- Road Traffic Noise:
In the city, the main sources of traffic noise are the motors and exhaust system of autos , smaller trucks, buses,and motorcycles. This type of noise can be augmented by narrow streets and tall buildings, which produce acanyon in which traffic noise reverberates
- Air Craft Noise:
Now-a-days , the problem of low flying military aircraft has added a new dimension to community annoyance.
Take-off of aircraft may lead to a sound level of more than 100 decibels at the ground, with approach and landing creating lower levels. Since aircraft landing in inner-city airports are often lower than 60 meters above roof level, a sound level above 100 dBA can be realized
- Noise from railroads:
The noise from locomotive engines, horns and whistles, and switching and shunting operation in rail yards can impact neighboring communities and railroad workers.
For example, rail car retarders can produce a high frequency, high level screech that can reach peak levels of 120 dB at a distance of 100 feet, which translates to levels as high as 138, or 140 dB at the railroad worker’s ear.
- Construction Noise:
The noise from the construction of highways, city streets, and buildings is a major contributor to the urban scene. Construction noise sources include pneumatic hammers, air compressors, bulldozers, loaders, dump trucks (and their back-up signals), and pavement breakers.
- Noise in Industry:
neighbors of noisy manufacturing plants can be disturbed by sources such as fans, motors, and compressors mounted on the outside of buildings Interior noise can also be transmitted to the community through open windows and doors, and even through building walls. These interior noise sources have significant impacts on industrial workers, among whom noise - induced hearing loss is unfortunately common.
- Noise in building:
Apartment dwellers are often annoyed by noise in their homes, especially when the building is not well designed and constructed.
In this case, internal building noise from plumbing, boilers, generators, air conditioners, and fans, can be audible and annoying.
Improperly insulated walls and ceilings can reveal the sound of-amplified music, voices, footfalls and noisy activities from neighboring units. External noise from emergency vehicles, traffic, refuse collection, and other city noises can be a problem for urban residents, especially when windows are open or insufficiently glazed.
- Noise from Consumer products:
Certain household equipment, such as vacuum cleaners and some kitchen appliances have been and continue to be noisemakers, although their contribution to the daily noise dose is usually not very large
- Poor Urban Planning
Urban, city, or town planning is the discipline of land use planning which explores several aspects of the built and social environments of municipalities and communities.
Another key role of urban planning is urban renewal, and re-generation of inner cities by adapting urban planning methods to existing cities suffering from long-term infrastructural decay
- Noise from recreational vehicles
The noise produced by these vehicles is particularly disturbing due to the wide variations in frequency and volume