A necessary safety device for any home is a fire alarm. It alerts you of any potential fires so that you and your family can respond quickly to get away. However, fire alarms do make piercingly loud noises that can be overly disturbing for your ears and cause ringing.

Can Fire Alarms Cause Hearing Damage?

Fire alarms are naturally designed to be loud to wake you from a deep sleep. However, this loud noise can be so disturbing that you may wonder if it can damage your hearing. Right now, most fire alarms in the United States will have an alarm that deploys at between 65 and 120 decibels.

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) has stated that hearing repeated noises at 85 decibels or louder can cause hearing damage. It's important to note that when it comes to a fire alarm, the distance you are from it and how long you're exposed to it will go a long way in determining how it will affect your permanent hearing.

How Long Does Exposure Need to Be to Damage Your Hearing?

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has noted that listening to sounds at 85 decibels for over 8 hours can lead to hearing damage. For every 3 decibels over this 85-decibel limit, the safe listening time is cut in half. This means a fire alarm screeching at 100 decibels can damage your hearing in as little as 15 minutes.

How to Prevent Over-Exposure to Fire Alarms

If you've ever paid attention to others around you when a fire alarm goes off, you've likely seen their body's natural defense system at work. They will put their hands up to cover their ears. The natural barrier of your hands is a great way to prevent the piercing sounds of the fire alarm from entering your ear canals.

Another great tip to help reduce your exposure to fire alarm noise is to plan your safe evacuation route. You should have a clear plan in place so that when an alarm goes off, you're spending minimal time indoors. Make sure everyone in your household knows the procedure, so you can save time dwindling around inside your home with the fire alarm blaring.

If you regularly set off your fire alarm when you're cooking, it can be helpful to have hearing protection close by. A simple pair of earmuffs or earplugs that you can throw in quickly while you're heading to your smoke alarm to turn it off can be a great way to protect your hearing health.

Call Us Today

If you're experiencing hearing damage due to fire alarms, contact us at Beltone Dallas Fort Worth. Let our helpful hearing care specialists assess your hearing and provide top recommendations on the best Beltone hearing aids to meet your individual needs.

Resources:
https://www.kauffmanco.net/blog/can-a-fire-alarm-damage-hearing/
https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/loud-noise-dangers/#:~:text=Sounds%20at%2085%20dBA%20can,for%20up%20to%208%20hours