the law of St. Petersburg on silence at night and on weekends in 2017.
More serious liability in terms of money is provided for construction, repair and loading works, if they violate the peace of citizens at night. An exception is provided only when it comes to cleaning and loading snow.
The “law on silence” in St. Petersburg does not apply to actions aimed at eliminating emergencies, natural disasters and accidents, as well as actions to protect personal and public safety.
Legal entities holding agreed mass cultural events or religious rites within the framework of canonical requirements are released from liability for disturbing the night's rest.
Silence law in st. petersburg - how to protect your sleep
Petersburg" prohibits: • The use of any devices that produce loud sounds (TVs, radios, tape recorders, other sound-reproducing devices) that violated the peace and quiet of citizens at night; • Shouting, whistling, knocking, moving furniture, singing, playing musical instruments and other actions that violated the peace and quiet of citizens at night; • The use of pyrotechnics (firecrackers, rocket launchers and others), which caused a violation of the peace and quiet of citizens at night; • Production of repair and construction, unloading and loading operations, which caused a violation of the peace and quiet of citizens at night; • Commitment of actions that violate the peace and quiet of citizens in apartment buildings on weekends and non-working national holidays from 8.00 to 12.00, including repair, construction, loading and unloading and other works.
Laws on silence” in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other regions can only correct these time frames in the direction of expansion, that is, tighten the requirements for observing the peace and quiet of citizens at night.
The law of St. Petersburg The peace and quiet of the inhabitants of the northern capital is protected by the regional Law N 273-70 "On Administrative Offenses" (as amended on November 29, 2017), in which two articles 8 and 38 are devoted to the regulation of this issue.
It will also operate in 2018. Petersburg law expands the time that is considered "night". Unlike federal regulations, it starts at 22:00 and ends at 8:00. Morning time on non-working holidays (8.00 to 12.00 hours) is also equated to “night time”.
Repair work
A separate item is the repair work. This is much more of an annoyance than loud music or TV, so there is a separate set of rules in the law regarding this issue. Violation of these rules can lead not only to a fine, but also to serious liability. Therefore, observe the following rules so as not to end up in an unpleasant situation:
- Do not carry out repairs or construction work on weekends and holidays;
- You can start construction work no earlier than 9 am, and finish no later than 11 am;
- The average duration of a repair cannot exceed six hours. In this case, it is necessary to take a break for at least an hour;
- The tools used must not create noise greater than 40 decibels;
- Construction cannot last more than three months. Otherwise, you will need to obtain special permission from the authorities;
- Before redevelopment of the apartment, you will need to obtain permits;
- Construction debris should not be located in general areas, as well as blocking exits for other citizens.
It is best if you warn the neighbors about the renovation and discuss this issue so that they do not have to conduct an examination of the noise level and start proceedings with you.
The effect of sound on the body
Studies by scientists have shown that constant noise not only interferes with proper rest, but is also dangerous to health.
It is impossible to get used to regular exposure to extraneous sounds.
Liability for violation
For non-compliance with the law on the level of noise, a person may be held liable.
- There are the following places where the reproduction of loud noise is punishable by law:
- Apartment buildings, as well as premises in them;
- Adjoining territories;
- Premises belonging to medical, cultural, recreational institutions;
- Territories belonging to dacha communities.
Liability is carried out within the framework of administrative proceedings.
In order to bring the prescribed liability to measures, an authorized employee must draw up a procedural document - a protocol.