The difficulties in solving many of the noise problems in an average household are as much social and economic as technical. With many different parties being involved in the noise problem of even a single appliance, plea is made for uniform sound ratings of equipment, for information proper application and installation, and for realistic criteria on acceptable sound levels. Recent standards for performance ratings and application information of the Air‐Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute are cited as an example of what an industry can do to further the communication of acoustical data between manufacturers, installers, and users of machinery.