How to get rid of mice in the house: Hawk repellers and other ways to get rid of rodents

Author: Michael Potter Updated: April 17, 2020

Ultrasonic rodent repeller is a relatively new rodent control product. For many, it has already become an excellent alternative to other methods of control that involve killing animals - the use of traps and poisons. Do you also want to humanely get rid of rodents? Is the very idea of poisoning them or catching them and the subsequent fuss with dead carcasses unpleasant? All these questions are solved by an ultrasonic rat repellent device. In this material we will tell you how rats feel and behave when exposed to ultrasound, how to choose a suitable repeller for a room of any size, what you need to know about ultrasound and how to use the device correctly. Let’s also find out: are such devices safe for cats, dogs and hamsters?

What you need to know about the action of ultrasonic repellers

Mouse repellers that emit ultrasonic waves can be safely used in any premises: apartments, houses, food warehouses, offices, retail spaces, industrial premises, hospitals, etc.
Most electronic repellers emit only ultrasound - usually these are budget, low-power models for small spaces. More expensive models can also target pests with electromagnetic radiation, sound, and flashes of light. And, although rodents can be eliminated with ultrasound alone, a combination of exposure methods will give the best result, especially for large rooms.
Ultrasound cannot penetrate walls and floors, so each room will require a separate device.
Ultrasound is well reflected from a hard surface (wood, concrete, glass) and is also well absorbed by soft surfaces - such as curtains, upholstered furniture, carpets, grocery bags. Therefore, it is best to turn on the rat repeller in the most empty room possible - this way it will work better.

Questionable effectiveness of home remedies

Despite the ease of use, the limited effectiveness of traditional methods of rodent control should be recognized.

They are good enough to destroy single individuals that accidentally enter a house or apartment. However, getting rid of a massive rodent infestation using homemade traps or odorous plants is not easy.

Herbs that have a mouse-repelling aroma in large quantities can cause discomfort to the owners themselves. To achieve the effect, you will need to place strong-smelling plants everywhere. In winter and late autumn it is impossible to get herbs.

This option may not be suitable for every person. The feeling of comfort disappears, the house turns into a battlefield between rodents and people.

How to choose a rat repellent device for a small, medium and large room?

Choose an ultrasonic rodent repeller based on your needs and the recommendations of those who have used this item. But what else should you consider and what should you pay attention to when choosing a repeller?

First, carefully read the characteristics of the repeller regarding ultrasound : the range of emitted high frequencies (if it captures frequencies up to 20 kHz, then you will hear it), constant change (by default or the ability to select a mode) of the frequency of the emitted wave, the angle of signal propagation ( the bigger, the better).

Secondly, consider the features of the room.

For example, if food , then rodents will not be quickly driven out. An ultrasonic rodent repeller can fight rodents for about two months. For comparison, in the absence of food and water, rodents will leave in about two weeks.

Third, remember about pets .

If you have pets at home, then know that repellers are safe and will not harm the animals or their hearing. But in cats, dogs and other pets like hamsters and guinea pigs, ultrasound may cause concern because... They have better hearing than people and they hear it. Keep this in mind and remove pets from the room where such a device is operating.

Fourthly, keep in mind that for rooms with different areas, repellers of different power and types of impact are needed . Therefore, pay attention to the declared coverage area of the device and compare it with yours. But remember that the packaging indicates the area of the empty room; accordingly, assess the degree of load with furniture and things in your apartment, house or office. Remember that repellers work best in empty and semi-empty rooms!

Main characteristics of repellers

So, when choosing a device, you need to pay attention to the operational characteristics that are responsible for efficiency, these include:

Protected area. This parameter is very important, since it is responsible for the area over which the device will repel rodents. But it is worth saying that manufacturers very often overestimate it. It is also worth considering that this parameter shows the interaction area, without taking into account possible obstacles that can absorb ultrasound, thereby reducing the impact area. Such barriers include, for example, furniture.
Sound pressure level. This parameter shows how intensely the device generates ultrasound. In other words, it shows how strong it is on mice and rats. The higher this indicator, the more efficient the device. You should focus on a level of 100 dB and above; these parameters provide high efficiency.
Directional pattern. This parameter controls how widely the sound spreads around the device. A device where this parameter is set to 360° ensures the propagation of ultrasound around the entire device. It is very difficult for manufacturers to refrain from overestimating this indicator, so the purchased device may not actually meet 100% of the specified characteristics.
Frequency range. This parameter shows within what limits the ultrasound frequencies change. Of course, the wider the spectrum, the greater the effectiveness. As practice shows, devices with a wide spectrum of radiation can get rid of not only mice and rats, they are also effective against shrews, moles, mole rats and even dogs. Devices that are capable of providing a high level of efficiency have a frequency range of 20-80 kHz.

We looked at the main characteristics that are very important to consider when choosing a repeller.

But other parameters are no less important, namely:

Method of nutrition. It is necessary to remember that devices that operate on batteries cannot a priori reproduce powerful ultrasound, and therefore are ineffective.
Price. They cannot be too cheap, so products presented in the price category below 1000 rubles should be avoided.
General description of the product. You need to study the description, if it states that this is a universal ultrasonic repeller, which is also electromagnetic, as well as magnetic resonance, which acts not only against rodents, but also gets rid of flies, cockroaches and mosquitoes, you should not purchase this super device , because in reality it seems like an ordinary dummy.

The problem with choosing the right device is that a person cannot verify the veracity of the characteristics claimed by the manufacturer.

Externally, the device does not in any way confirm or refute this or that parameter, and a person cannot hear ultrasound, so one has to trust what is written in the characteristics.

Rating of the best ultrasonic rodent repellers

Next, we will tell you in more detail which repeller to choose for different rooms.

Rodent repellers for medium and large rooms up to 1200 m2

Do you need to get rid of rats from a large house or a huge industrial premises? Here we need more powerful devices that also have a visual effect on rats. We have selected 3 repellers: 2 of them will cope with rats in an area of up to 400 m2, and the last one, the most powerful, will take “anti-rat control” up to 1200 m2 of space using 7 different operating modes.

To protect an average-sized house, the “Tornado-400” and “ElectroCat Turbo” . They are both designed for a maximum area of 400 square meters, but they also have a number of differences.

The most powerful device for repelling mice and rats “Tornado-1200”

The most powerful repeller we are considering will control up to 1200 m2. This makes it an excellent option not only for a large home, but also for use in industrial and retail spaces, as well as in large food warehouses, which rats love. The signal from Tornado-1200 spreads over 360 degrees due to the round shape of the device and 4 multi-directional emitters. The device affects not only ultrasound in the range from 16 to 76 kHz, but also sound (from 1 to 7 kHz) and irregular flashes of light.

Hang it even on the ceiling - due to its unusual futuristic design, it will not disfigure, but even decorate the space. While other devices have 2 operating modes, this one has as many as 7 - you can choose the one that suits any situation. You don't have to remove the device to select a mode - to switch, use the remote control that comes with the kit. Users advise avoiding fakes:

“Tornado is too functional to cost three pennies. Therefore, if you find it at a surprisingly low price, don’t be fooled, it’s a scam!!! I almost got caught like that myself; it’s unlikely that a fake repeller could work the same way as a real one. I recommend this model.”

Price: 8320 rub.

Repeller “Tornado 400”

Tornado-400 has one operating mode with one powerful emitter (range 18-70 kHz) and is similar in technical characteristics to the silent model Tornado-200, with the exception of greater room coverage due to an increase in the size of the emitter. Reviews are mostly positive. So, Konstantin advises:

“I never thought that I would leave a review for such products. But a tornado is a 400-thing! To install it in the basement, I had to find the longest extension cord, but it was worth it. True, at first, of course, I was scared when suddenly in the middle of the day I saw a rat in the kitchen - it was probably stressed from the ultrasound))) I’m a skeptic, but so far the device is working and there seem to be fewer rodents, and then we’ll see how it goes.”

Price: 2300 rub.

Repeller “ElectroCat Turbo”

The device has 2 operating modes: Day and Night with a constantly changing ultrasound frequency in the range from 5 to 50 kHz. It affects rodents in three ways at once: ultrasound, sound and light. In day mode, only ultrasound is activated; in night mode, the device emits acoustic vibrations in the audio and ultrasonic ranges. Both modes are accompanied by intermittent lighting of a powerful LED. Exposure to both hearing and vision at once gives a much better repellent effect than exposure to ultrasound alone. The propagation angle of the device signal is 110 degrees.

The device can be placed without additional fasteners and stands (it has its own), but if necessary, you can hang it on the wall. You can also manually aim the emitter at the desired part of the room. As Andrey S. writes,

“...50% of success in repelling rodents is the correct location of the device. It’s better, of course, to take 2, in order to definitely cover the entire room, but I decided to start with one and simply attached it to the corner on the wall. At first it didn’t work very well, but then I figured out to remove unnecessary things from the room and the process seemed to be going well. Previously, you couldn’t even leave food there - these mutants gnawed everything. Now, 10 days later, I feel like there are still a couple of freaks left in the house. Until I turn off the device, I’m waiting for the final victory.”

Price: 1500 rub.

Devices for repelling mice and rats for an apartment or small house up to 200 m2

And so, let's talk about how to get rid of rats in a private house, and not only, with the help of ultrasonic rodent repellers. If there are rats in a one-room apartment or small house, it will be enough to use a low-power repeller. Such devices consume little electricity, are inexpensive and can cope with a rodent attack in a limited area using only ultrasound. The most popular ultrasonic repellers for small spaces are Tornado-200 and ElectroKot Classic .

Electronic rodent repeller “Tornado-200”

The Tornado-200 mouse and rat repellent device operates in a single mode with a constantly changing frequency from 18 to 70 kHz. In this range, ultrasound “jumps” by 2-10 kHz every few minutes, which confuses the rodents, instills fear in them and makes them run away. Coverage of work area – up to 200 m2. As stated, Tornado from mice can work at temperatures from -40 to +80 degrees, so you can safely leave it working in absolutely any room.

The device has a built-in stand, which allows you to install it on any hard surface. The manufacturer also recommends that for the best effect, attach the Tornado-200 as close to the ceiling as possible, directing its emitter to the center of the room.

One of the biggest advantages of the device: thanks to the precise frequency range from 18 to 70 kHz, it cannot be called noisy - most adults can only hear frequencies up to 16 kHz. Although sometimes the following reviews are found:

“It seemed that at first we heard how the device worked, but either we got used to it or something else, but it went away. But this is not so important - the main thing is that 8 days after switching on the rats stopped hiding in our garage, and we no longer found droppings there. The neighbors also suffer from rodents – I would recommend Tornado to them.”

User Tatyana was even luckier, she writes:

“When I purchased the Tornado-200, I immediately removed the excess junk from the basement and prepared for a long battle for my home. But surprisingly, after just 3-4 days and one sleepless night, the rats suddenly disappeared. Maybe, of course, there simply weren’t many of them, I don’t know, but the fact remains a fact. It turns out that you can get rid of rats without poisons or traps.”

Price: 1430 rub.

Repeller “ElectroCat Classic”

This rat repeller no longer has one mode of operation, but two (day and night) with different emitted frequency ranges from a total of 5 to 100 kHz. This affordable ultrasonic repeller for ~₽999 is suitable for any room up to 200 m2, and, judging by satisfied user reviews, it copes very successfully with the task of scaring away uninvited tailed guests. The propagation angle of the device signal is 110 degrees. The frequency of ultrasound also constantly changes so that rodents do not have time to adapt to the same wave. It is possible to mount the device on the wall.

Users note that the repeller is a bit noisy in Night mode. But the effectiveness of the device, apparently, outweighs this drawback, because it continues to be actively purchased. They advise, if possible, to install the device closer to the corner of the room to increase the coverage radius of the ultrasonic emitter.

Some users recommend taking something more powerful for a large house:

“I was skeptical about such devices, because I had previously trusted one of the Chinese repellers, which broke on the third day. This one seems to be more reliable, and almost not noisy, at least my cats don’t feel anxious. I wish it was more powerful, but if you have a small house, it can handle it. A day after turning it on, it may seem that the rats have invited their friends and had a party in your house, but then everything will calm down and they will gradually all leave. At least that’s how it was for me.”

Price: 1110 rub.

Comparative table of ultrasonic rodent repellers

Product	Type of impact	Price
Tornado 200	operating area 1200 sq.m. stationary case material: plastic power supply: 220 V power supply	8320 rub.
Tornado 400	The device operates even at night, has an operating area of 400 sq.m, and is powered by a 220-volt outlet.	2300 rub.
ElectroCat Turbo	coverage area 400 sq.m power 10 W stationary for indoors	1500 rub.
ElectroCat Classic	operating area 200 sq.m stationary case material: plastic power: 5V	1430 rub.
Tornado 200	operating area 200 sq.m. stationary case material: plastic power supply: 220 V power supply	1100 rub.

Choosing an effective repeller

Thanks to customer reviews, expert opinions, as well as the results of tests, we were able to compile a rating of the most effective, reliable ultrasonic repellers, which we presented above.

Each device has its own characteristics and also differs in cost. Next, you can get acquainted with the approximate price, as well as the most important parameter, which will allow you to make the right choice:

Chiston-2 PRO. Provides efficiency over an area of 450 sq.m., frequency range is 20-70 kHz. The approximate cost will be 3000 rubles.
Bioguard. Protected area – 850 sq.m. The approximate price is 4500 rubles.
Chiston-2. Operates on an area of 300 sq.m. Cost - about 2500 rubles.
Tornado-800. Area – 800 sq.m. Price – about 3500 rubles.
TM-315. Protected area – 750 sq.m. The approximate cost will be 6,500 rubles.

It is also worth noting the Elektrokot and WK-0600 devices, which are not inferior in technical characteristics and operating efficiency.

Rodent repellers: 7 most popular questions

How do rats feel and behave when exposed to ultrasound?

When you first turn on the device, rats may become bewildered by the new unpleasant sounds, hide in their hiding places, or, on the contrary, start running chaotically around the room in an attempt to hide from the source of the uncomfortable sounds. It is in this case that it may seem to you that the repeller does not work, but only attracts pests - but this is not so! The rats are simply in a state of shock and don’t know what to do. Fortunately, in most modern devices the frequencies “pulse”, changing every few minutes by 2-10 kHz. This prevents rodents from getting used to the unpleasant effects and makes ultrasound from mice a very effective remedy.

Ultrasound causes panic, anxiety, confusion and extreme discomfort in rodents - especially if the device is constantly running. But at the same time, they are not so stupid as to just up and leave the warm home they have lived in. So they can wait for a few days in the hope that this nightmare will end. When this does not happen, they are forced to flee. This process usually takes about 2 weeks on average.

Why does ultrasound have such an effect on rodents, but humans cannot hear it?

The thing is that people and rodents have different ranges of sound waves that they can perceive by ear. In humans, it is approximately equal to 20 Hz-16 kHz, and in mice from 200 Hz to 76 kHz. Ultrasound refers to waves with a frequency above 20 kHz, which humans, unlike rodents, are no longer able to hear due to the limitations of the hearing aid. The most popular devices have a built-in function of constantly changing the wave frequency so that rats do not have time to get used to unpleasant sounds. And here it all depends on the range of emitted waves of each specific device. Its upper limits usually do not raise questions, but the lower limit of the range (in different cases this is 5 kHz, 18 kHz, etc.) can also be heard by people.

How many repellers do you need to rid your home of rodents?

The answer depends on the number of rooms and the extent of the infestation. Ideally, there should be one ultrasonic rodent repeller per room, because... Ultrasound cannot penetrate walls. If we are talking about a home, also consider the basement and attic and other areas that may be especially attractive to rats (kitchen, pantry and other areas where food is stored).

The electronic mouse and rat repeller does not work: what could be the problem?

Perhaps the room is too cluttered and it is worth removing unnecessary things that interfere with the operation of the ultrasonic device. The repeller works best in a space with a minimum of soft things that absorb ultrasound: upholstered furniture, carpets, curtains, fabrics, toys. In such a room, ultrasound from rats can fill the space due to multiple reflections from hard surfaces, walls, ceilings and floors.

If you're trying to get rid of rodents in food pantries, having food there will be a double problem. Firstly, rats will never refuse to eat for free, and secondly, bags with bulk products (for example, grain) absorb ultrasound very well. And most importantly, remove food that attracts rodents. Many biologists say that rats are able to endure pain for the sake of food, and then they simply get used to ultrasound and learn to ignore it.

Also, according to scientists, in some cases, electronic rodent repellers may simply not work, so do not wait too long to turn on the repeller. Optimal period: 2-3 weeks - if during this time the rats have not disappeared, turn off the device and use traps or rat poisons.

How do you know when it’s time to unplug the repeller?

In accordance with the opinion of the manufacturers, we recommend leaving the device unplugged until the rats are completely gone (this should take 2-3 weeks). Sometimes people complain that the rodent repellent worked at first, and then suddenly stopped, and the rats appeared again. This may be due precisely to the fact that it was not turned off in time! Theoretically, if another family of rats immediately replaces the previous rodents, they can immediately get used to the constant exposure to ultrasound.

Remember: an ultrasonic rat repeller does not protect your home from invading rodents, it only helps remove existing ones!

Which is better: repeller, rat poison or trap?

All methods are good in their own way, but you should not use them at the same time! This is a typical mistake of all frightened homeowners who, when they see rats in the house, immediately rush to purchase all possible remedies at once. But traps, poisons, as well as poison for rats and mice and repellers simply cannot work together - they have opposite actions: the first means attract rodents, and repellers repel.

It is advisable to first use a humane method of scaring, and then, if necessary, spread poison or set traps. This way you will know that you did everything you could, and, most importantly, you did everything right!

Do devices such as ultrasonic repellers have an expiration date?

In fact, such products can last you a lifetime, i.e. we can say that they have no expiration date. But the manufacturer is obliged to report the expected service life of the device it produces - in the technical data sheets of some models we came across an indication of 10 years of operation, which is not bad. Carefully read the instructions for each specific ultrasonic mouse repeller to find out the details.

Ultrasound for rodents

Sound vibrations that exceed a frequency of 20 kHz are called ultrasound, which is inaudible to humans. For many animals, ultrasound does not pose any danger or threat; they perceive it normally.

Some people can hear sound vibrations that are slightly above the 20 kHz mark, perceiving them as a thin, barely audible squeak. If we talk about rodents, the house mouse perceives sounds up to 100 kHz, and the gray rat up to 40 kHz. In other words, what is absolutely inaudible to humans is sound information to mice and rats.

Let's look at the basic concepts you need to know about sound vibrations:

By its nature, ultrasound has the same characteristics as other sounds, which means it can be loud, quiet, absorbed, or reflected. Based on this, it can be understood that a small device that runs on a AA battery cannot reproduce powerful ultrasonic radiation, which means its effectiveness against rodents will be zero, not to mention its benefit over an area of several hundred square meters.
Ultrasound, like any other sound, conveys information of a different nature to animals, it can be frightening, which signals danger, neutral, unpleasant. Just like people, not everyone pays attention to every sound, and ultrasound for rodents, not everyone can scare and cause anxiety.
Ultrasound is a way of communication for rodents; with its help, they transmit important information, including danger and signals for help.

If we consider all rodents, it is worth noting that the most vocal are guinea pigs. They not only make sounds that are audible to their owners, but also scream in a sound range that is inaudible to humans.

But the most silent and silent mice are mice that use ultrasound only in stressful situations and in danger. Also, to attract females, male mice use the ultrasonic range to “sing”, which is similar to birds. In addition, newborn rodents communicate with their mother using ultrasound.

All of the above confirms that it is technically quite possible to create an ultrasonic device that could repel mice and rats by causing a sense of danger and anxiety.

They will hear such sounds and try to leave the dangerous territory. But for the device to be truly effective, it must operate at appropriate ultrasonic frequencies.

Reviews from people who have used repellers

Svetlana : “Even though I am a modern person, I never believed in the effectiveness of small devices called repellers. For me it was something essentially reminiscent of quackery. As soon as rodents appeared in my house, I placed mousetraps everywhere. This method, although effective, takes a lot of time. On the recommendation of the seller in the store, I still bought Tornado-200 and did not regret it. This small device works absolutely silently, and most importantly, I didn’t notice how the unwanted guests in my house disappeared on their own.”

Oleg : “When rats appeared in my pantry, I had no idea what to do with them. The mousetrap turned out to be ineffective here, since there were a lot of animals. At a hardware store I was advised to purchase “ElectroCat Turbo”. At first, I was skeptical about this idea, because I was used to using poison. But, nevertheless, the seller managed to convince me. An electric rat repeller helped. The rats disappeared in a matter of days.”

Inna : “I have been using one of the simple Tornado devices since they appeared on the market. Thanks to this device, I have long forgotten about insects and rodents in the house.”

Reasons for device inefficiency

Very often there are reviews that these electrical devices are generally ineffective and do not bring any results. Of course, there are electronic pacifiers that really do not bring any results.

The reason may also be poor quality of devices or characteristics. Unfortunately, no one is immune from such an acquisition, and even a device that is not the cheapest may in fact turn out to be a useless acquisition.

But it is worth saying that the lack of results can be caused by other reasons, which include:

Incorrect application. It should be remembered that ultrasound is absorbed by objects; in a room where a huge amount of furniture is installed, the effectiveness will certainly be reduced. There is another situation when a repeller is purchased, installed in the basement of, for example, a large cottage, and the owners expect a miracle effect from it, that in one moment pests will disappear from the basement, living quarters, attic, and at the same time in the surrounding area.
Habituation of mice and rats to ultrasound. Unfortunately, this is possible even if the frequency changes regularly. It happens that if they enter the territory where ultrasound is present occasionally, do not stay there all the time, when visiting they find food, and do not feel any other dangers (for example, the smell of a cat), and also do not suffer losses. Such walks provide an opportunity to get enough, and the danger lies only in the unpleasant sound, to which they gradually get used.

But most negative reviews about the work of ultrasonic repellers appear for the reason that attempts to get rid of rodents using very cheap devices have not been successful, in principle, as it should be.

Why “Hawk” repellers are better than poisons and mousetraps

Repellers from the Yastreb company have a number of important advantages over traps and poisons:

humaneness - the devices do not kill mice, but cause them an acute feeling of discomfort, as a result of which the rodents leave the room;
safety for humans and pets - people, as well as cats and dogs, are not able to hear ultrasonic waves in the range emitted by the device;
the absence of unpleasant consequences in the form of smell from the decomposing corpses of mice that died from poison in hard-to-reach places.

Natalya Radulova knows how to deal with noisy neighbors

Russians unite in communities to combat noisy neighbors

Natalia Radulova

You can wait out a neighbor's renovation or birthday dance. You can call a local police officer to pacify the really violent ones. There are even cases of forced eviction of noisy Russians through the courts. In the end, you can spit and soundproof your apartment; this will reduce the footage, but will protect you from most so-called airborne noise, sounds transmitted through the air - this way you can save yourself from young musicians practicing their scales behind the wall, from howling dogs and crying babies.

But what to do if the neighbor’s noise seems to be no noise at all and you are the only one who hears it? This happens with impact or structural sound that is transmitted through the floors of the house. The most common example is the stomping of neighbors upstairs. There is practically no protection from it, unless the neighbors themselves take care of isolation. After all, the energy of the impact must be extinguished before the wave reaches the ceiling, then, resonating, it simply goes along the ceiling and even the walls.

“Boom-boom-boom - I hear every step of my upstairs neighbor,” complains one of the members of the “Club of Defenders of Silence,” an online community that unites citizens fighting for peace in their own home. “I can even hear his two cats chasing him on the laminate one after another. Yes, yes, that same stomping of cats. And it’s not funny to me at all.”

“They live - I exist”

Their profile pictures show people holding their hands over their ears. They also choose appropriate mottos for their profiles: “Silence, you are the best thing I’ve heard.” Pasternak”, “Listen to the soundlessness, listen and enjoy what you were not given in life - silence.” Bulgakov". “I want silence, silence, my nerves are probably burned.” Voznesensky."

They call themselves brothers in noise misfortune; they characterize their neighbors without ceremony: “noise degenerates”, “stompers”, “noiseoids”. Most members of the “Club” have long gone through all stages of the struggle: conversations with neighbors, attempts to buy them carpeting at their own expense in order to slightly reduce the shock wave from their steps, complaints to the management company, calls to the police, courts.

“When they tell me: “Have you tried using earplugs,” I just grin,” says Muscovite Sergei Kolomiets. “Lord, I’ve probably tried all the earplugs that exist in the world: for drummers, swimmers, miners.” Silicone, polypropylene foam, even wax - the ear canal literally has to be covered with them. And on top I also put on American soundproofing headphones - they are used at military airfields. There, the rollers contain polyurethane foam and glycerin, so for high frequencies their efficiency is 40 dB, and for low frequency noise - 23 dB... Oh, what can I say! I have already become a sound specialist. But from the impact noise all this is like a poultice for the dead. Yes, and your head hurts if you constantly walk around in full gear. I have a friend with hearing problems, he wears a special hearing aid, but he can also feel it when the neighbor’s boy is riding his scooter upstairs. My deaf friend says that he feels this vibration in his bones. Can you imagine? And we live in this hell every day...

Sergei paid about half a million dollars for an apartment in a new building and, like everyone else in the “Club,” he fought for a long time for silence in it: he appealed to the conscience of his neighbors, did a sound examination, studied technical literature, learned, for example, that Rw is the insulation index airborne noise, and Lnw is the index of reduced impact noise reduction, even filed a lawsuit - no result.

“The court makes advisory decisions,” he says. “We recommend that the defendant not make too much noise.” Well, screw yourself!

And recently Sergey soundproofed the apartment. It didn't help much. Yes, he can hardly hear any airborne noise - other people's conversations and the TV on. But the most annoying thing - the scooter, children jumping from the sofa to the floor, running, the clicking of women's clogs - continues to be “felt in the bones.”

According to sanitary standards, the permissible sound pressure level in a residential area during the day is 40-55 dBA. This can be compared to a quiet conversation - it’s not always pleasant, especially for sensitive people, but you can exist more or less calmly. At night, a sound level of 30-45 dBA is allowed, that is, a person should hear virtually no noise. These standards can be achieved only with strict adherence to construction technology. That’s why Sergei is suffering so much in his new beautiful house - they are building it anyhow now.

In addition, modern buildings with their rigid reinforced concrete slabs and monolithic and welded joints have excellent sound conductivity. And when the residents of the new building do not insulate their screed from the ceiling, that’s it.

“I don’t have a home anymore,” says Sergei. “Someone just lives on my head, around the clock, and there’s nowhere to escape from these parasites.” I wake up when they wake up, I know when they drop their forks on the floor, when they walk from room to room, slamming doors, when they sit at the table and push back their chairs, when they wash themselves - I also hear the crash of water on the cast-iron bottom of their bathtub, as if They covered me with a basin and they were drumming on me from above. They live as they want, and I exist.

“I’ll kill them!”

In addition to the “Club of Defenders of Silence,” the largest, the Internet is full of other similar communities. "Club for lovers of peace and tranquility." Society “For a Quiet Life!” Forum “Do you want me to kill my neighbors?”

The psychological state of all their long-time members is not the best. At first they believe that everything can be worked out, they get to know their neighbors, invite them to tea, have heart-to-heart conversations, hoping to find mutual understanding. Over time, hope weakens, the neighbors no longer open the doors, but only shout from there: “This is a child, how can I calm him down?” or “Are we supposed to travel by air?”

When a lover of silence realizes that there is no way out of the situation, he plunges into depression. “How has sound aggression affected your quality of life and health?” - one of the popular topics. The most common complaints: it is impossible to relax in your own apartment (“I’m uncomfortable, I don’t get enough sleep”), irritability, fear of returning home (“What if they make noise there again”), fear of going to bed at night (“I’m always tense, waiting sudden roar from above”, “I freeze, I begin to listen”). There are those who beg: “Help! I tried everything. I realized that in fact there are no standards limiting noise, they are all for show and do not work in practice. I’ll pay any money, tell me what to do.” There are also those who do not hide their rage: “Sometimes I want to blow up a house,” “I’ll kill them!”

Few people understand these people, and how can they prove that they are suffering if the vibrating, multiply amplified roar does not go further than their apartments? Is it possible to offer those who have doubts to live for a month in their conditions and only then wonder: “Maybe you just have frayed nerves?” My nerves are, of course, frayed. “What a life I’ve lived to see,” sighs one of the “lower men.” “I was a submariner, then at the institute I learned how to fight NATO, and now I’m learning how to survive at home. And we are on unequal conditions with our enemies. It’s like I’m buried up to my neck in sand like Said and I can’t answer them the way they deserve. Now, if running on the ceiling were as natural as running on the floor, then yes. But I still don't give up. They will also have the anthem of the Soviet Union non-stop and “When Comrade Stalin sends us into battle.”

Teammates choose different methods for forcing silence. But the classic scheme does not change: “We determine where the freaks nest at night. And we attach subwoofers there, turn on the music and methodically poke dumbbells, a mop, or a mashed potato mallet into this place, imagining their faces at this moment, which adds expression.”

These places of grief and anger are frequented by lawyers offering assistance in court and efficient businessmen. One advises to torment harmful neighbors with calls: “Flood calls from mobile and landline phones. One day - 40 dollars. Week - 200 dollars. Month - 600 dollars. For regular customers there are cumulative discounts.” Another offers noise protection structures, panels, screens. The third sells jammers and jammers for household audio equipment: “Who needs to jam their neighbor’s stereo? Come on!”

Probably the most popular product is a vibrating column with a suction cup; it is usually attached to the ceiling in order to acquaint the restless upper residents with the latest hard rock products for educational purposes at about five in the morning. Someone uses sound files from the extensive collection of the “Club”: here is the clicking of women’s heels, and the creaking of doors, and the howling of faulty pipes, and snoring, and “a child knocking on an iron bucket.” Citizens put on their noise-reducing headphones and, turning on the vibration speakers, play in a circle a recording of a family scandal or a barking dog - in war as in war. And when the neighbors wake up and run to investigate, they shrug their shoulders in surprise: “You yourself said that you couldn’t hear anything here.” Some go even further - they record neighbors' sounds, and then play them back to them so that they can hear it faster.

“I suffered for four years”

Full-scale military operations, however, rarely lead to victory—everyone around them becomes an enemy.

“I had everything like everyone else,” says a member of the “Club” under the name Viktor Pirozhkov. “At first I talked politely with my neighbors, then I swore, then I responded with noise, fortunately there are a lot of methods on this site. I tried everything - ceiling speakers, the sound program “Mozgoprav”, went to work, turning on the same moronic song for the whole day. Result: innocent residents around suffered, everyone was opposed to me. They called the local police officer and complained - I was declared the most important person at the entrance. I thought: what to do? Only I suffer from the upper imbeciles, everyone suffers from my retaliatory actions... The basketball helped. You throw it at the ceiling and you don’t create much noise, it sounds booming, but at the same time there is a terrible roar at the top and the floor shakes, and no one around hears anything. They no longer have allies! I threw this ball at the ceiling with all my strength and caught it so that it would not fall to the floor and the neighbors below would not hear it. At the same time, there is good mobility and speed of response: you can quickly throw it several times at the ceiling along the entire perimeter of the apartment - where the bastards make noise, they immediately get a roar in response. Or as soon as you calm down, go to bed, you bastards, get hit with a ball from below. The ball was wrapped in a plastic bag so that it would not leave marks on the white ceiling. Quiet! Friends, be quiet! But I suffered for almost four years!

But not everyone is so lucky. Therefore, the sufferers share their dreams with each other: “It’s a pity, my schumanoids are on the top floor. Otherwise I would have rented an apartment above them and had a blast: with stomping, partying. Let them find out what it’s like” and generally useless advice on how to escape from the life above your head. There are also recordings with “white noise” - the sound of rain, waterfalls, forests - it is believed that such a background helps not to listen to the knocking of an apartment building. And advice on how to behave in court, solely to shake the nerves of the defendants. And recipes for calming preparations, and “lulling” programs for phones, and contacts of psychologists: “If you cannot change the situation, then change your attitude towards it.”

But there is not a single person who would benefit from all this in any significant way. Only “excluding a traumatic situation,” moving, helps. This doesn’t always work out: “They offered me a house instead of my three rubles. True, not far from the railway. I'm afraid. Now I’ve studied the schedule of the upper neighbors - when they have dinner, when the eldest daughter’s dance lesson is, and I’ll also study all the railways. schedule". But sometimes those who got rid of bad apartments still come to the forum and joyfully report: “Friends! Remember how I argued with my neighbor? All! Changed apartment. Nobody makes noise! I haven't taken pills for a long time. Under normal conditions, without constant nervous stress, the pressure returned to normal, 120/80 - even into space!” Such stories are always listened to with interest and joy - this means that somewhere there are normal houses with thick walls and good sound insulation, somewhere there are neighbors who do not slam their doors with all their might and who do not need to take revenge, somewhere there is silence.

Where can the devices be used?

The Yastreb line of ultrasonic repellers includes several models that differ in technical characteristics. The range of applications of devices is wide.

Repellers can be installed:

in apartments and offices;
private houses;
at the dachas:
in basements and utility rooms;
shops and supermarkets;
on the territory of production premises, including elevators, pig farms, chicken coops;
in warehouses and bases.

The model should be selected based on the area of the room. To reliably protect large objects from rodents, it is necessary to install several devices.