I have run these pumps for about five years now. I run mine 24/7 365 days a year and they will usually go 12 -24 months before I have to rebuild it. They are fairly quiet in my opinion. I have mine mounted in a vented enclosure and this seems to lessen the sound even more. If you get 25-30 feet from it, you can barely hear it, just a low hum sound. Hope this helps and not going anywhere near the wife comparison scenario...