Do not disturb: How noise ordinances help neighbors

They’re doing it again. Disturbing your oboe practice. Waking your baby. Making your chandelier shake. What can you do about those noisy neighbors? Or the flip side of that question, can your neighbors really call the police on you for turning up the volume during the explosive action sequences during your outdoor movie night? It depends.

Find homes for sale on KSL Homes

Quiet hours

Shhh. Most cities have noise ordinances that list quiet hours for residential neighborhoods. While the hours vary based on the city — and perhaps the season or even the day of the week — the majority of places list 10 p.m to 7 a.m. as quiet hours. During this time, excessive or unnecessary noise is not allowed. Anyone mowing the lawn at the crack of dawn or showing off their subwoofer after midnight could receive a visit from local law enforcement officers. 

If police are dispatched, a warning is usually issued first. When behavior is especially bothersome, occurs regularly or is believed to have malicious intent, a citation for disturbing the peace may be issued. 

Quiet hours aren’t only set by cities, however. If you live in an apartment building there may be a quiet clause in your lease agreement. Similarly, homeowner associations often outline acceptable hours for specific sound levels in the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions. Those who repeatedly violate private quiet hours could be evicted or face monetary fines, depending on the situation.    

Daytime disturbances

What about a dog that barks all day long until its owner gets home from work? Or the guy who repeatedly revs his car in the alley next to your Zoom room every day at 10 a.m.? In addition to nightly quiet hours, most municipalities have limits on continuous and/or intermittent noises during the day. Provo’s municipal code, for example, lists 85 decibels as the daytime max for properties zoned for residential or agricultural use. A dog’s bark can be as loud as 90-100 decibels, giving others the right to file a complaint with the city. 

Special permits

If you’re planning a backyard wedding, don’t worry. The cops aren’t going to cut in on the couple’s dance party at 11 p.m. — providing you invited ALL your neighbors or (better yet) applied for a special permit per your city’s ordinance. Similarly, special permits may be required for extensive construction or remodeling projects that require heavy (read: LOUD) machinery during daytime hours. Even smaller tools like table or miter saws operate between 100-105 decibels.

Noise pollution solutions

Being a good neighbor goes both ways. Check your local noise ordinance before throwing a party or calling the city to complain about someone else's backyard barbeque. Larger municipalities usually have a page online dedicated to this information. 

• Salt Lake City
• Ogden City
• Provo City
• Park City
• St. George

In smaller towns, you may need to contact local officials to get a copy of the noise ordinance. Many rural areas don’t have laws pertaining to excessive noise because it typically isn’t a problem when houses are spaced miles apart.

Find homes for sale on KSL Homes

Talk it out

Use the information you gather to have a civil conversation with your neighbor. Understanding one another’s situation usually leads to more considerate behavior. But if an agreement can’t be reached, the situation escalates or you don’t feel safe talking to your neighbors, you have every right to get the police involved when noise ordinances are violated.

Talking things over can also be helpful in situations when the noise isn’t violating any laws. Perhaps the upstairs resident in your apartment building doesn’t realize that it sounds like she’s performing Riverdance each morning when she walks back and forth in her kitchen in her cowboy boots. A simple conversation could help. But if you’ve repeatedly asked the guy renting the space adjacent to yours not to play death metal every night and he still does, speak with your landlord.  

Get creative

Whether you share a paper-thin wall with your neighbors or your homes are several feet apart, you may be able to block out some sound with your home decor. Noise canceling curtains can reduce the cock-a-doodle-doo of those urban roosters that wake you up every morning by approximately six decibels. An added bonus? Soundproof curtains typically have better insulation qualities as well. Acoustical ceiling or wall decor can also help, depending on your situation. You may also consider rearranging your furniture or investing in a white noise machine.

Move on

Excessive noise can be more than just annoying. It can actually cause physical and emotional distress, reducing your quality of life. Whether irreverent neighbors show no signs of repentance or you’re ready to leave city life behind, start your search on KSL Homes. You deserve to live in a happy, healthy environment.