Protecting Your Ears This Fourth of July: Fireworks Tips from the Hearing Experts

Fireworks are a beloved part of Independence Day tradition in the United States. There’s something timeless about gathering with friends and family to watch the night sky explode in color. But behind that beauty is a harsh truth: fireworks are loud—too loud.

At Soundtrace, we believe hearing is worth protecting. That includes when you're standing under a starlit sky on July 4th. So whether you’re watching a big-city show or lighting sparklers in your driveway, here’s how to keep the celebration joyful and safe.

Let’s Talk Decibels

Fireworks can blast at 150 to 175 dB at the source. That’s louder than a jet engine at takeoff.

To put it simply:
Anything over 120 dB can cause immediate, irreversible damage.

Even backyard fireworks can reach dangerous levels. The threat isn’t just at the stadium or park, it can be in your neighborhood, right outside your front door.

How Far Is Safe?

Distance matters. Sound fades fast with space, and giving yourself a buffer zone is one of the simplest ways to protect your ears.

• For professional displays: stand at least 500 feet away.
• For consumer-grade fireworks: aim for at least 40–50 feet.

The farther you are, the better your ears will feel the following day.

How to Protect Your Ears

Fireworks last a few minutes, but hearing loss lasts a lifetime.

Here’s how to enjoy the show and safeguard your hearing:

• Wear earplugs. Foam plugs can reduce noise by up to 30 dB—and they’re cheap, portable, and easy to use.
• Use earmuffs for kids. Their ears are more sensitive, and loud sounds can cause permanent damage quickly.
• Step away between bursts. Give your ears time to reset between the grand finales.
• Watch from indoors. If you have a view from a window or porch, enjoy the light show with a sound buffer.

If You Hear Ringing, It Was Too Loud

Woke up with ringing, buzzing, or muffled hearing? That’s your body waving a red flag. It means your ears took a hit.

Even if it fades after a day or two, that ringing (called temporary threshold shift) is a sign of overexposure. And repeated overexposure can lead to permanent hearing loss.

You wouldn’t ignore sunburn on your skin. Don’t ignore it in your ears.

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This Fourth of July, celebrate fully, but protect wisely. Your hearing isn’t just biology, t’s how you connect to people, to stories, to music, to life.

And that’s worth protecting.

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From all of us at Soundtrace: stay safe and have a joyful Fourth of July. 🎇

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