# Noise canceling ear phones/buds for roofing project
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [August 12, 2023, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437 "2023-08-12T02:19:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2023, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/1 "2023-08-12T02:19:08Z")
The roofers are coming next Monday Aug 21st to roof my house. My house has open beam ceilings upstairs. I will be downstairs most of the day, I don’t leave for work. I expect it to be quite loud due to the lack of attic.
My GF says I should get noise cancelling headphones/buds to for the duration. What do you guys think? What should I get?
I tried to stay home during my kitchen remodel, and gave up because of the noise and spent a month on weekdays during the day at a local hotel trying to work from my laptop. I’d rather not do that.
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2023, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/2 "2023-08-12T03:56:07Z")
The roofers should be done in a day or less, unless your house is huge with lots of valleys etc.
I’d just use some foam ear plugs if needed. My past experience with a noise cancelling head set is that it only worked with a steady noise such as on an airplane. If it’s intermittent, such as nailing, I don’t think the noise cancelling will have much effect.
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### Author:  [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2023, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/3 "2023-08-12T04:06:18Z")
> [@GaryM](#):
>
> The roofers should be done in a day or less, unless your house is huge with lots of valleys etc.
My house is 1900 sqft. It’s a complete tear-off and reroof. They estimate **1.5 weeks** unless there’s dry rot then longer to tear off/replace sheeting.
Has anyone here stayed home during 1+ weeks of roofing? Tips?
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### Author:  [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2023, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/4 "2023-08-12T04:27:57Z")
The reroof is $23k ish. It doesn’t bother me to buy some pricey ear protection.
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### Author:  [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2023, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/5 "2023-08-12T07:48:20Z")
I had my asphalt/fiberglass roof removed and replaced and from start to finish it took 2 1/2 days involving about 2300 sq ft of shingles on a one story home and there was minor wet rot. The roofers used a pneumatic nailer and the noise was certainly perceivable but not overly objectionable. The thought of ear plugs never entered my mind.
Unless you have an unusual roof design or perhaps slate or clay shingles, it’s difficult to imagine 1.5 weeks to complete the job. I appreciate your noise challenge to the previous kitchen remodel but that was taking place on the inside and naturally, this roofing job will be on the exterior.
In any event, Consumer Reports has a good rating on Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 available on Amazon for $379.00 with one day delivery if you’re a Prime member.
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### Author:  [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2023, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/6 "2023-08-12T11:51:21Z")
Add me to the group who believes that noise cancelling headphones won’t help much with roofing noise. I have several pairs (I recommend the Sony over the Bose) and they help with sounds like mowing, Intermittent and irregular sound…not so much.
I’d spend $30 - $50 on a pair of sound sealing (closed back) BT headphones instead. You’ll probably only be comfortable for no more than an hour at a time, but that should do the trick. Just come up for air when you get a snack or need to use the facilities.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2023, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/7 "2023-08-12T12:25:50Z")
Noise cancelling headphones will be close to useless. Go to a firearms store and buy foam ear plugs and “mouse ear” = earmuff-style hearing protectors. Those are designed for impulsive noises. ANR headsets are not. Says the guy with two different thousand-dollar ANR headsets that are worn many days per month.
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### Author:  [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/8 "2023-08-12T18:11:12Z")
3M makes hearing protection earmuffs with bluetooth:
> **[3M WorkTunes Connect Hearing Protector with Bluetooth Wireless Technology, 24 dB...](https://www.amazon.com/3M-WorkTunes-Protector-Bluetooth-Technology/dp/B0723CYHPZ)**
>
> 3M WorkTunes Connect Hearing Protector with Bluetooth Wireless Technology combines a modern, comfortable design with high-fidelity sound quality. This innovative hearing protection lets you conveniently make and take phone calls. Equipped with...
These are not ‘noise cancelling’. They don’t have any special electronics to cancel noise. They are regular earmuffs that have bluetooth added.
If you don’t already have any hearing protection devices, you should get some for around the house. Common activities like mowing, edging, power saws, shop vacs, etc. can have noise levels that are harmful with extended exposure.
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2023, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/9 "2023-08-12T19:15:43Z")
> [@filmore](#):
>
> Common activities like mowing, edging, power saws, shop vacs, etc. can have noise levels that are harmful with extended exposure
Very true. I use an earbud type with BT so I can mow and listen to music via my phone. The muffs actually work better, but too hot and sweaty for me in summer.
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### Author:  [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2023, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/10 "2023-08-12T19:57:24Z")
> [@Dereknocue67](#):
>
> the noise was certainly perceivable but not overly objectionable
I’m concerned because my house has an open beam ceiling – there’s no attic so nothing between me and the hammers but the roof.
I just ordered an 8 pack of foam earplugs. Probably lo tech is the best thing here.
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### Author:  [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2023, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/11 "2023-08-12T19:58:43Z")
Agreed.
Due to two new roofs in two years (hail damage), I got pretty familiar with the noise.
Think: firing (ie, gun) range.
Impulse noise isn’t the strong suit for noise cancelling headphones.
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### Author:  [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2023, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/12 "2023-08-13T17:20:12Z")
> [@Dereknocue67](#):
>
> Consumer Reports has a good rating on Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 available on Amazon for $379.00 with one day delivery if you’re a Prime member.
You should be able to get a set of high quality noise suppression earmuffs at any hardware store or online for a whole lot less than that. Advantage of the brick and mortar is that you can probably try them on; but for what it’s worth I’ve got some [Peltors](https://gemplers.com/products/3m-twin-cup-industrial-hearing-protector?currency=USD&variant=21169725079641&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&utm_content=https://gemplers.com/products/3m-twin-cup-industrial-hearing-protector%3Fcurrency%3DUSD%26variant%3D21169725079641%26utm_medium%3Dcpc%26utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_campaign%3DGoogle%2520Shopping&utm_term=shopify_US_2042741850201_21169725079641&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIn8vMuZHagAMVluzjBx0m_AdDEAQYASABEgJTvfD_BwE) that I like a lot. – and yes, you can get versions with bluetooth, and play music or whatever over them.
If you ever do any noisy work yourself (lawnmowing, for example), as has been said you’ll find them quite handy. Noise damage to hearing is cumulative through one’s life. I have bad eyesight and am careful of my ears.
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### Author:  [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2023, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/13 "2023-08-13T17:41:48Z")
I bought a pair of Apple AirPods Pro to deal with a kitchen remodel a few months ago in which I was working on the other side of the door from the remodel. It wasn’t perfect, but it tuned down the noise enough that I could function. The demo was the worst part, but that only lasted a couple of days. The whole remodel was about 5 weeks start to finish, but there were less noisy parts (like painting/plastering).
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2023, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/14 "2023-08-13T18:24:14Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#):
>
> If you ever do any noisy work yourself (lawnmowing, for example), as has been said you’ll find them quite handy. Noise damage to hearing is cumulative through one’s life. I have bad eyesight and am careful of my ears.
Note that using loud music to drown out loud noise is a lose-lose proposition. You’re now injuring your ears from two sources, not zero.
When using hearing protection that can play music, it’s all too easy to crank the tunes unwittingly. If even with hearing protection the undesired noise is still loud enough to be distracting, that’s a signal that you need more hearing protection, not more sound in the form of music.
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### Author:  [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2023, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/15 "2023-08-13T19:14:27Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> Note that using loud music to drown out loud noise is a lose-lose proposition. You’re now injuring your ears from two sources, not zero.
>
> When using hearing protection that can play music, it’s all too easy to crank the tunes unwittingly. If even with hearing protection the undesired noise is still loud enough to be distracting, that’s a signal that you need more hearing protection, not more sound in the form of music.
That is all very true. I mentioned the music possibility because some people are going to be unhappy if they have long stretches when they can’t listen to music; but if so, the music shouldn’t be used to drown out other sound, but should be kept to at least relatively safe levels.
I use the basic sets, myself; they don’t do music. But I like to have music at selected times, not as continuous background; if it’s playing too much of the time, for me it all turns into noise, even something I’d otherwise like. Not everybody’s like that.
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### Author:  [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2026, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/16 "2026-03-04T18:58:06Z")
Perhaps I can be forgiven for bumping this 3 years later. This is the most recent direct discussion of noise cancellation, and technology can change quickly.
Anyone use active noise cancellation in 2026 for intermittent (aka “impulse”) noise? I’ve got barking dogs next door and foam earplugs aren’t quite enough. I want the noise CANCELLED and would happily pay $300 or more, but only if the thing worked.
Foam earplugs aren’t enough for certain loud Muzak in stores, etc. and that can be a problem as well. I’m also potentially about to need complete blocking of nearby conversation when they make me go back into the office.
If noise cancellation isn’t the answer for these issues, I’ll try the Bluetooth mouse-ears and pipe in white noise.
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### Author:  [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2026, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/17 "2026-03-04T19:29:18Z")
If $300 isn’t going to break your budget, you might as well try them out. They won’t completely silence the barking, but they’ll greatly reduce the intensity of the sound. And they are great when you’re flying or riding in a vehicle, so you’ll certainly get good use out of them. If you haven’t tried them out, go to a store like Best Buy and try out their demo model. It’ll make the store about as quiet as a library. Have a friend bark like a dog and see what it sounds like.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2026, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/18 "2026-03-04T19:30:51Z")
I _think_ noise cancelling headphones are better on steady noise, like a lawnmower or airplane engine. I don’t think they will work well on sudden noises like a dog barking.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)
#### Post date: [March 4, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/19 "2026-03-04T20:22:45Z")
Noise canceling earbuds **plus** something static like “brown noise” are the only reliable method I’ve found for blocking intermittent sound.
Music doesn’t work because noise sneaks in during dips in volume, pauses, etc.
Probably not great for your ears, though, you still need the volume relatively high to compete with nearby or very loud sounds.
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### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2026, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/noise-canceling-ear-phones-buds-for-roofing-project/988437/20 "2026-03-06T17:45:34Z")
My wife and I bought specific noise canceling headphones for the gun range. That should work for nail guns too. Any loud pop.
They work great as I’m teaching her how to shoot and we can still talk.
But since it’s only a week or two, I wouldn’t worry about it. I’ve done framing and roofing.
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