Evaluation of Low-Frequency Noise in Dwellings. New Polish Recommendations

Abstract

This paper presents new Polish recommendations for the estimation of low-frequency noise (LFN) penetrating into dwellings from appliances installed inside or outside the building (Recommendation No 358/98 of the Building Research Institute). The proposed new assessment criteria were based on the measurement data of annoying noises, investigation of the effects of noise on the health of the exposed inhabitants, laboratory tests of thresholds of narrow and broad-band noise perception and a review of the present literature. In order to assess the noise spectra measured in dwellings, the A10 characteristic has been accepted as the rating curve. Its levels, L, for one-third-octave bands are determined by the relation LA10 = 10 – kA, where kA is the A-weighting. Low-frequency noise is annoying when the sound pressure levels of the noise exceed the A10 curve and simultaneously exceed the background noise level by more than 10 dB for tonal noise and by 6 dB for broadband noise.