Are Electronic Pest Repellers Harmful To Human Hearing?

Ultrasonic waves are widely used in various fields of human activity. Devices with ultrasonic generators are used for medical diagnostic procedures, flaw detection, performing ultrasonic welding, various production processes, etc.

In addition to the above, ultrasonic waves are widely used in everyday life and are used to repel various pests: mice, rats, insects, etc.

For this, special devices have been created such as an ultrasonic bed bug repeller, which is installed both at industrial facilities and used at home. In this regard, the “amount of ultrasound” in human life has increased dramatically.

Naturally, the question arises as to whether the impact of ultrasound on the human body is dangerous at work and home.

To give an affirmative answer to this difficult question, it is necessary to understand what ultrasonic waves are and how the ultrasonic repeller that a person uses in everyday life functions.

What Is Ultrasound?

Ultrasound is a conventional sound wave whose frequency is above 20 kHz. In other words, ultrasonic waves are elastic longitudinal vibrations that can propagate in an elastic medium in which they can create mechanical vibrations.

In the air, ultrasonic waves propagate due to the vibrations of air molecules. The frequency range that is allocated for ultrasonic waves in the sound spectrum is in the range of 20 … 70 kHz.

It should also be noted that in addition to ultrasonic waves, there are also so-called infrasonic waves. These are also sound waves whose frequency is less than 16 Hz.

Many believe that the impact of ultrasound and infrasound on the human body has negative consequences for it. Let’s try to figure out if this is the case.

How Does Ultrasound Affect The Human Body?

The human hearing aid is designed in such a way that it can hear only those sounds that are in the frequency range from 10 Hz to 16 kHz, except for some cases when a person, by his personality, can hear sounds from a wider range.

Given that ultrasonic frequencies are in the range of 20 kHz to 70 kHz, a person will not be able to hear them. Therefore, there will be no discomfort or irritation from such waves for a person.

There is an opinion about the negative impact of ultrasound on the human brain and the eardrums of his hearing aid. This is attributed to the fact that the ultrasound wave has a strong pressure on human organs, which can lead to physical pain.

The fact is that ultrasonic, like any sound wave, is characterized by certain sound pressure. Modern ultrasonic devices form a wave, the pressure value of which is in the range of 70 … 100 dB.

As for a person, he can easily endure the effects of waves, the sound pressure of which is 100 … 120 dB. Therefore, it is not necessary to talk about the occurrence of painful sensations under the influence of an ultrasonic wave with a maximum pressure of 100 dB.

Are Ultrasonic Repellers Harmful?

Above is the effect of ultrasound on a person, consider whether these waves generated by ultrasonic repellers can harm a person.

The electronic pest repeller and ultrasound scarers propagate ultrasonic waves that have a frequency of about 20 kHz or more.

It periodically changes automatically so that the pests are not accustomed to the operation of the device. As for the pressure of these waves, it is 70 … 100 dB.

Rodents and other pests, which differ in the structure of the auditory apparatus from humans, can perceive sounds characteristic of the ultrasonic range. As a result, the propagation of waves from the ultrasonic repeller will cause irritation and discomfort.

In addition, given that the auditory system of rodents is very sensitive, waves with a sound pressure of more than 70 dB will cause them pain, sometimes very strong.

Given these two factors, which will continuously affect rodents, the work of the repeller will lead to the fact that rats and mice will try to quickly leave the territories they occupy and never return there again.

As for humans, as well as most domestic animals, the ultrasound emitted by repellent devices will not have such an effect on them.

The only exceptions are those pets that are sensitive to ultrasonic waves – these are guinea pigs, decorative mice, hamsters, tame rats, etc. Therefore, repellers based on ultrasonic generators should be used with caution in rooms where such animals can be.

You should also take into account the fact that some devices, in addition to the ultrasonic generator, may also have a conventional sound generator that emits sound waves in the audibility spectrum of humans and pets.

Devices of this type should not be used at home, they can only be installed at production facilities in those rooms where there are no people.

When Installing A Repeller, You Should Be Guided By The Following Factors:

Ultrasonic waves are well reflected from hard materials and coatings (wood, concrete, glass, etc.) and are absorbed by soft materials (curtains, carpets, products stored in soft containers, etc.)

ultrasound does not penetrate through walls, partitions, glass, and the volume of the room is filled with ultrasonic radiation due to multiple reflections from solid surfaces, the installation site of the repeller should not be blocked by various objects that prevent radiation.

The recommended height of the location of the repeller is not less than 0.3 m.

The design of “Everpest” allows the possibility of wall mounting the device.

The design of the rodent repeller for the fight against rodents “Everpest” provides for two modes of operation: “Day” and “Night” . These modes are activated by a key on the body of the “Everpest”.

In the “Day” mode (key position “0”) “Everpest” emits acoustic vibrations only in the ultrasonic range. This mode is best used when there are people in the area of ​​the device. Ultrasound is not perceived by the human ear and therefore does not cause discomfort to people. And rodents hear it very well.

In the “Night” mode (key position “1”) “Everpest” emits acoustic vibrations in the ultrasonic and sound range. This mode is more effective for rodents, especially rats.

Both modes are accompanied by an intermittent glow of an ultra-bright LED. This LED in complete darkness also affects the psyche of rodents with its light flashes.

The combined effect of sound and light is very effective.

Note:

The results of numerous observations have shown that rats and mice irradiated with an ultrasonic signal experience increasing stress and leave the irradiated room. Lead time up to 4 weeks. It depends on the number, type of population and on the intensity of exposure. It should be remembered that newborn mice and rat pups are deaf for 14 days after birth and sound does not affect them during this period. It should also be borne in mind that the apparent increase in the number of rodents in the first days after the start of the “Everpest” is due to the fact that under the influence of stress they lose their self-preservation instinct and do not hide when a person appears. But rodents do not withstand prolonged exposure to ultrasound and leave the premises within a few weeks. To exclude their return or the appearance of new ones, the repeller should be turned on for 2-3 days weekly.

Conclusion

If we study in detail the effect of ultrasound on the human body, we can conclude that modern ultrasonic repellers are harmless devices and can be used in places where a person stays.

With the correct use of the repeller, it will only benefit – repel rats, mice, and other pests, but no harm to humans. Naturally, it is possible for someone, because of the structural features of the body, ultrasound will have some effect, but this is an exception, not a pattern.

For ultrasonic pest control to be safe for a person and ultrasound does not cause him discomfort, it is important to choose the right device for the appropriate conditions of use.

Today, many different models can be used in residential or industrial facilities. In order not to make a mistake with the choice, it is better to seek help from qualified specialists who will select a truly safe device.