October 1, 2019
Creaking and banging house noises are sometimes normal, but they might be a little scarier around Halloween time! It could just be a harmless “bump in the night,” or it could be a major problem, and here’s how you know...
One of the loudest but perfectly normal house noises: your roof trusses! In a new house, the wood in these trusses is often full of water, and as it dries out, it shifts, causing loud banging noises. The same thing could happen in older homes, but it’s usually because the roof itself is getting hotter or colder depending on the outdoor temperature, which, again, causes the trusses to move.
Solutions include adding insulation to your attic (so these sounds are less likely to travel downstairs to you), or putting ventilation in your attic if you haven’t already, so the attic isn’t so warm compared to outside.
What if your house noises aren't coming from above, but from below? Wood floors are notorious for this problem(especially in horror movies)!
(Even though this isn’t related to your HVAC system, it’s probably the most well-known spooky house noise and the easiest to fix, so we’ll give you some DIY solutions:
All you have to do is take any raised nails out of the floorboard, drill a new screw into the hole. and then cover up your work with wood filler so that it looks good as new!
If you don’t know how to do this, or if you have a lot of squeaky floorboards, try going underneath the floor if possible, and inserting a shim between the floorboard and the joist below the board. If you can’t access the area underneath the floor, try sprinkling powdered graphite into the joints between the wooden boards. Put a towel or other cloth on top, and walk on it so the graphite is tamped down between the joints. This will work for small squeaks, anyway!
If you have carpeting and a squeaky floor, don’t worry. There’s still a solution that doesn’t involve ripping up the carpet to get to the problem! You can buy a kit to help you find where the joists are, and screw the floorboard to the joist. Since you’re going down through the carpet, and the screw head breaks off, no one will ever see your handiwork…you’ll be the repair ghost!
However, if the house noises you hear include squeaking or bumping when you’re not walking around…it’s not a ghost…but it’s probably an HVAC problem.
These noises can be caused by a fan or motor belt getting worn, or it could mean that something is loose in your HVAC system that is banging against another part. And if you’re hearing hissing noises, that means your ducts are leaking or your air filter isn’t on tight enough.
Unfortunately, if you’re not a specialist yourself, what exactly that spooky sound is will probably be a mystery to you!
And while a floor repair is something you can easily handle yourself, when it comes to mysterious noises, it’s better to have a professional come take a look. Don’t just assume your house is “settling.” The truth could be a lot more unsettling than that.
The reality of HVAC equipment breakdown is much scarier than a haunted house. If you’d like to play it safe this Halloween, and get a noise investigated, we’re more than happy to help.
Stay up-to-date on current news, promotions, and industry tips.