Your noise survey company is most likely well-versed in the specifications of sound level meters. Essentially, these meters measure sound pressure in decibels (dB) to ensure that conditions are safe for prolonged exposure to the human ear. If you're new to the industry or looking to expand, shopping around for these meters can be overwhelming.

The most common sound level meter application involves measuring noise levels in factories, neighborhoods, industrial complexes and airports. Other possible locations include construction sites and auditoriums; think about different applications and locations if you're looking for new customers.

Before your company bids on projects, explore the options you have for dB meters and make sure you have the right ones for the job:

1. Train your workers in the proper way to read an analog sound level meter. It's not hard, once they get used to it, but the meters must be read correctly for the test to be accurate.

2. Let each worker use a digital sound level meter to reduce errors. This type of meter displays its reading in digits, leaving no room for interpretation.

3. Buy a sound level meter that's used to save on cost. Refurbished items are priced lower than new equipment.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Go with an analog sound level meter

Analog sound meters have been around for ages. The upside is that they are inexpensive and small. The downside is that the reading must be taken properly; a needle swings quickly and rests on part of the display scale, then you carefully look to see the value at which the needle rests. With experience, analog meters are just as easy to read as digital ones, which are obviously very simple.

I recommend: Consider one of the meters from the selection at Tequipment.net. Value Testers also offers a couple of analog sound level meters.

Give your employees more modern digital sound level meters

Digital meters display their readings in digits, as the name implies. This means that taking readings is easier: Simply glance at the display and move on. These meters do tend to be a bit more expensive as compared with analog meters.

I recommend: Take a look at the high-tech meters available at Transcat. You can find a huge selection of digital meters at Calright Instruments.

Save some money by buying a used sound pressure level meter

Refurbished meters work just as well as new ones since they must be brought to OEM standards before they can be sold again. Alternatively, you can try to find meters that have been used by other environmental engineers who are no longer in the business.

I recommend: Check out the variety of used meters from NoiseMeters. Choose a product and request a quote from Excalibur Engineering.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You'll need to do periodic sound level meter calibration to ensure that your readings are accurate. You may need to buy special calibration equipment.