Bathroom Fan Noise | ProMatcher

How loud will the bathroom fan be?

Get Matched to Bathroom Fan Installers »

The sound of a bathroom fan is measured in sones.
The higher the sones rating, the louder the fan will be.

For example:

0.5 sones = Rustling leaves

0.8 sones = Ultra-quiet bathroom fan

1.0 sones = Refrigerator running

2.0 sones = Quieter bathroom fan

3.0 sones = Office noise

3.5 sones = Noisy bathroom fan

4.0 sones = Television on at normal volume

4.5 sones = Very loud bathroom fan

32 sones = Hearing damage begins

64 sones = Jackhammer

The Bottom Line:

A higher capacity fan typically makes much more noise and will have a higher sones rating (3.5 and above). Frequently used bathrooms may benefit from a quiet fan with a lower sones rating. Ultra-quiet fans are available but they will come with a higher price tag. The quietest fans available will generally have a sones rating of 1.2 or less. If the loudness of your bath exhaust fan may prevent you from using it, you should invest in the quietest fan that your budget will allow in order to properly protect your bathroom year after year.

Related:
Cost of Bathroom Exhaust Fan Installation