Don’t let the spooky season scare you out of home repairs
October is notorious for spooks and frights, but what happens when your home is the one doing the scaring? Surely, the creaking, groaning, squeaking, dripping, and knocking sounds you might hear from time to time aren’t the work of a supernatural spirit…are they?
These eerie sounds you hear indicate common household problems, not some sinister presence. Below, we explore some typical reasons why your house might be making such sounds and how to remedy them.
Hearing drips and drops from your ceiling or walls can be scary, as usually, that's not a sound that you should be hearing. Dripping water sounds can come from a variety of sources, such as:
A leaky faucet
A cracked or leaking pipe
Faulty AC runoff
Condensation
Toilet problems
Identifying the source of the dripping is the first step in fixing the problem. Knowing where the water comes from can prompt some swift DIY projects, like cleaning out your gutters or fixing a leaky faucet. Other sources of water dripping, like a cracked pipe, require the expertise of a professional to diagnose where the crack is. Though maybe not as scary as a ghoul or goblin, these seemingly small drips can end up costing you up to $5,000 or more in repairs if not taken care of quickly.
Squealing and screeching sounds coming from your home can be frightening, but there are usually some simple causes for these noises.
If these loud noises are coming from an appliance, like a dryer, furnace, or washing machine, it could be a sign of a loose belt. While you can DIY some of these problems, it might be best to call in a professional to replace the belt for you safely.
If your squealing, screeching, or squeaking is coming from your walls, you might have a mouse infestation. Since they naturally try to find shelter when it gets cold out, it’s not unlikely that they find shelter in the cozy walls of your home. The best way to rid your home of this problem is to have a local mouse exterminator assess the situation.
Imagine you're fast asleep and suddenly woken up to the sound of your toilet flushing. No, it's not a ghost behind this mystery, but it is ghost flushing, which can be just as scary.
Ghost flushing happens when there is a leak in your toilet system, either internally or externally. This problem is not only spooky but also a big waste of water and could cause significant damage if left untreated. Calling a local plumbing professional can help diagnose precisely where the problem is for a smooth repair.
Having a knocking at your door is usually not that spooky, but hearing knocking and banging sounds inside your home could send shivers down your spine.
A common reason you hear banging sounds is a plumbing problem, such as loose water supply pipes, high water pressure, or faulty valves. If you suspect a plumbing issue is causing your unusual knocking noises, and you don’t visually see something that would be causing it, it’s best to contact a plumber to investigate for you.
Another reason you’d hear knocking or thumping sounds could be from your furnace. If the fan shifts or becomes bent, it could cause a banging sound when it hits the cage. Letting this go on for too long could damage the entire furnace. In older furnaces, a banging or clanking sound could indicate moving metal that has chipped off or soot that has fallen down the flue.
Hearing random vibrating sounds in your home can be worrisome, especially if you can't find an immediate cause. Since there are many possible causes for vibrating sounds in your home, it's crucial to spend some time investigating where the sound is coming from to address it adequately.
If it's a simple light bulb issue, you might hear either a vibrating sound or see a flicker that won’t stop. Changing the type of light bulb you have to LED bulbs from fluorescent or incandescent ones can usually do the trick. However, if the vibrating comes from something more complicated, like a circuit breaker, it's worth contacting a professional to investigate further.
Do you hear creaks when walking around your home? While it might sound like Frankenstein’s monster is walking around your house, it most likely results from a floorboard issue. Loose or warped floorboards can make a terrible creaking sound when walked on, even if under carpeting. While not the biggest or most extreme home issue you can encounter, it is best to call a handyperson near you to help assess the cause of the noise before it worsens.
