Houses can make a lot of weird noises, especially as the weather fluctuates and seasons change. Some noises are normal and nothing to worry about while others can indicate potentially serious problems. Here are some house sounds you should never ignore:

1. Whistling Windows

If you can hear the wind whistling through your windows, there may be an issue with your windows. If windows are closed and you are hearing air passing through them into your home, there may be an issue with the seal, windows could be out of plumb, and other visible signs of drafty windows.

If you don’t see anything obvious, but you are still hearing the whistling or your windows are rattling, it’s worth getting your windows checked out. This is still a sign that something is not right. If it turns out that your windows are outdated, damaged, etc., these are reasons to replace your windows, and doing so is more than worth it for your home, your energy bills, and your own comfort.

Take a look at the video below to see the Zephyr Thomas team replacing windows on this home!

2. Running Water (When Nothing is Running)

If you are running fixtures or appliances, it’s normal to hear running water in your home. Even after use, it’s normal to hear water running through pipes. However, if nothing is running and you hear running water, trickling water, or drips, you could have a leak somewhere. This is one of the biggest house sounds you should never ignore.

Try to figure out where you hear the water and check around inside your home and outside your home for signs of moisture, leaks, or water damage. You may find an obvious leak, like a leaking faucet, burst pipe, overflowing toilet, etc. Or, it may not be clear exactly where the issue is.

For example, damaged gutters or poor gutter drainage can lead to roof damage and are common causes of roof leaks in addition to leaks in several other areas, but it may not be obvious that this is the source until you’re able to see visible signs of it.

If you can narrow down the source of the potential leak, it’s important to get it repaired as soon as possible. If you can’t figure out where the running water is coming from, it’s worth it to have someone take a look. It’s better to protect your home from water damage and stop issues before they become serious than to wait for the damage to accumulate over time into more extensive and expensive repairs.

3. Scraping on the Roof

Although it may be easy to shrug off scraping on the roof as squirrels or something else, you still want to investigate these house sounds. This is particularly true if you have trees near your home.

The scraping could be from animals on your roof, or it could be from tree branches scraping across your shingles. Over time, this can wear down and damage the protective layers of your shingles and lead to leaks, water damage, and more.

Regularly checking your roof for damage is one of the roof maintenance tips to extend the life of your roof and protect your home. While you do this, also look out for how close tree branches are to your roof and trim trees back or have them removed if they are brushing against your home.

Check out the time-lapse video below to see the Zephyr Thomas team replacing the roof on this home.

4. Squeaking and Creaking Floors

Although squeaks and creaks on floors, especially wood flooring, can sometimes be normal, you don’t want to ignore them completely. Squeaks and creaks in floors can be signs of termite damage, and even other issues. These are just some reasons why these are house sounds you should never ignore and they could be signs it’s time to replace your flooring.

If the damage is around floor joists, it can cause floors to start to slant. Even if the cause may not be termites, cracked or sloped floors are some signs of structural damage you should not ignore, and that includes not brushing off squeaking or creaking floors.

Watch the video below to see the Zephyr Thomas team installing a tile floor in this home!

5. Knocking, Banging, and Clanging

Knocking, banging, and clanging in pipes can be signs of issues with your radiator or HVAC system. In some cases, these noises can be signs that your radiator is not draining properly. For HVAC systems, these noises can be signs of failing boiler circulation pumps. In any case, it’s worth getting things checked out because these issues can cause your systems to stop working if they are left unchecked.

If these loud noises are coming from your furnace, it doesn’t necessarily immediately mean that there is an issue. Furnaces make noise sometimes. However, if you hear strange noises from your furnace, especially whistling, banging, popping, etc. that is not normal, there could be an issue with your furnace and you will want to have an HVAC professional check it out to be sure.

6. Scratching and Skittering

Water and moisture can cause a lot of damage to your home, and so can pests. Insects, mice, rats, squirrels, raccoons, and more can cause a lot of damage to your home if they are able to get into your walls, into the attic, etc. Birds building nests and blocking gutters can lead to water damage, roof damage, and leaks.

If you hear scratching, skittering, squeaking, scattering, etc. noises behind the walls or in the attic, you may have a pest problem. If there are visible signs of damage, droppings, and more, then you definitely have a pest problem. You can try to handle it on your own with traps, but it may be better to contact a professional exterminator, especially if you aren’t sure what types of pests you have, how they are getting in, and how extensive the issue is.

Depending on what is found, you may have some repairs and replacements to do. Aging roofs, missing shingles on roofs, and more are ways pests can get into your home and are signs your roof needs to be replaced. Loose gutters paired with damaged soffit and fascia, broken windows, outdated doors, and more can leave space for pests to enter.

7. Hissing Noises

If you use gas to heat your home and you hear hissing noises, get outside and call your local gas company. These noises, especially when paired with the smell of gas, indicate a gas leak. Gas leaks exponentially increase the risk of fire and are unpredictable. It’s important to get outside of the house and have your home serviced immediately to address the issue.

8. Electrical Clicking, Humming, or Buzzing

Although refrigerators can make some noise sometimes, especially if there is an ice maker, you should not be hearing loud, abnormal clicking, humming, and buzzing noises from electrical sources like appliances, lighting, wiring, etc.

In some cases, these noises can indicate that something is stuck and is an easy fix, like an object blocking the washer blades in a dishwasher. In other cases, it can be more serious, like buzzing or humming caused by loose wires behind walls or a broken compressor in a refrigerator. If you hear something weird from your outlets, fixtures, or big appliances, it’s worth contacting an electrician or appropriate professional to diagnose issues for you.

Maintain and Improve Your Home With Zephyr Thomas

These are just a few house sounds you should never ignore. If you hear any of them and suspect an issue, it’s better to get things checked out and repaired, if needed, than to ignore things and end up with damage and costly repairs down the road.

If you need to update your windows, replace flooring, update gutters, get help with roofing, and more, Zephyr Thomas Home Improvement is here to help. Contact us at 717-399-4708 to schedule your free estimate!