How early is too early to start up a lawnmower or use a power tool?
Posted by Grand_Raccoon0923@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 252 comments
I have always thought that if the sun was up, it was OK to start using noisy tools. My neighbor seems to think otherwise.
IrianJaya@reddit
Your town will have noise ordinances posted on their website. My town allows lawn equipment and power tools from 7am-9pm on weekdays, but on Saturday you can't start until 8:30-5pm, and Sunday I didn't realize it's 1pm-5pm.
I am a little shocked that they allow so early and late during the weekdays, and I'm equally shocked that they don't let us start until 1pm on Sunday. I've never given it much thought. I've probably been out there around 11am on a Sunday and no one's told me anything.
tinfoilskimask@reddit
10-4. Snowblower, anytime.
Ourcheeseboat@reddit
In New England snow blower time is sunrise, people have to be at work in anything less than a foot.
AZJHawk@reddit
Yeah but when is sunrise in the winter? 9:00 am?
Ourcheeseboat@reddit
More like 7:00 am in Boston, due to being on the eastern side of the time zone.
Queen_V_17@reddit
I'm both laughing and crying at this comment because it's fairly accurate.
tinfoilskimask@reddit
I usually go out at 1am during bad storms then go to bed
queercactus505@reddit
Yeah, my snowblower can't handle more than six inches, so I go out and do it every time about 4 inches accumulates, so sometimes that's before bed, at 1 am, at 5 am, and any times as needed thereafter once the sun is up. It is electric and fairly quiet at least
bceagles182@reddit
4 pm? Come on.
tinfoilskimask@reddit
No need to make your neighbor look bad to his wife
OldDogWithOldTricks@reddit
In the summer I mow at sun rise. No one cares because they know how hot it is, and they are doing it too.
LetterheadClassic306@reddit
ran into this same thing last month. most towns have quiet hours 10pm to 7am or 8am on weekends. sun up doesnt always mean go time for neighbors sleeping in. what helped me was switching to a battery powered lawn mower which cuts noise way down. i also do noisy stuff after 9am on weekdays and 10am saturdays. if you are stuck with gas tools, maybe just text the neighbor to find their actual schedule. middle ground keeps the peace.
TheClayDart@reddit
If the sun is up then it’s free game
devilscabinet@reddit
I wouldn't do it before 7 a.m.
macoafi@reddit
Check your local noise ordinance law. Sun-up could be 5am in some parts of the country, but the law is probably closer to 8am.
dylanpants23@reddit
However, legality doesn't necessarily equate to courtesy. My neighbor mows around 9, and while he's within his rights to do so, I work late, and it's incredibly frustrating.
chairmanghost@reddit
This is the answer our local ordinance is 8am to 9pm for residential, sunup was 6:25am. Our municipal page actually says call 911 for violations lol.
If OP isn't concerned about courtesy, he may worry about ordinence violation lol
Aggravating_Talk_472@reddit
Man in the summer it can be hot as shit by 9 lol.
bomber991@reddit
And check the HOA CCRs. There’s the one resident Karen, but the majority of the fines come from the property management company, and they aren’t working at 7am on a Saturday.
WhoppingHorsemeat@reddit
My so
VentusHermetis@reddit
before 7 would be irritating
Vicith@reddit
Your city might have noise ordinance hours.
Mine is: "Exterior work/noise may be performed between the hours of 10:00 am and 7:00 pm."
cwcam86@reddit
Is that town in Nazi Germany?
Vicith@reddit
The city is a little trigger happy with code violations, I'd say.
sean8877@reddit
We got an electric mower and it's pretty quiet compared to the gas ones we used to have. But still don't use it until usually 10:00am
normiepitbullmom@reddit
9am
revengeappendage@reddit
I mean, doesn’t matter what you think - which is wrong, btw.
Check whatever your town’s ordinances are.
shelwood46@reddit
And it's very likely that ordinance exists because some people didn't think there was anything wrong with running loud machinery at dawn.
ToughFriendly9763@reddit
i wouldn't before 8 on a weekday or 10 on the weekend.
Phxician@reddit
Bruh it's like 105⁰ already in Phoenix by 10 AM. I say that as an avowed night owl.
Ill_Pressure3893@reddit
Brah, how much grass you mowing in the Sonoran Desert?
Phxician@reddit
In my yard none thankfully. You'd be surprised though especially in older neighborhoods. Yards still need maintenance occasionally though and no one sane wants to work on the summer heat here. All I'm saying is I don't blame them.
ToughFriendly9763@reddit
fair, i live in Ohio. if i was in Phoenix, my answer might be different.
no_usernames_avail@reddit
If I was in Phoenix I wouldn't have a grass lawn
Ill_Pressure3893@reddit
Only ~15% do.
MortimerDongle@reddit
If you're silly enough to have a lawn in Phoenix you deserve to mow in 105 degree weather
Phxician@reddit
Even desert plants need to be maintained. Shrubs and trees trimmed. Weeds pulled. All I'm saying is that, if I'm a landscaper in Phoenix, noon is quitting time.
JustAnotherAidWorker@reddit
Trimming trees and pulling weeds doesn't make noise.
Phxician@reddit
A lot of landscaping companies around here use gas powered equipment like hedge clippers and blowers. The blowers are a big culprit for noise I've noticed. As for pulling weeds that's true. It's usually just me cursing my back as I work lol.
AZJHawk@reddit
A lot of houses have very small grassy areas. Mine is maybe 1,000 square feet and is bigger than most. It takes me no time to mow it and I don’t mind, even in the heat. I’m certainly not getting up at the ass crack of dawn to do it.
10thousndreflections@reddit
I was gonna say. The last time I was in Phoenix I don't remember any grass. But you could be using a leaf blower after cleaning up the yard.
MortimerDongle@reddit
Yeah true, I locked on to the lawnmower part
AZJHawk@reddit
I live in Phoenix and I don’t mow super early, even in summer. Phoenix yards are incredibly small. I have what is considered a large grassy area and it takes me maybe 10 minutes to mow it. I just go out, get it done and jump in the pool.
Phxician@reddit
This is a great strategy. There are a handful of bigger yards out there but you make an excellent point.
eugenesbluegenes@reddit
10 seems super late to me.
ToughFriendly9763@reddit
i like to sleep in, and would prefer my neighbors not wake me up with lawn mowers and chain saws.
alisken@reddit
Yeah, sorry neighbor—8am is weekend mowing time, it’s already 80°.
Far-Radio8247@reddit
10 AM!! Hell no! My neighbors and I give it to around 8 tops on a weekend.
GulliverJoe@reddit
10 AM has always been my rule. Let everyone sleep in!
travelinmatt76@reddit
I don't mow before 9am
Astronaut6735@reddit
In my area, the ordinance says 7 am. On weekends I won't run anything before 9 am, just so I don't annoy my neighbors.
TsundereLoliDragon@reddit
At dawn is kind of insane. I don't think I used to mow before 8 on a weekend.
Ok_Manufacturer_9123@reddit
Keeping it to business hours is usually a safe bet. 8am is about the earliest I would go personally.
firesquasher@reddit
8am is respectable. Sun up is definitely not. Always hated the roofers and tree services that started around 7am near us weekday or weekend.
zeezle@reddit
Unrelated to noise, but I find it so weird when they all act like everyone is awake super early.
We recently got a new fridge and instead of having the appliance store haul away the old one, did a recycling thing through our electric utility. We were given a window of 8am to 10am to pick it up which was a little early but still normal hours.
They showed up at 6am. We were asleep, obviously. The guys acted like we were super weird and unreasonable for still being asleep at 6am and slightly disoriented by being woken up by a bunch of dudes banging on the door (they also called after a bit). Why would I be awake at 6am for no reason? I never wake up at 6am unless I have to go to the airport and even then I'm mad about it.
Most weekends I am not even in bed until 4am. A lot of weeknights I'm not in bed until 2am. (I work from home so I wake up around 8:57 to start at 9, lol) If you give us a time window starting at 8am we aren't going to wake up at 6 just in case because who shows up 2 hours early to get a fridge?
cmmpssh@reddit
I'm sure the noise wasn't pleasant. But I will say that a lot of those services, especially the roofers, started early so they could get a good days work in before the heat of the day in the early to mid afternoon made it more dangerous to be working.
firesquasher@reddit
Perhaps theor work week shouldnt continue into saturday amd sunday then. Like others mention, noise ordinances are there for a reason. Courtesy and respect for residential areas that typically arent sold on waking up to power tools at 7am.
Sl1z@reddit
If they were violating the noise ordinance, did you try reporting them? Did the city care?
firesquasher@reddit
Im not OP. Im voic9ng my opinion about working outdoors on the weekend that requires power tools/machinery.
Sl1z@reddit
I know you’re not OP, I mean did you report the roofers that you said you hated for starting so early
Wilahelm_Wulfreyn@reddit
Sometimes you have to work with the weather. If it's going to rain all next week, then you'll be happy they came and finished your roof on the weekend.
NonStopKnits@reddit
Yep. I live in Florida. Yard crews and the like start early as heck in my area weekdays and weekends, but its already hot by 10 am most of the time so I don't blame them. I've seen people pass out from heat exhaustion, its not good.
Helpful_Train5653@reddit
Hit me up
Horseshoe_dodgeball@reddit
So you can be off work by 2pm? You'd better be up at 4 to leave the house by 5 to be on-site at 5:30 and ready to bust ass at 6am.
NonStopKnits@reddit
Um, no.
curiousleen@reddit
True
Etherbeard@reddit
Roofers just have to do what they can to survive the sun. It is one of the world's more unpleasant jobs. It also only takes a couple of days to roof a house, or a few more for a big house with a complex roof. The only way you consistently have had issues with roofers making a lot of noise for a considerable span of days is if you moved into a subdivision that was still being constructed, in which case you probably should have expected there to be construction noises during daylight hours.
enigmanaught@reddit
Here in Florida if you are in a neighborhood where all the roofs are reaching end of life you’ll probably hear roofers pretty consistently especially if there’s been a recent hailstorm. Only in the last month or so have I not heard the sound of roofers in my neighborhood every week. We also are surrounded by lots of trees so I hear chainsaws weekly, since I work from home.
rrsafety@reddit
Agree. For some folks who work a ton, a weekend sleep in the AM is the only thing that keeps them going.
schonleben@reddit
On a weekday - 9 am. On the weekend? 11 or noon.
Atlas7-k@reddit
So no mowing a lawn till the hottest part of the day?
schonleben@reddit
If it’s the 2 weeks a year when it’s actually hot, I’d allow for earlier.
Atlas7-k@reddit
Do you live in Alaska? It’s often 70s-80s+ for 3-4 months here. Plus the humidity starts to really kick in after 1. Sooner if the corn sweats have started.
Crayshack@reddit
You can wait until the evening if it's too hot.
DrMindbendersMonocle@reddit
11 or noon is way too late
Altruistic_Cause9442@reddit
That’s crazy, 9 am is completely appropriate for a weekend. You don’t want to be mowing the lawn at noon in the middle of the summer when it’s super hot outside.
Curmudgy@reddit
I'm happy mowing midday in the middle of the summer, but I don't live in Phoenix or Miami.
RotationSurgeon@reddit
Before 9am in my neighborhood.
ExternalTelevision75@reddit
8 if you’re a jerk, 9 if you’re not
TheBimpo@reddit
To some degree, this depends on the weather and situation.
If you're firing up the snowblower at 5am because you've got to plow the driveway to get out, that's a fact of life in the north. No one's getting mad at the neighbor for doing this.
If you're firing up the lawnmower at 6am because it's going to be 90 degrees by 9am, that's a fact of life in the north.
If you're mowing the lawn before 8am and it's nice outside, everyone hates you.
Skeptible_CA@reddit
Sitting on your lawnmower? If you have that much lawn, maybe you live outside of town and there is nobody to bother?
BAfromGA1@reddit
🤣 I’ll put it too you like this. Unless you signed an agreement saying you wouldn’t do anything until such and such time, fuck your neighbors. I do what I want, when I have time too. Their happiness doesn’t create my schedule. Time allotments do. Do they wanna live next too a shit hole? Exactly. They’ll be alright 😂 my city has noise ordinance in effect from 10pm to 6am. I get on my mower whenever the hell I can, in that time frame. Sometimes I weedeat with a head lamp. Nobody has ever called the cops, I’d love them too. I think it would make for a hilarious YouTube video 🤣
Illustrious-Jump-398@reddit
8 am during the week, 9 am on Saturday, 10 am on Sunday.
queercactus505@reddit
Why the difference between Sat and Sun?
Illustrious-Jump-398@reddit
Sunday, day of rest, sleeping in, church, etc.
arcteryx17@reddit
8am is the standard where I live. Sunday is 9am.
Party-Palpitation-85@reddit
The “Polite” idea would be give some time on the weekends after 9-10 am. Generally okay after 8 am on weekdays for the working public. Not everyone is going to be happy the time, nor will anyone be excited that you are mowing. However, if you need to do your stuff in advance for a trip or something special, the odd hour won’t kill the peeps. Just don’t make a habit to start your mower at 7:27 sunrise.
GamerDadofAntiquity@reddit
Waiting til 9-10am on a weekend in GA doesn’t work. By 10 it’s hot as all getout. You want to be done and back inside or at least no longer doing anything overly physical by about 11. I’ll generally hold off until 8, but I’m itching to start by then. If I have quieter electric toolwork to do or pruning/hedgeclipping or something else that’s hand tools only I’ll start that at about 7.
If I can’t get done by 11 or 12, chances are I’ll be back out making noise from 7 pm to near 9 pm to get finished up.
Party-Palpitation-85@reddit
Yes! As a Texan, the afternoons/evenings are the move. Have a nice beverage, list to the cicadas, and watch the sun go down.
queercactus505@reddit
Except then you're getting eaten alive by bugs, and even if you're covered in bug spray they're still buzzing in your ears
rojoshow13@reddit
I'm at work by 4:30am, but if I got woken up by a lawnmower on my day off before 9am, I would be annoyed. Same goes for an excavator, chainsaw, skilsaw, etc.
nis_sound@reddit
8 am
shadowmib@reddit
I wouldn't do it before 8:00 or 9:00 a.m.
usefulchickadee@reddit
9:00 on weekends
quietly_annoying@reddit
I generally say 8 am, anyways the grass is too wet to cut before that. The one exception I'm okay with is during a heat wave... If my neighbor is up at the crack of dawn repairing some shit because it's going to be 99°F by 9 a.m... I'll be an understanding neighbor and give them the 👍🏼. I don't want anyone dying of heatstroke because of a silly noise ordinance.
queercactus505@reddit
Absolutely depends on where you are, how hot it is outside, how noisy your tools are, and how close your neighbors are, and how much you need to mow. Local ordinances are good guidance and shouldn't be violated unless there is good reason (e.g., the feels like temp will be 90+ by 9 am and you need to mow to keep the ticks, snakes, etc., at bay). As someone with an autoimmune disease and on SSRIs, my heat threshold is pretty low, so I get wanting to do it early, and I'd rather sleep with earplugs in during the peak of summer heat than have my neighbor pass out from overheating.
scipio0421@reddit
Back when I was in good enough health to mow lawns myself I would sometimes start as early as 7 in July/August because I live in Oklahoma and the heat and humidity any later make heat exhaustion and heat stroke a real risk.
Traditional_Trust418@reddit
I'd personally wait until at least 9am to not be rude
rwv2055@reddit
Suns up, I'm up.
RedLegGI@reddit
Suns up, lawnmower’s up.
Coldfyre_Dusty@reddit
Former construction worker, noise ordinances usually end at 7 AM, but occasionally once the sun is up.
But if you're a neighbor and especially on a weekend, I think it's rude to start making a lot of noise before 8-9 AM.
Horseshoe_dodgeball@reddit
I agree. Construction is much different than the asshole neighbor wanting to mow at 7am every Saturday.
rrsafety@reddit
9am
SanPadrigo@reddit
You’re not gonna be very popular with neighbors if you start before 9am on a weekend.
quasifun@reddit
All my neighbors and I start at 8 at the latest. It’s too hot if you wait until later. I have electric tools which are still noisy but not as bad as gas.
The local noise ordinance allows mowers at 7.
OleMaple@reddit
In my neighborhood in Georgia Saturday mornings sound like an orchestra. Right at 8 you hear lawn mowers, mulchers, trimmers etc all start up one after the other.
Horseshoe_dodgeball@reddit
It's because they're all waiting for that one guy down the street to start first. Then the all join in after so they aren't the OG asshole that woke everyone up! At least that's how I do it.
cwcam86@reddit
Good thing I don't care what my neighbors think. I usually start mowing between 730 and 8 to beat the heat.
alisken@reddit
Too bad, it’s already 80° and the city noise ordinances say I can!
Jbooxie@reddit
Have fun being the a hole neighbor
Technical-Pack5891@reddit
9am or after. Local laws allow it to start at 7am - some do it but nobody likes it.
littleblacklemon@reddit
I think anything before 9 AM makes you a dickbag, especially on a weekend
TrainingLow9079@reddit
Give it until at least 8 or 9am. Some people have to work late, have babies. Etc. I wouldn't do it before 10am personally.
Sweet_Cinnabonn@reddit
8 on a weekday, 9 on a weekend.
If you wake me up with a lawnmower on the one day I get to sleep in, I'm going to low key hate you forever.
gummibearhawk@reddit
Is it gas or electric?
jmilred@reddit
The important questions being asked. There is a big difference between a huge gas backpack blower and an electric lawn mower. One of my neighbors could use an electric push mower at 1am for all I care, but the one with the gas rider needs to wait until 7 am when the town ordinance allows him to use it.
The only exception by me is winter. Snow removal equipment is kid of a 24 hour deal. The guy who needs to clear his driveway at 2 in the morning so he can go plow roads can fire up whatever he wants, whenever he wants. We just assume that there is a reason 3am and 4am snow removal is necessary for the person doing it. It helps that the snow muffles the sound of the equipment.
young_trash3@reddit
Where I live the law is 8am.
Even if the law wasnt 8am. It would still take a certain kind of selfish and self centered to start at dawn.
Tav17-17@reddit
8-9am is fine. 9am and no one has a right to complain, 8am and they might be a bit upset. Before 8 is a no no.
Or you can get an electric mower and then it doesn’t matter.
kodex1717@reddit
Lol. Loving that people are giving answers between 6 to 11AM. You can tell who's a morning person here.
Harp_167@reddit
I’m actually a very morning person, but I said 11 because I’ve always lived with late risers my whole life and I know that those lazy fucks sometimes won’t even be moving by 1 pm.
cwcam86@reddit
Oh I'm not a morning person at all, I just dont wanna do it in the heat
Ill_Pressure3893@reddit
YTA
Grand_Raccoon0923@reddit (OP)
YTFIB
No_Parsnip6024@reddit
It's mild and comfortable this time of year. There's no issue mowing in the afternoon. Even if local ordinance said 7am, it would be a dick move to fire up the mower at that time.
In a couple months, I think all the neighbors would understand if you're starting outdoor work as early as possible. It's dangerously hot if you don't.
I think that's a factor in it being rude or not.
Grand_Raccoon0923@reddit (OP)
That depends where you live. I live in Southeast Georgia. It was 85 around noon yesterday.
trikakeep@reddit
Legally, my city’s noise ordinance allows 7am-10pm. But if you run your mower or blower before 9 on Sunday, I’ll let my dog crap on your lawn and not pick it up.
aWesterner014@reddit
Sunrise at the leading edge of a time zone is crazy early.
For us today, sunrise is at 6:00 am. Around the middle of June, sunrise is roughly 5:30 for us.
Lawn mowing, I like the grass to dry out a bit from the morning dew. I try not to start lawn mowing until 10:00 am.
Power tools, if I am using them outside, I try not to start until 8:00 am and try to wrap up all noisy equipment use by 7:00-7:30 pm. I figure by 8:00 most people are up going to school/work/church by that time. We have neighbors with a toddler and I really don't want to impact their bedtime routines.
Helpful_Train5653@reddit
Inbox
SeoT9X@reddit
Depends on location and time of year. South in the summer, almost everyone is starting early. Further north, I’d say 8-9 on weekends is a decent start time depending how close neighbors are and what you’re doing
Helpful_Train5653@reddit
Dm me
Harp_167@reddit
Sun up, which could be as early as 5 am? I would say 11 am at the earliest.
Adorable_Dust3799@reddit
Gas lawnmowers shouldn't be running before 8, a quiet electric before 7ish.
Fully_COYS@reddit
I think 9 am is a good time to be courteous to your neighbors and don't evennlike mine.
Interesting-Run-6866@reddit
Ummm the sun goes up at like 5:30 AM where I live in the summer. No. I'd say 8am weekdays 9am weekends.
Tall_0rder@reddit
I’m in a big city and the noise ordinance is from 10pm to 7am. Generally I try not to start anything majorly noisy until 8am just as a matter of courtesy to my neighbors.
whirdin@reddit
Does your neighbor suggest a different time that would make them happy? You aren't required to adhere to their time, so this is just a thing to navigate for local laws and compromise for the neighbor if you want. Maybe your neighbor asked nicely for you to start later, maybe they were a dick about it. Do you live in a town with noise ordinances? My town restricts construction noise between 9pm-7am and that feels reasonable, but anybody can make a complaint anytime for simply 'disturbing the peace'. I worked overnight for 12 years and hated all the noise during my sleep of 7am-2pm lol, but I didn't complain because I understand that sunlight hours should be normal human working ours. Some people want to sleep until noon because they partied until 3am, some people work late, maybe you are being obnoxious with your tools; there's too many factors to gather from a single sentence lol.
Bear_necessities96@reddit
When I was working in deliveries they always say to avoid call customer between 8am to 8 pm so my rule is not make excessive noise or call somebody out of this time?
MissDisplaced@reddit
I would say 7-8am weekday and 9am weekends if you’re going to be noisy like a lawnmower. A power tool generally isn’t nearly as loud, so that seems kinda being kinda bitchy unless it’s like super close to them.
Penguin_Life_Now@reddit
I tend to say no earlier than 8 am, 9 am is better. Lots of people like to sleep in until at least 9-10 am on weekends, and nothing disturbs that more than a gas lawn mower or weed trimmer next door.
lky830@reddit
Completely agreed. Some lawn services that seem to hit every house down the adjacent street from me seem to start around 7am every other Saturday, and I just wanna shove that blower where the sun doesn’t shine.
WhatABeautifulMess@reddit
Sun up varies by hours depending on the time of year. I wouldn’t expect people to wait til sun up to shovel/snow blow in the winter, people gotta work. In the summer the sun comes up before 6, running power tools (for non emergency work) at 6 am is a dick move.
AP587011B@reddit
You are probably wrong and your city probably has laws that specify regarding noise ordinances
MrLongWalk@reddit
Dawn is unreasonable
Queen_V_17@reddit
Dude, I live in New England. Dawn is 5 am here in May/June.
MrLongWalk@reddit
Which is why I said it’s unreasonable
Queen_V_17@reddit
Oop, you did! I'm so sorry, I thought it said "dawn is reasonable" and I thought you were insane. Turns out, I just can't read.
Grand_Raccoon0923@reddit (OP)
I didn’t necessarily mean that as soon as the sun broke the horizon, I would start up the lawnmower.
I just meant that if I go outside and the sun is up, I should be OK.
MrLongWalk@reddit
So like 6:30 in the summer?
Mondschatten78@reddit
Sunrise is 6:30 in my area now. Mid-summer, that creeps back to 5-5:30.
MrLongWalk@reddit
Sunrise was about 6 this morning, in high summer it’ll be like 5, cranking a lawn mower before 6am is insane
bippityboppityhyeem@reddit
I would absolutely hate you if you did this before 8am.
superkt3@reddit
Sunrise in eastern MA when I live was at 5:44 this morning, by June it will be at or before 5. I like my neighbors a lot but I’d lose my shit if someone was mowing at 5am. I feel like a jerk when I mow after work at 7pm occasionall.
Twzl@reddit
The sun is up at 5:30 in Massachusetts in the summer. It’s light out a little before 5 AM.
You shouldn’t be running power tools at that hour regardless of what day of the week it is.
Have some common sense.
madogvelkor@reddit
Yeah, in the summer that's like 5:30 am here.
billymondy5806@reddit
On Sunday.
AlmiranteCrujido@reddit
Dawn in the summer someplace it comes early is unreasonable. Some places it comes late enough in winter that it's unreasonable to wait for it.
That-Molasses9346@reddit
Most places it's 9am to 9pm for noise ordinances. Some will have provisions for weekends allowing from 10pm or 11pm
Completely-Lost9@reddit
I try to avoid making any loud noise before 9am on a weekend to be considerate of my neighbors.
CompanyOther2608@reddit
Anything before 9am is too early
adultdaycare81@reddit
7am where I live.
You will see every landscaper and construction crew set up at 645 ready to rip. Beat traffic and be on to the next job at 930 after rush hour
curiousleen@reddit
Before 8am in a residential area. Before 7 in a non residential location
Carbon-Based216@reddit
Normally there is a city ordinance dictating this. Normally it is 7 or 8 am
lky830@reddit
Sun up???? If you’re in the Central Time Zone (can’t remember if GA is Central or Eastern), that’s around 6:30am. I’m pretty sure office workers that are trying to relax on a Saturday morning and sleep in would be pretty upset about that.
I know it’s getting to be hot outside, trust me, I know. But…sunrise? That’s insanely inconsiderate.
rjc72@reddit
8 am on a weekday, 9 am on Saturday, 10 am on Sunday is my rule of thumb
CyanCitrine@reddit
8 AM is appropriate, don't be out there at 6 AM.
Always_Reading_1990@reddit
Anything before 8 am makes you an asshole
pippintook24@reddit
if it is still dark outside.
in all honesty, I think anything before 8 AM is too early, but if it's possible to wait until 9, that's even better.
LetsDance449@reddit
If the suns up, blades are down.
triplealpha@reddit
If you’re just mowing, and your houses are more than 20 feet apart, 7-8am is fine. The sound of lawn mowers just blends into the sound of the neighborhood. There are birds louder chirping outside my window than the guy mowing his lawn down the street.
If you’re doing hammering, sawing, or home improvement - 9-10am
EMAW2008@reddit
9am seems reasonable for most places imo
MostAsk855@reddit
If you do anything routinely loud before 9 you are a cocksucker. A one off home repair or something is fine but if you are firing up your lawnmowers at 7 you should at least have the courtesy to go quiet electric.
Bishop-Logan@reddit
I don't mow until the sun's been up for a couple hours and has eveaporated the dew.
LiquidDreamtime@reddit
My neighborhood is 7am.
That’s too early. Don’t do loud shit until 8
SunnyCynic@reddit
I don’t until 10am
imcomingelizabeth@reddit
Where you live has noise ordinance laws
219_Infinity@reddit
8am
Lugbor@reddit
That depends entirely on where you live, what time of year it is, and the people involved. Someone who works nights is going to have a very different opinion than someone who wakes up before the rooster.
PghSubie@reddit
Before 9am on weekdays or before 10 am on weekends, loud tool usage would definitely make you a rude neighbor. If your neighbors are far enough away to not be able to hear it, then go for it.
Duck_Diddler@reddit
0800 is usually most HOA
NoFleas@reddit
Depends - I live in a rural area where folks routinely get started at first light but in a residential neighborhood, earlier than 8 or 9 is problematic.
dotdedo@reddit
It's always going to be too early for someone. 10am? F u my kid is sleeping. Noon? F u I'm trying to have a relaxing afternoon. Dinner time? F u I have night shift and you woke me up.
Grand_Raccoon0923@reddit (OP)
My kid is sleeping too, the bum.
You just reminded me though, I could be making my kid do this.
1d0r3m3mb3rShazaam@reddit
When i was a kid i think my parents made noise on purpose and would always take longer around my windows when using a lawnmower or weed eater. Once i got up it was my job to mow the yard
dotdedo@reddit
Do it. I'm not sure if this is good employment advice anymore as I'm 30 now but when I was looking for my first ever job people told me I could put chores in there as my first ever work experience if I just wrote it in a professional manner so I put lawn mowing there and it worked.
Its better than applying with nothing.
runthelist50@reddit
Former night shifter. I always thought it was funny how people would get pissed at someone mowing at 8:00am but if I was sleeping at noon and someone was mowing I wouldn’t think of complaining. That’s just how it is for night workers. So, I say try to be considerate but honestly, someone is always going to be potentially inconvenienced.
1d0r3m3mb3rShazaam@reddit
People to worried about making everyone happy. My happiness is not working in scorching heat. I say fuck people who are easily offended. I got shit to do and i'm doing it. time to wake up or just get thicker skin
MidtownFrown@reddit
Before 830
heathers1@reddit
not before 9am imo
Nerisrath@reddit
it depends on the area. suburbs? city limits? check noise ordinances. really hot areas(AZ, NM, GA, FL, etc.), people are probably ok with you starting a bit (15-30 min) earlier than allowed, but maybe not. feel it out with what your neighbors do.
out in the country? for me farm fields and nearest neighbor is 1/4 mile away, dawn is normal here especially in july/August heat.
thebigj3wbowski@reddit
Not before 9.
This isn’t a law everywhere but be nice to your neighbors.
Bluemonogi@reddit
I think it is rude to use noisy tools before 9 AM at the earliest most of the time. My city has an ordinance that says not before 8 AM for loud noises. They probably would’t go after you if you were chainsawing a fallen tree blocking your driveway at 7 AM. I think roofing crews get away with starting between 7-8 AM. People might feel less generous about lawn mowing noise.
The sun comes up before 7 AM during lawn mowing season. Do you really think it is okay to fire up your lawn mower at 6:38AM?
One_Dragonfruit_7556@reddit
I'd say the absolute earliest would be 7:30 on a week day and 8-8:30 on the weekend
AKA-Pseudonym@reddit
Sorry, man. Sunup is just ridiculous. 10am is the traditional time that "quiet hours" are over. I understand that it gets hot early in some places but I have no idea where you got the idea that was OK. Just don't do it anymore.
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
From my location 11pm to 7am are quiet hours specified by law.
phred_666@reddit
Not an issue for me. My nearest neighbor is so far away that if they can hear my mower, they must have the best hearing ever.
No_Consideration_339@reddit
Generally 7am on weekdays. 8am on weekends.
Some variation in mid summer for landscapers and roofers to start a bit earlier. 6:30ish.
Snow blowing in winter can occur at any time.
bugga2024@reddit
Our rule of thumb is if the first church service is still in (or could be for Saturday), it's too early. Second service starts at 10 am.
RangerBumble@reddit
Is it hot and dry where you are? You're neighbor might be trying to beat a spark ban by getting work done before it becomes a fire hazard.
crispyrhetoric1@reddit
I would wait until 9 am on the weekend.
mallardramp@reddit
Sun up? You’re kidding. Where I am in the summer that would be in the 5am hour and I would think you’re a huge AH.
No_Thought_7776@reddit
Try to work out a compromise, especially on weekends when people tend to sleep in. Say, after 9am would be reasonable.
AZJHawk@reddit
Not everyone wants to get up at sunrise. I’m an early riser, but I would never start up a lawnmower before 8. That’s a dick move.
madogvelkor@reddit
Sunrise is before 6am here, so no.
Here by law it's 8am on weekends and 7am week days.
Though typically see more people doing yardwork in the evening in summers, since sunset is close to 9pm.
skullsandpumpkins@reddit
In my neighborhood in Florida anytime after 8am is fair game. Too hot after noon to do much of anything. There have been lawn crews on my street on weekends at 9am. I personally am ok with it. Its too damn hot. But I know some neighborhoods have after 10am rules.
False-Cookie3379@reddit
This. We don’t have the humidity that FL has in OK but it can hit upwards of 110 some days during the summer. It’s not uncommon for people to be doing work earlier or later during the heat wave, the weather here can get pretty crazy so it’s kind of an unwritten rule that sometimes you have to mow or something really early or late due to heat or a storm with heavy rain in the way.
Patient-Ad-7939@reddit
If it’s after 6, it’s fair game. But if your yard is small enough that it’s annoying your neighbor, a battery electric lawn mower might be a nice switch if you want to do it early. They are quieter. Like, you can still hear it, but not nearly as loud as an small engine roaring.
schonleben@reddit
I’d be draining the gas from your lawnmower in the middle of the night if you were my neighbor. lol.
Patient-Ad-7939@reddit
Jokes on you, it’s battery electric and in the garage. Personally I wait till 8-10 ish, but that’s just because we often get dew, and then the grass sticks to the mower and gunks it up, affecting its cutting performance.
jackfaire@reddit
I work for an answering service. The general consensus from all the complaints I've fielded is 8Am and later it's okay. Some want even later but for the most part you're good at 8.
Bacon0064@reddit
Don't start before 9. Usually wait until 10
HeyPurityItsMeAgain@reddit
The lawnmowers start at 7AM.
Frosty_Employment171@reddit
9am and never on sundays.
BoysenberryUnhappy29@reddit
If you live in a hot place, it's different. For the average climate, I wouldn't go before 9am.
If you know your neighbors work nights, I'd plan to mow in the evening, too.
More_Rise@reddit
Like others said, check the local laws (including HOA rules if you live in one). But also I suggest just asking.
“Hey I need to mow my lawn in the morning when I have time. I want to be accommodating so what time in morning works best for you?”
whatifweplayindirt@reddit
I'm just old enough to have grown up with house phone etiquette, and that was always basically between 9 am and 9 pm or 8 am and 8 pm. Since that was primarily a noise thing, I always assumed loud yard work was the same deal. There may be a more specific local etiquette if you have specific heat considerations or whatever. I know this isn't a post asking for a judgement, but I would say if youre going with the sunrise and you neighbor is askig you to wait until 9 or even 10 to start up, I don't think that's crazy to at least have a conversation about. If they want you to wait until the afternoon that would be asking you to go well beyond common courtesy. If you have other neighbors maybe pay attention to what they do and see if there's a norm?
Imaginary_Bug_4460@reddit
7am. I try to be done with outside work by 10am in the summer when you wake up and it is already 80.
Different-Dot4376@reddit
Weekend, hmm 10:30/11:00
Semirhage527@reddit
When I lived in the South and it was sweltering , I understood people who mow at sunrise
Now that I’m in the PNW and it’s never hot before noon so waiting till 10am on the weekends seems reasonable
cheresa98@reddit
If you live in Phoenix and it’s summer, 8 is OK.
One-Yellow1504@reddit
January
dhrisc@reddit
I mean, where I am the sun is up at like 630. On a Sunday morning, that is a bit early.
vr512@reddit
I think at sun up could only be acceptable if it is hot out and you want to avoid the hot weather. Otherwise, I think normal business hours are fine.
awfulcrowded117@reddit
Most municipalities have noise ordinances against small engines and power tools before 7am. Some ban it until 8am. And on the weekend if your neighbors are close they'll probably be more friendly if you hold off until 9 or 10.
Js987@reddit
Our neighborhood seems to follow an unofficial 9AM. Sunlight is too way too early a marker at this fairly modest latitude for much of the growing season.
bceagles182@reddit
Very dependent on where you are located and what you are doing tbh. I’d say 10 am on weekends for a lawnmower or weedwhacker if heat isn’t a major factor. I’m often up working much earlier than that but I focus on tasks that don’t make noise (watering, pulling weeds, etc).
examinat@reddit
Before 9.
TempusSolo@reddit
I think it depends on location.
jmorrow88msncom@reddit
If you have a battery powered robot lawnmower, let everyone know: -How long did it used to take you to cut the lawn? -How do you like the new mower? -Model, cost $?
Crayshack@reddit
People like to sleep. I'd say 9 or 10 is a reasonable time to wait for on the weekend.
BoomerSooner-SEC@reddit
9
BrilliantDishevelled@reddit
I live in Maine. The sun comes up at like 415 in summer. So...no, sunrise is a rude time to wake your neighbor.
Redbubble89@reddit
10pm to 7am is "quiet hours" in most counties. If you start a gas lawnmower at 7am on a Saturday, you're a dick. Have your coffee or breakfast and wait.
WhiskeyDeltaBravo1@reddit
Between 2pm and 2:30pm is acceptable. But try to get it done quicker than that. Or just pave your yard and paint it green like a sane human being.
dangleicious13@reddit
No earlier than 8 AM.
Ok_Sentence_5767@reddit
About 8am where i live as long as its not too noisy. I'm in the south and it can get hot quickly
thekendalluxx@reddit
Usually places have noise ordinances you can look up. Mine is 10pm to 7am and 8am on the weekends. I wouldn’t be doing it that early anyways though
AngriestManinWestTX@reddit
My tolerance of it is proportional to how hot and humid it’s going to be. Sometimes doing any yard work after 9-10 AM is just miserable. As long as they aren’t doing it before 7 AM, I’m generally understanding.
1d0r3m3mb3rShazaam@reddit
Id just check the noise ordinance. And then adjust your schedule to the earliest you can make noise
Fun_Independent_7529@reddit
Our city ordinance says 7am-8pm weekdays and 9am-8pm weekends, so I assume outside of those hours your neighbors can complain about you waking them if they so choose.
You can check your city/town to see if they have noise ordinances with set hours to use as a guideline.
ActuaLogic@reddit
3:30 a.m. is too early. I would say, not before 10:00 or 11:00.on a weekend, not before 8:00 or 9:00 on a weekday.
Unhappy_Performer538@reddit
8am but it’s still shitty to do that early even if it’s “okay” especially on weekends.
big_lankey@reddit
If the sun is up it’s mow time.
RoseHawkechik@reddit
My neighbors have half a dozen roosters. If I want to crank up the planer at 6 in the morning, I go with it.
CycadelicSparkles@reddit
8AM probably, 7 if I didn't have very close neighbors, and 10 on the weekends. Nobody wants to be awakened by a lawnmower at 5AM on a Saturday.
Curmudgy@reddit
Personally, I'd prefer 9am but I recognize that the common consensus seems to be 8am, so I don't try to debate that.
The sun is up at different times in different parts of the country. Sunrise in Boston was around 5:46 today but that's obviously way too early.
mspolytheist@reddit
There is no standard. Check your municipality’s code for their noise ordinance. Where I live, it is 7am.
ligmasweatyballs74@reddit
Whenever I please.
ManateeNipples@reddit
8am in my neighborhood. No there is no grace period for the weekend when you live in a neighborhood with old people that treat their grass like a golf course lol
jeffgrantMEDIA@reddit
I hear them at 7:30 on the weekends in the summer heading to work. I’m ok with that. 9 on the weekends.
Responsible_Tax_998@reddit
For me I won't start anything until about 9. Most of our neighbors won't start anything prior to 8.
Right now sunrise here is before 6am. If a neighbor started power tools before 6 I'd be looking up any neighborhood rules/bylaws. (Or before 7 for that matter)
unus-suprus-septum@reddit
I wouldn't is use a loud tool until after 9am on a non workday.
MadHats3@reddit
where I am during the week I think it's 7AM, Saturday and Sunday I think it's 10