Summer afternoon meal:
Dad mows the lawn, the junior takes a shower, and mum turns on the dishwasher. We register these three sources of noise rather marginally. But there are people, who care deeply about it, how much noise is generated in such everyday activities.
On-site appointment in Nuremberg. The noise detectives of the Bavarian State Trade Institute (LGA) are on the trail of the noise, and the sensitive microphones in their labs register even the smallest noise. Graduate engineer Dietmar Leuner, Head of the specialist center for technical acoustics and noise protection at the LGA, wishes more attention to the issue of "noise".: “We feel disturbed or bothered by very different noises, in this respect, noise is a subjective one. However, the damage is greatly underestimated, that causes noise.” Noise in road traffic and at work, supplemented by radio blaring for relaxation: It's hardly surprising, that noise is increasingly falling on "deaf ears".. According to the Ministry of Health, almost every fifth German is hearing impaired. “Noise-related hearing loss is now one of the most common occupational diseases”, knows Leuner. Nowadays, products are subject to numerous legal requirements – also in terms of noise, which they give. As an independent institution and officially notified body, the LGA carries out noise tests, prepares expert opinions and assigns identification- or test mark. Engineer Leuner gives an example: "After the implementation of the EU directive in German law, the manufacturers on devices, that are used outdoors and are new to the market, clearly indicate the sound power level, guaranteed not to be exceeded."
That is why the LGA's noise team is currently carrying out the noise measurement on a lawnmower in the so-called anechoic measuring room. Horst Schimkus pushes the lawn mower through heavy blue steel doors into the middle of the laboratory. Walls and ceiling are arranged with staggered, cuneiform structures disguised. The felt-grey fiberglass material prevents echo effects and absorbs every sound. And, it literally rips the spoken word from your lips.
In the case of the lawn mower, the precisely positioned microphones record, how sound travels in all directions. From the office next door, Thomas Renner watches via camera. The measurement data for the technical report are collected on his computer.
A few doors down in the fittings laboratory, Peter Himmler tests the noise behavior of shower fittings. With regard to his current tests, he explains an aspect that is particularly important for do-it-yourselfers: “Which is far too little known: To protect the residents in the apartment building from noise from neighboring apartments, only fittings may be installed there, which carry a building authority test mark.” It is awarded by the LGA after successful testing. Dietmar Leuner also views his field of work philosophically: „Mit immer mehr Geräuschquellen dröhnen wir uns zu und hätten doch Ruhe zur Regeneration viel nötiger. Everyone can also check under the aspect of mutual consideration, which noise sources he can adjust or replace with quieter devices.”