Imagine this: You’re walking to the bathroom late at night inside your home, all the lights are off, and you begin to hear a screeching, mysterious sound. That sound would likely startle you and make you wonder if you’ve just stepped into the middle of a horror movie. However, there’s usually a more likely explanation than that.
There are several reasons why you may hear strange noises inside your home from time to time. It could be your plumbing, it could be your water heater, it could be your HVAC system and ductwork, or another source. Learn about what’s making those noises and what you may need to do to fix them.
Noises You May Hear from Your HVAC System
Many times, a rattling sound or rattling noise may be coming from your heater or furnace. These sounds can be startling, and it’s best to find a qualified HVAC repair technician to come troubleshoot the system so they can determine what has happened and get it fixed to give you peace of mind. Types of noises coming from your furnace or air conditioner could include:
- Squealing: If you start to hear a squealing noise when you turn on your furnace, that could be a sign of a loose fan belt. Much like a car, when a fan belt comes loose, there could be other problems if you let that continue without getting it repaired. Your furnace could sustain more internal damage, so it’s best to get it repaired as quickly as possible.
- Scraping of Metal: This kind of sound means that part of the blower fan has likely come loose. That can also cause more internal damage if it’s not repaired, mostly to the metal housing around it.
- Knocking: Any type of knocking noise should also be addressed as soon as possible. It may be your blower motor, the fan, or another component of the furnace that is malfunctioning.
- Banging: If you hear your air conditioner making a banging noise, then there is likely a loose piston pin or crankshaft inside the compressor. The compressor itself may also need a replacement.
- Clicking: While you may hear normal clicking sounds coming from your A/C when it turns on or off, a continuous clicking noise may be cause for alarm. It could indicate a potential electrical issue inside the unit, which can be a serious problem if left unchecked.
- Screaming: If you hear a screaming noise coming from your air conditioning unit, you need to turn it off and call a repairman as soon as possible. This could be due to a refrigerant leak or pressure inside of the compressor. Both of these are critical issues and can damage the unit. Plus, a neglected refrigerant leak can cause harm to the environment, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Noises You May Hear From Your Plumbing
Another common culprit of weird noises in your house could be your plumbing system. A bubbling toilet, a whistling noise in your pipes, or a clanging noise when your sump pump is running could be indicators of common problems. If you hear any strange noises when you flush the toilet, turn on your hot water, or activate your sump pump, then you may want to contact a plumber.
A clog in your pipe could lead to severe water damage behind your walls or under your floors, which will turn into an even bigger repair bill. A professional plumber will be able to locate and determine the source of the noise and fix it to hopefully avoid any larger issues.
If you’re ever in doubt about a noise inside your house, reach out to a local plumber, repairman, or professional HVAC technician who can help get the problem solved for you as efficiently as possible.