I mostly agree, JB, but a transitory sound of sufficient DB can certainly impair one's hearing, temporarily, or forever. Take a sledgehammer to a cast iron bathtub in a 5 x 6' space w/o ear protection and see what I mean. A plam-nailer in a 2' crawl space can be pretty awesome, too!

Always call the place you live a house. When you're old, everyone else will call it a home.