Like your old uncle who enjoys good bean burritos before visiting, your home is also likely known for odd noises. Homes are actually an orchestra of sounds throughout the day and night that largely goes unnoticed, especially by those who are used to living there. New noises are noticed almost immediately as are changes to old familiar home noises. The quiet of night makes noises in your home more noticeable, and sometimes makes them even sound scary. Here are the likely noises your home is making and what to do about them.

Water Hammer

Pipes that carry pressurized hot and cold water traverse through the walls, ceilings and floors of your home. Water hammer causes a banging noise when a faucet is shut off quickly, the toilet valve shuts off, or when a dishwasher or clothes washer fill valve closes. It is a bang often followed by a rattle. Water is not compressible and can make a banging sound in pipes that is quite loud. Air in the pipes can do it too. If your water pressure control valve on the main line is working, the issue may be the need for installation of a water hammer arrester on the offending water line.

Scratching and Rubbing Noises

If your home has overhanging tree limbs or shrubbery close to it, the wind may cause movement of trees and shrubs against your roof or walls. If you do not have trees or shrubs that are close, then a loose service cable may be the cause. You likely have a power service cable along with phone, television and Internet cables outside your home that run down the walls. If they are not properly attached, they can make scratching and rubbing noises. If the cables are not loose, then you either have rodent visitors who are making your home their home or you are part of one of those cheesy scary movie plots where someone has been living in your attic. Either way, you need a professional to investigate and rid your home of the unwanted intruders.

Furnace Noises

If you have hot water heat, it can make all kinds of noises. If you have an old style iron radiator, they are famous for making creaking, hissing and groaning sounds. Most of the time the noises are normal, but an HVAC specialist should inspect your heating system annually anyway. If you hear noises at the boiler, you should call for service immediately. Forced-air heat naturally makes noises because of the blower. However, squeaks and whistles should be immediately investigated. Squeaking may be the bearing in the blower failing, and whistles could be duct leaks or a clogged filter.

Hot Water Heaters

Along with hot water heating systems, the other culprit that causes odd noises in your home is your hot water tank. It can be the noisiest appliance in your home that does not have any motors or fans. Water expands when it is heated, and so does the metal container, burner or heating elements of a hot water heater. You may hear slight popping and ticking noises as the water temperature rises. The noise from a natural gas water heater’s burner usually drowns out most of these sounds until it cycles off. Electric water heaters have no burner noise, and you may hear more creaks and pops from them.

Water heaters located inside living spaces, such as a bathroom closet designed for them, make noises more apparent. Your hot water heater may be turned up too high. A dangerous situation could be a missing or malfunctioning pressure relief valve. You may need a new water heater, but your old one just may be in need of some immediate service. An exploding hot water heater can be catastrophic and so this is most likely something that you shouldn’t try to fix on your own. Call up a professional, such as First Class Plumbing of Florida Inc, that specializes in water heaters.

There are many more sources and causes of creepy home noises, but these are the most common ones. Most are benign, but some are not. The problem is that you can get used to subtle changes in the noises over a long period of time and not know a problem is developing. Staying on schedule with appliance maintenance and having an annual inspection completed by a professional exterminator are both good ideas.