There are orders that protect the rest and peace of citizens, separately operating for night or day time. There is a fundamental value that determines the permissible boundaries of the noise level. Compliance with these standards is particularly acute in multi-apartment buildings located in residential areas of cities.
The way to exercise civil rights
Residents of neighborhoods with multi-story buildings are well aware of situations where, due to the fault of one person or illegal actions of construction organizations, residents of several dozens, sometimes hundreds, of apartments may suffer. But few people know how to bring the violator to justice. Although the legislation clearly defines the norms of permissible noise levels in apartments.
In situations where the power of sound disturbs peace, and for each time of day its limits are defined, each citizen has the right to call an examination and to appease the offender. The most common problems arise if neighbors install acoustic units in their apartments that are not intended for this type of room. An equally familiar situation occurs when construction work is carried out in the courtyards of high-rise buildings using powerful shock equipment.
In the event of such incidents, the most effective measure will be a collective statement. It is better if it is drawn up by an existing lawyer and signed by all interested parties.
The most admissible norms
The unit of measurement of sound volume is decibels, with the help of which special devices measure the magnitude of the noise in a selected area. Legislative bodies have established the maximum allowable framework for residential premises. Thus, the maximum allowable daily rate was 55 decibels, and for the night period a limit of 45 decibels was set.
The norms established by law cannot be violated under any circumstances, because we are talking about people's health, which can be undermined by exposure to noise. We are talking about overloads that have a negative effect on the human nervous system. A consequence of this effect can be systematic headaches and a depressive state.
The permissible noise level in decibels in the apartment must not exceed the established standards. Otherwise, all violators may be called to administrative responsibility, which in these circumstances may not be limited to withholding a fine.
The composition of the commission to suppress the actions of violators
Control over the permissible limits of sound power in residential premises is carried out not by law enforcement agencies, but by employees of the sanitary and epidemiological station. Specialists with qualifications in this field and related equipment work here. Regardless of the nature of the sound or the source that emits it, only the volume is taken into account, which should not exceed the permissible noise level in the apartments.
At night, to call to account violators who, for example, love the loud sound of music, can only resort to the help of a local inspector, in this case the violator's fault is determined directly. If problems arise in the daytime, then to resolve them you must obtain the opinion of a special commission. For this, it is necessary to call specialists from the sanitary-epidemiological station who will register the application and draw up an act.
Soundproofing requirements for apartment buildings
The reason for the increased noise background can be not only violations from the neighbors, but also violations of the noise insulation requirements during the construction of the building. Ordinary household sounds should not be transmitted between adjacent apartments, or between apartments separated by floors. The maximum permissible noise level in an apartment is determined adjusted for the degree of sound insulation.
To establish compliance with the sound insulation of the walls, a limit of 50 decibels was determined. The sound of such a force should not be heard in the next apartment. This norm corresponds to the usual household background, which can be created by colloquial speech, the operation of a TV or household electrical appliances.
If the new building has violations of this order, you can call a commission from Consumer Supervision. After carrying out the required measurements and calculations, relevant documentation will be drawn up, allowing to call the developer to account.
Consequences due to exposure to sound
Medical studies have found that, regardless of the nature and duration of exposure to loud sound, its effect leads to reduced performance. Especially if the impact on a person occurs during the time allotted for rest. With systematic violations of the normal regime due to noise interference, not only nervousness, but also distraction appears.
If a person receives prolonged irritation with a sound power in excess of 70 decibels, this results in hearing loss and can also lead to accidents. The most vulnerable to sound influences are small children, as well as old people and pregnant women. Particularly vulnerable are some groups of people with disabilities, including the blind.
It is for this reason that peace and quiet in the residential sector are protected by law. In the case of systematic violations of the permissible noise level in apartments, immediate action is required.
Measurement of the strength of the sounds that make up the household background
In order to determine the volume of the noise that makes up the average household background, extras first measured the most popular components. Thus, it turned out that the human whisper is about 30 dB, and the working elevator is noisy at 42 dB. The operation of round-the-clock connected electrical appliances such as a refrigerator and air conditioning creates noise from 42 to 45 dB. But the noise of a stream of water from an open tap can reach 59 dB, if you substitute a metal bucket. The loudest indicators were obtained in children crying up to 70 dB and in piano up to 80 dB. Having deduced the arithmetic average from the collected data, we got an indicator of 50 dB, which was taken as the average volume of the household background. This indicator later served as the basis for determining the permissible noise level during the day in the apartment.
Independent measurements
Before contacting experts, some people would prefer to make sure that they are right by measuring the noise in the apartment on their own. According to experts, this is not necessary, because if extraneous noise interferes with rest, in 9 out of 10 cases the violation is confirmed.
The strength of the noise in the room can be measured using a special device called a sound level meter. You can find a portable version of this device for sale, but the price for it cannot be low. And given that it will have to be applied several times in life, the meaning of such an acquisition is lost.
In addition, the evidence recorded in this way does not serve as a legal basis and cannot be regarded as legal arguments. Only an act drawn up by a special commission whose challenge has been registered can serve as evidence of an offense. Only the presence of these documents confirms the violation of the permissible noise level in the apartment.
Violation Registration Procedure
There are situations when noise interference turns into a system, and there is a need to turn to specialists for help. This can often be found in sleeping areas, where nightlife is opening near high-rise buildings. In this situation, you can apply not only to state organizations, but also private ones with appropriate status.
After registering the application, a group of specialists arrives at the indicated address to take measurements. Since the drawn up report should have an objective assessment, measurements are taken 4 times, 2 times in the daytime and 2 times in the night. The sound level meter readings are always recorded in two versions, namely in the open and closed position of the window. Based on the results of the research, an act is drawn up that serves as the basis for registering a violation.
In addition to deliberate violations by specific individuals, the problem is sometimes made up by ordinary street noises; if this happens, the check can also bring results. Indeed, the cause of discomfort may be noise insulation violations made during construction. If such violations are detected, this problem is solved at the expense of the developer, who knows what the permissible noise level in the apartment should be.
Expert call mechanism
Violation of the permissible noise level in an apartment at night or during the day, especially when it occurs systematically, it is better not to leave without reaction. After all, we are talking about the health of residents, which is at risk. And it doesn’t matter at all whether the permissible noise level is violated when repairing a neighbor’s apartment or if the nightlife is to blame for everything; there are norms that are forbidden to be violated.
To solve the problem, it is easier to contact private specialists, because they usually respond faster. But, firstly, it will cost more, and secondly, they should always be checked for the appropriate license. Do not lose sight of the fact that before using paid services, you need to draw up a contract in which each party is responsible for the obligations undertaken.
When all necessary measurements have been taken, the customer must make sure that the correct data were reflected in the documents drawn up. Only having a properly drawn up act from a licensed company in your hands can you go to court.
Repair in the apartment
Every owner has a legal right to carry out repairs in the apartment, as stated in the Housing Code. But the thing is that there is no provision governing the rules for repairs. The law does not regulate the permissible noise level when repairing an apartment separately, there is only a general provision restricting the sound volume in residential premises, which cannot be violated.
In this regard, during the repair much depends on the relations between neighbors. Good relations can be the key to a successful repair. Another mechanism is recommended - before carrying out repairs it is proposed to meet with neighboring neighbors and explain the situation. Most often, everyone will go to a meeting if the conditions acceptable to him are met. Upon reaching an agreement, it will be useful to fix the conditions on paper with signatures of interested parties.
Such measures are necessary, because there is a law limiting the allowable noise level in an apartment during the day, and under its conditions, neighbors can seriously affect the repair process. In addition, the legislation contains paragraphs prohibiting the implementation of repair work after hours, as well as on weekends or holidays.
The legitimate side of the repair
If a neighbor has made repairs as he sees fit, not taking into account the interests of his closest neighbors, and does not respond to complaints, his actions can be terminated using the rules of the law. First, you should bring in a local inspector who is obliged to clarify the situation and give a warning.If these measures have not yielded results, a commission from the sanitary and epidemiological station is called.
Specialists should check the evidence of the available background with the permissible noise level in the apartment in the daytime, and measure violations. At the same time, a local inspector should be present, who will record the received data in the protocol.
The received document will become a serious basis for filing a complaint to the Consumer Supervision or the State Housing Inspection.