How to Soundproof your Hair Dryer: Tips and Tricks on How to Reduce Noise

Most people don’t know that a hairdryer is one of the noisiest appliances in your home. In fact, it can be as loud as 80-90 decibels! That’s louder than an alarm clock or dishwasher, and you probably use your hairdryer more often than either one of those things. There is no matter if you use it at home or in a salon, you probably don’t want to dry your hair like you are sitting near the plane taking off. How can this noise be reduced? What qualities of a dryer get worse for a lower noise level? And is a quiet hair dryer worth buying?

What if I told you there was something you could do about it and It’s not difficult to soundproof your hair dryer? Let’s take a look at how…

What causes Hair Dryers to be Loud?

The main reason that hairdryers get so loud is because of the speed at which they operate. They have motors that let them rotate between 2000-2400 RPMs (rotations per minute). Any faster than this can cause damage to your hair, but more importantly – it will make extremely high-pitched sounds in order for it all to move around quickly enough.

The noise that hair dryers produce is caused by the airflow and the motor. The loudness of a blow drier depends on how fast it can spin air, which makes it much louder when plugged in at 220 volts rather than 110 volts. In addition to this, high wattage also contributes to more sound because larger motors require a higher voltage to operate efficiently.

When hair dryers are used in enclosed spaces, the sound is amplified. This usually occurs when the product is set on a counter near the user’s ears making it even louder for them to hear. All of this can be avoided with some simple modifications that will not alter how well your blow drier works but only reduce its noise levels.

How to Soundproof Your Hair Dryer?

You can DIY or simply buy special materials designed specifically for reducing loud noises. There are a few different ways in which people go about soundproofing their hair dryer.

Choose Better Place to Dry Your Hair

The simplest way to soundproof your hair dryer is by plugging it into a different outlet. If you have an extension cord, use that and simply move the dryer out of the bathroom and onto a counter in another room where there are no reflective surfaces or hard materials which can cause more noise.

There are various places in the house where it is better to dry your hair. The bathroom may not be the best place because of how hard tile surfaces can amplify sound, so choosing an area with carpet or rugs might be a better choice. If you have many windows inside your home then drying with opened windows on nice days is another option that will reduce noise levels by providing more space around you and less reflective surfaces for sounds to bounce off of.

Use a Hair Dryer with a Diffuser

Another option is to use a hair dryer with a diffuser and turn the heat and airflow down. A diffuser also called a concentrator, spreads air evenly so that all of it can become absorbed into damp strands as they’re dried rather than be pushed off course by an intense stream of hot wind. Attachments like these will slow down the operational RPMs (rotations per minute) which means that you’ll have to wait longer before you’re able to style your hair, but many users say that they do not mind this because they like the way their hair looks when it has been dried this way.

Using a diffuser attachment on your hairdryer can reduce sound by up to 50% so if you’re willing to wait for a bit longer in order to dry your hair, then this is an option that will help improve noise levels and potentially protect from heat damage as well.

Buy Specialized Quiet Hair Dryers

A third way to reduce sound levels is by buying a hairdryer that has been designed specifically for less noise output such as those made by ionic technology. This style emits negative that coat wet hairs throughout drying so that static electricity isn’t produced. This means the dryer doesn’t have to work as hard or spin as fast because it has less resistance, so noise levels are reduced.

Use Earplugs

You can reduce noise from a workable hair dryer using earplugs so that you are not exposed to high levels of sound. There are plenty available at local pharmacies or online for relatively cheap prices, but note that it’s best to choose ones made specifically from materials that block out sounds rather than just muffle them since they’re more likely to be effective in protecting against loud noises caused by hairdryers that only alter the perceived volume instead of providing a barrier between you and noise.

Combine Powers and Setting of Your Hair Dryer

A combination of the settings on your hair dryer can also help reduce noise levels. For example, using a lower heat setting and higher airflow will make it less likely for sound to bounce off surfaces since there is not as much air being pushed around at once. You can try to run it in the lowest possible power. The drying process will take more time but you will avoid noise.

Most of the hair dryers are produced with ionization function and ceramic coating that works quieter but dry faster even if you use a low temperature and drying speed.

Are Quiet Dryers Effective?

As a general rule, no, quiet dryers will not be as effective at reducing noise levels as the methods mentioned above. If you have to choose which option is best for your needs then it’s advised that you go with one of those first before even considering purchasing a hair dryer designed specifically to reduce sound output.

But if your hair dryer is too loud or irritating to use, it may be time for an upgrade. You can buy such a specialized hair dryer. Quiet hairdryers are effective and worth considering if noise has been a problem in the past when using one at home or trying to concentrate while drying your hair in public places such as a salon where other customers need peace and quiet too.