The ghosts have gone home, but the noises haven’t. Here’s what’s really behind them.
If your house is still making strange noises after Halloween, it might be time to consider calling in the professionals. No, we’re not talking about the Ghostbusters. We’re talking about repair and replacement professionals.
A home should be filled with all sorts of noises: laughter, conversation, music, the clinking of pots and pans, feet running back and forth, little or otherwise. But some noises are more worrisome. We’re going to look through ten of them that, as a homeowner, you should pay attention to, and when to call a professional.
Dripping or Tapping
This isn’t blood dripping, unless you happen to be living in a horror house. It’s very easily water dripping. Look first at your various faucets, or, if you can get to them, where pipes come into the house. Check where you can find pipes going into walls, if possible. If you can’t find the source of the sound, that is when we advise calling in a professional.
Doors Slamming
No, this isn’t an angry ghost trying to get your attention. If it’s not an annoyed family member, it is more likely an airflow issue. For this one, you will want to look at the sealing of your windows, and doors throughout the house. The pressure in different areas may also be uneven, which can cause doors to slam open or closed. Look at different rooms and see how the air flows between them. If you have an attic or basement, these will control and influence airflow around the house, and they should be the first place you look for why a door is repeatedly slamming open or closed. This one is an easy fix most of the time, and you won’t need to call in a professional, unless you want to.
Skittering in the Walls and Attic
More than likely, you do not have an unwanted houseguest living in your walls or attic. Instead, you might consider squirrels, raccoons, or even the occasional stray cat that has found its way in. Take a few minutes to check your attic and see if any of the insulation has been disturbed, or if there are any holes or routes that could explain how something got in. To furry critters, a house’s insulation is one of the best places to bed down as fall and winter set in.
If you suspect or find proof that something is there, you can attempt to get rid of the problem yourself, but we advise using a pest removal service. You never know if there’s more than the one you see, and raccoons can be very feisty and potentially bitey.
Clanking in the Walls and Pipes
This is not Moaning Myrtle. It is something much more worrisome. If the pipes in your walls are clanking, there is an issue of some variety with your plumbing. This is not just water damage; more than likely, something is stuck. You need to get somebody in, because this is not one you can fix on your own.
Whistling or Screeching Throughout the House
If you hear a whistling or screeching noise throughout the house that has no obvious source, and you’ve already checked all of your windows, more than likely this is a clogged air filter. Consider the last time you changed or cleaned your air filter, and what may have built up since then. This whistling or screeching is the system attempting to breathe, dragging air through. It’s a terrifying sound when you’re not expecting it, and it’s not great for your own breathing. But it is not the end of the world, and it can easily be fixed.
We do suggest getting this one fixed quickly once you notice it, as it can turn from a $50 fix into a $5,000 fix if you have to replace the entire system. Nobody wants that.
Creaking Floors and Stairs
We’re often told this is just the house settling, and for the most part, it is. You don’t have to worry that a ghost or a slasher is sneaking around your house. Instead, your home is breathing, contracting and expanding with temperature variations as you move through it. This one isn’t one to worry about.
Hissing Sounds
If you hear hissing in your walls, search for the source immediately. Given this is Texas, we’ll concede there is a possibility you have a snake in your wall. However, it’s unlikely. More than likely, this is a plumbing issue, such as a small hole with water now gushing out of it. Depending on where it is though, it might also be gas.
Start by looking at your water pressure. See if there is any change when you turn on a faucet, and compare how fast the water comes out to how it normally does. Then look for any water or soft spots near where the hissing is. This will tell you whether you have a leak. Either way, you will want to call in a professional plumber.
If you smell gas on the other hand, get out and call the utility company immediately.
Screeching Dryer Vent
No, your house has not been stalked by a banshee, even if your last name is Irish. More than likely, your dryer is warning you that belts are having issues or some of the internal components have come loose. This is not a “the house is going to burn down” problem, but it isn’t one you want to ignore either. Turn off your dryer, and unplug it to prevent further issues. From here you can check the bearings and the belts to see if there are any issues, or you can call in the professionals.
Scratching in the Gutters
If you hear scratching in the gutters, you’ll want to check them out in daylight. It likely means they’ve become so clogged that something is attempting to nest in them. This poses a dual problem. One, the weight of a nest can cause the gutters to begin tearing away from your roof. Two, a nest anywhere in your gutters will stop water from flowing the way it’s supposed to.
That water can then go all sorts of places you don’t want it. It can run to the base of your house and begin causing foundation issues. It can get between the roof and the walls and cause problems there. And it can get down into your walls and into your first floor or, depending on how the walls are set up and where the water runs, your basement. No matter what, a nest in your gutters is a bad idea.
Electrical Humming or Buzzing
This is not Casper offering to sing you a tune. This is an actual danger, and you need to find the source immediately. Electrical humming or buzzing means either your system is overloaded or, more likely, there’s an issue in the wiring itself, such as wires fusing together, sparking, or malfunctioning.
If you notice this, turn off the circuit breaker for the area where the noise is. This can prevent accidents or fires. Then look for visible signs of trouble, like burn marks or damaged outlets. If the noise continues after you’ve turned off the breaker, or you see burn marks or damaged outlets, that is the point when you need to seek a professional.
The sounds around your home shouldn’t be scary, especially after Halloween has passed and the decorations have been put away. But if these sounds are still happening after the ghosts and goblins have been banished for another year, that’s when we ask that you look into calling a professional.
If your appliances are making weird noises, remember that Appliance Rescue Service is here for you too. We can do maintenance checks or repairs on your schedule.
Website
Call :(214) 599-0055