Chainsaw dB Levels: Factors, Protection and Reduction

If you are using chainsaws regularly or occasionally, it can cause personal illness, considering their higher dB level and vibration. So, when you consider your hearing, you should follow essential safety instructions to protect your hearing when you use a chainsaw every time. So, let’s check the chain saw dB level and how it affects the user.

The average noise level for a chainsaw is about 106 dB and for an electric chainsaw is around 80-100 dB. Both are more than the recommended exposure limit of 85 dB. Sometimes, gas chainsaw noise levels can go beyond 120 dB. So users should wear ear protection for safety.

The chainsaw noise level depends on the device type, such as engine type, used technology, cutting bar length and pitch, chain condition, etc. Sometimes, noise is exposed to other harmful influences such as chemical exhaust fumes, problems with fuel mixtures and lubricants, etc. So, in this article, I am going to tell you the dB level of a chainsaw, how it hurts you, and how to get safety action to avoid damage.

What is dB Level?

dB stands for decibels, which is a unit of measurement used to express the intensity of a sound or the power level of an electrical signal by comparing it with a given level on a logarithmic scale. The lowest dB level for the human is 0 dB, while the higher dB level is between 120 – 130 dB. The safest dB level for human ears is at or below 70 dB. When it exceeds 85 dB, it is harmful.

What is the dB Level of a Gas Chainsaw?

Gas chainsaws produce between 106 dB and 120 dB during operation. This is roughly comparable to the noise level of a live rock concert. It is quite loud and can potentially cause hearing damage over time. Therefore, it’s recommended to use hearing protection when operating a chainsaw.

What is the dB Level of Electric Chainsaw?

The electric saw’s average sound level falls between 80 dB and 100 dB. Electric chainsaw noise level mainly depends on the drive unit loading. And electric chainsaws handle the noise greater than gas chainsaws because electric chainsaws work with low power but cutting performance is lower than gas chainsaws.

What are the 9 Factors for High dB Level in Gas Chainsaw?

Chainsaw decibel levels are very important. Because it is mostly over the recommended exposure limit and a long time using can cause loss hearing of the user. So users should wear essential safety instruments to protect their ears from the noise.

Chainsaw is driven by a 2-cycle engine (2-stroke). When using an engine always produces a higher level of noise, although there are some tactics to reduce it. A chainsaw noise depends on many factors.

1. Fuel types – Noise can be varied with the gasoline and oil mixture ratio. The most used ratio is 50:1, and sometimes this can be varied. So we can see some noise difference. If oil is increased, we can observe some power loss, and oil is reduced it will heat much. Noise will vary according to that. So always use the right gas-to-oil mix ratio. This guide helps you to find the chainsaw gas oil mix ratio correctly.
2. Cutting Angle – When we cut wood, we can change the cutting angle by adjusting our hands. When the cutting angle is changed, the chain can interact with different cutting lengths. According to the cutting length, its sound can vary.
3. Wood Type – There are types of wood, such as softwood and hardwood. So when we cut these, we can observe different noises there. And sometimes, you may observe when a chainsaw cuts heartwood, the noise is varied due to the hardness of the same wood.
4. Rip cut or Crosscut – There are mainly two types of cuts. Rip cut and cross-cut are them. So rip-cut is cutting along the grains, and cross-cut is cutting across the grains. So cross cut is noisier than rip cut.
5. User Experience – If you are a newbie, you don’t have the proper experience and know where to speed up and where to slow the chainsaw. So you may try to keep the same speed every time. But professional users know to control the chainsaw speed properly.
6. Hearing Side – According to the side we hear, the noise is also another factor. If you hear the noise from 4 sides such as front, back, and sides (left, right). You can feel there is a different noise level.
7. Chain Sharpness – A dull chainsaw is always requires more power from the engine. So make sure to keep the chain sharp every time.
8. Engine Condition – If you haven’t serviced and maintained the engine properly, you can hear different noises due to inside friction and mechanisms. So try to maintain the engine every time.
9. Chainsaw Brand – Chainsaw noise depends on the manufacturing brand because different technologies have been used in the manufacturing process. The higher chainsaw cc has a higher noise while lower cc chain saws have lower noise.

How To Protect Ears From High dB Level Of Chainsaw?

The easiest way to protect from loud noise is using personal ear protective equipment. You can use ear muffs or ear plugs to protect your ears. Those have a reduction rating (NRR) of 17 dB to 27 dB.

In that case, you must wear an ear muffle or plug properly. If the chainsaw is particularly loud, muffs and plugs can be worn for better hearing protection. It will gain an additional 5 to 10 dB.

The other way to protect from high decibel levels is that maintain the chainsaw machine properly. Using correct fuel mix ratio and quality fuel and oil, lubricant the guide bar and chain are the main cause of noise level. And also, using low-power chainsaws like an electric chainsaw is also a good solution for protection from high-level decibels.

How To Reduce DB Level of Chainsaw?

You can reduce the chain saw dB level by following the below 5 methods.

1. Use Muffler Mode – The muffler is attached to the exhaust pipe of the chainsaw engine. Using with muffler is effective in reducing the sound pressure and especially effective in reducing the higher frequency noise of a chainsaw.
2. Use the correct gas and oil mix ratio – Using the correct gas and mix ratio also causes a reduction to the decibel level of the chainsaw. The correct mixing ratio helps to move parts of the chainsaw machine air friction smoothly, and its effects to reduce unnecessary noise in the machine.
3. While working, keep the distance between you and the chainsaw – Keeping distance between you and the chainsaw also reduces the noise effect. It depends on the machine’s speed and the side of you and the chainsaw. I found out some measurements you can easily decide how to use distance to reduce noise.
4. Driving the chainsaw at low speed – Using high speed makes high-level decibels of the chainsaw. To reduce the noise level, you can use your chainsaw at low speed.
5. Use an electric chainsaw – Using law power chainsaws such as electric chainsaws also helps to reduce the decibel level of the chainsaw.