Sound levels affecting my hearing

[timbo59]

Okay, I guess this is one that hasn't done the rounds before!

I've had my latest PC for a few years now, and I've always noticed that it has a really loud hum to it. At times it's annoying, but lately I've really started wondering if it's starting to affect me, as I'm beginning to notice a marked drop-off in my hearing. Even my wife is starting to notice it, and I'm really beginning to wonder if the prolonged exposure to the loud hum of the computer is the cause of it, especially as I often spend 5 - 6 hours a day working on the PC.

I have a microphone, and was wondering if there's some kind of way I can accurately assess the DB of the sound coming from the computer?

Does anyone else have experience of such a problem?

I'm not sure what the source of the problem is, though I assume it's the heat sink fan. I may try and change it, or look at building an enclosure to keep the unit in next to my desk.

 

[Twiki]

Usually you have a lullaby effect where you don't even notice anymore.

A constant level of frequency could be a different story though. I guess a hearing test will reveal it.

 

[Aastii]

It would have to be extremely loud for an extremely long period of time. I am sure the time part is there, but the excessive volume, no.

You are constantly surrounded by noise, be it wind, animals, vehicles, people...it is all noise, no matter what you do, most probably to an equal or greater level to your computer.

Could it not just be an age thing? Your senses do not last forever and some will start to see a loss earlier than others

 

[timbo59]

No, the thought that noise has to be excessive is incorrect and a trap many fall into. I used to work around heavy machinery in the mining industry for a number of years, and a lot of the training involves the fact that people have to take constant precautions to protect their hearing because of the sustained exposure to loud noise. But part of it also encompasses constant noise at anything approaching mild to mid level decibels, because any noise makes the bone mechanisms in your ear drum away, and ten hours of mild noise can be just as wearing on your ears as half an hour or loud rock music.

The noise from my PC is at a constant pitch, or hum, and thus hits the ears at the same level four hours on end. Five hours a day (I do a lot of writing) equates to about 1800 hours per year of sustained exposure to the noise, which is markedly different to listening to normal sounds like a TV, which varies considerably in frequency and levels, as well as levels of total or near silence.

There are days when I feel like my ears are virtually ringing from the sound, and I've even tried putting on hearing protection to stifle it while I'm writing.

I've done a bit more research on equipment since I first wrote, and I think I'm going to put the PC in a base cabinet (together with a fan to vent the air out into the attic) and basically hook it all up so that the keyboard, monitor and mouse can be set up wireless.

As I said, I really wanted to test the DB level and the actual frequency, because if I go and get my hearing checked and they tell me I've lost hearing at a specific level I'll know if it's the hum that's caused it.

 

[linkin]

Get quieter fans or wear headphones.

Or do what I do now and play music at a volume that drowns out the fans but isn't excessively loud.