Air Compressor Noise Reduction – 7 Easy Ways To Make Your Air Compressor Quiter

Noise from an air compressor is annoying for any user. As you are on this page, I can certainly assume that you are facing this problem too. There are several techniques that work great for air compressor noise reduction. In this article, I will try to explain them to you.

But before that, you will know the noise level you should have for a compressor and the sources and causes of the noise.

After that, I will talk about how to make an air compressor quiet. So stay with me to the end.

What is the Ideal Noise Level for an Air Compressor?

Before knowing anything about how to quiet air compressor noise, it’s important for you to know how the noise level works.

Most of the air compressors are built within the noise level of 70 dba – 90 dba. If the compressor you have has a noise level below 75 dba then you can easily consider it a quiet air compressor.

But that doesn’t mean it won’t make any noise. It will make noise but the volume will be very low.

On the other hand, above 85 dba is considered a loud one. Within 75 dba – 85 dba, all the compressors are considered average noisy air compressors.

The Sources & Causes of Noise in an Air Compressor

If you learn about the sources and causes of noise, then it will be easier for you to know how to make the air compressor quieter. You will find the sources and causes of the noise below.

Air Intake

The intake part is considered as one of the loudest parts of an air compressor. The compressor absorbs air through the intake just like a vacuum cleaner. While doing so, it tends to create a high volume of noise.

Air Exhaust

The byproducts produced inside of the compressor go out through the exhaust portion. Air compressors make a lot of noise while dumping the byproducts through the exhaust as well.

Vibrational Noise

It is very common for a machine like an air compressor to vibrate a lot. Vibrating will not make a lot of noise in general. But combined with the other noises, the vibrational noise will also feel disturbing.

The level of vibration of your compressor depends on the structure of the compressor as well as where you have placed it. If there are hollow components in your compressor, it will vibrate more and make more noise.

Types of Built-Material

A well-built compressor with high-quality material will surely make less noise. If your compressor is built with thick and dense material, then there will be less noise than usual. Otherwise, you will have to face more noise.

Type of Compressor

It is very natural for a bigger and high-powered compressor to make more noise than a smaller one. But there are some compressors that are designed to be quieter than others even if they are bigger in size.

The Place Where You Keep the Compressor

The noise level of your compressor will also depend on where you keep the compressor while operating. If you keep the compressor on a shaky surface, then it is obvious that the compressor will make a lot of noise. A solid stable surface will keep the noise level down.

Recommended Reading: Quietest 80 Gallon Air Compressor

7 Ways of Air Compressor Noise Reduction

Installing Intake Silencer

As you have already seen, one of the main sources of noise for an air compressor is the intake. To reduce the noise level from the intake, you can install a muffler or a silencer.

Recommended Intake Silencer for Air Compressor-

Intake silencers are built with a combination of a silencing device and an air filter. There are different sizes for different air compressor intakes. You can match the size of your intake with the silencer size and purchase one to reduce the intake noise.

Isolating the Compressor by Using Rubber

Here, isolating means keeping the compressor away from the touch of any surface that will generate noise. We all know that rubber is a great insulator and it can absorb a lot of noise if you install it on a noisy body.

If you install thick rubber grommets on the motor of your air conditioner compressor, you can reduce a lot of noise. The grommets will absorb and hence reduce the noise of your compressor.

You can also use a rubber isolation mount to anchor your compressor to the floor. It will also help to reduce the vibrations and the noise as well.

Below are the recommended Rubber Pads-

Keeping a Distance from the Compressor

The highest level of sound can be heard if you are nearest to the source of the sound. As you move farther, the noise reduces. The same logic goes for an air ride compressor.

If you keep a fair distance between you and the compressor, you will hear less noise. This is a good way to solve your noise problem but it will affect the ones who are near the compressor.

Keeping the Compressor in a Soundproof Box


One of the best ways to keep off your electric or oil-less air compressor quiet is to make a soundproof box at home. It is very simple to make a box at home. You can measure the dimensions of your entire compressor set, and then make the box according to the dimensions.

You can use foam or other isolated material that will keep the noise inside the box. You have to put the noise-canceling materials on the walls, floor, and on the lid of the box. By keeping your compressor inside this soundproof box, you can reduce a large amount of noise.

If you have a budget, then you can buy one also. Or recommended soundproof box –

Using Sound Blankets

The sound gets louder when it is echoed. If you keep your compressor near a wall or in the corner of the room, the noise will be reflected on the wall and the echo will boost the noise.

To reduce the boosting of the noise you can use a sound blanket on the wall. The blanket will absorb the noise and prevent the echo. So, there will be less noise than usual.

Recommended Sound Blankets-

Extending Air Intake to the Outside

A cheaper and easier way to reduce the noise of an air compressor is to keep the intake part outside the house. You can use a pipe to extend the intake and then keep it outside the house.

Work inside the house with the extended pipe and you will hear no unnecessary sounds that were bothering you in the first place. Unfortunately, if you are working in the garage, this is not so effective.

Wearing Earplugs or Muffs

The final and faster solution to reduce the noise is to wear earplugs or muffs yourself. Unfortunately, it will only help you to avoid the noise but the others around you will be disturbed. So, this trick will work perfectly if there is no one near you.

Some high-quality earplugs are-

I hope that now you are clear about how to quiet an air compressor. Now it is your job to find and implement the most efficient and economical way of air compressor noise reduction.

1 thought on “Air Compressor Noise Reduction – 7 Easy Ways To Make Your Air Compressor Quiter”

  1. I like how you suggested that you should keep the compressor in a soundproof box and that it is easy to make one at home. My husband is thinking about getting an air compressor installed and he wanted to know how to reduce the noise. I’ll make sure to pass this information along to him if he does decide to get an air compressor installed in the future.

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