Home Improvement

5 Strange House Sounds You Better Not Ignore

Story Highlights
  • #1 - Scratching from behind the walls
  • #2 - Bubbling coming from the water heater
  • #3 - Clanking sound when turning on the heat
  • #4 - Furnace whistling
  • #5 - Hissing sound

Homes make strange sounds and over time you learn how to get used to it – you might even learn to embrace it although your 3-year old is likely NOT to agree with that approach.

However comforting and familiar those sounds might get, there are a few sounds that you need to take seriously and do some further investigation as to what is causing it.

That occasional crack or the odd leak might signify that something else is going on inside your house that might cost you a fortune in the long run to repair.

Here are a few sounds that you as a homeowner should never ignore:

#1 – Scratching from behind the walls

Forget the stories your siblings and cousins told you about ghosts living inside the walls and scratching to get out.

There is a different type of nightmare waiting for you when you hear these sounds!

Noises from behind the walls could mean that you have animals such as squirrels or mice living inside the walls. As soon as you suspect the possibility of pests, act on it immediately!

For smaller rodents, you can set traps but for more stubborn intruders you will have to call pest control.

And to prevent further infestation problems, it would be a good idea to seal up any (small) entrances to your home.

#2 – Bubbling coming from the water heater

A hot water heater works the same as a pot of boiling water: after a fire is lit, the water inside is heated and ready for use. Sediment tends to build up on the bottom of a water tank and the crackling that you hear might the sediment bubbling.

This could mean that your tank is failing prematurely!

You can prevent this from happening by flushing your hot water tank out every few months. It will prevent the sediment from building up and you can enjoy your tank in its current state for a while longer.

#3 – Clanking sound when turning on the heat

It is common for the heating system to make a groaning noise when it is switched on for the first time. There will also be a normal clicking and knocking sound with a baseboard hot-water system. This is nothing to worry about.

You should, however, be alert when the pump system starts making noises because this should be silent.

So, if you hear a knocking sound located at the boiler itself, it is definitely time for you to call the repairman and get it checked out right away!

#4 – Furnace whistling

If your furnace is making a whistling sound, you should definitely tend to it. Luckily, this is not a serious problem and you can easily sort it out, so there is no need for you to call in a professional.

Furnace whistling usually means that your filter needs to be changed and it is causing the furnace to overcompensate.

Whilst this is not a serious problem, it can become one if left unattended for too long because eventually, it will suck exhaust gasses into the home. Change the filter on a monthly basis for clean, fresh air.

#5 – Hissing sound

A hissing sound should definitely not be ignored, especially if you have gas pipes running through your home. A hissing sound could indicate a leak.

In the event of a leak, you will probably also smell gas, but this is not always the case.

If you hear a hissing sound anywhere near the gas meter or at the outdoor gas post at your home, it is important that you leave the home immediately!

House noises form part of our everyday life, but these few noises could indicate something more serious. Rather tend to it before regretting ignoring it.

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