Noise in the wall

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Jaymon
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Noise in the wall

Post by Jaymon »

Woke up this morning to a noise in the wall.

It sounds, to me, somewhat like a fan, or like somebody warming up a car engine.
We can hear it in the hallway from the ceiling, near, but not directly under where the furnace is located.
There are no vents in that location.

I went up into the crawlspace attic. The furnace itself was not making the noise. And I could not hear it from there, whatever was making the noise, it was masked by distance or insulation.


I turned off the furnace. I turned off the AC. I switched off the breakers. I switched off the main breaker for the whole house.
The noise continued.


I checked outside. Its definitely coming from inside my house, not drifting in from the neighborhood.


I can see the ductwork for the furnace. Its above the insulation, and I can see where it dives down for the various vents across the house.

The only thing I can think of, there is some sort of blower mounted in that location, and its underneath the insulation, directly ontop of the ceiling.
But, why would it not stop when we shut of power to the house? We left it off for plenty long enough that fans should have spun down.


The noise lasted for a few hours during the morning, and then stopped.


Any other ideas?
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by LordMortis »

Varmint nesting?
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by ImLawBoy »

It's probably wolves. You have to be careful, because if the wolves come out of the walls, it's all over.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by malchior »

If the power is truly off then it comes down to critters or something related to utilities. Perhaps noise was being transmitted via a water or gas main into your structure.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Isgrimnur »

ImLawBoy wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:52 am It's probably wolves. You have to be careful, because if the wolves come out of the walls, it's all over.
Wallwolves...
It's almost as if people are the problem.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Jaymann »

Its the Boys in the Wall running their battery operated hair dryer.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Daehawk »

Its not me. I have not moved into a secret area of your wall at all. I can 100% guarantee there is nothing in this wall with me.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by telcta »

Isgrimnur wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:59 am
ImLawBoy wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:52 am It's probably wolves. You have to be careful, because if the wolves come out of the walls, it's all over.
Wallwolves...
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by stimpy »

He/Him/His/Porcupine
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by LawBeefaroni »

Could it be rotary vent on the roof?

If not you may have The Hum.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by McNutt »

I had a cousin who had similar sounds in his house. He texted that he was going into the attic to investigate. That was the last we heard from him.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by gilraen »

We don't talk about Bruno...
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Roman »

Bees/hornet nest?

With that many bees etc that could sound like humming.
While feeding all the beasties out back I let a nice big fart. The smell followed all the way back to the house. It's like it was my baby and felt abandoned.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Rumpy »

Do you have an exhaust vent leading outside via a chimney with a spinney thing at the end? I ask because what you describe sounds exactly like what happens when the wind picks up and spins it. On windy days, the wind spins it and it sounds like it's coming from directly inside the house as the sound carries all the way down.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by LawBeefaroni »

Rumpy wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 1:42 pm with a spinney thing at the end?
AKA a rotary vent.

Great minds...
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by malchior »

Maybe a woodpecker stuffing the walls with 700 lbs. of acorns?
A pair of California woodpeckers are surely crushed after a pest control technician on a routine call recently found their massive trove of acorns cleverly stashed in the walls of a California home.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by em2nought »

Some kind of condensate pump for the ac drain line with a battery backup maybe?

...or sump pump?
Technically, he shouldn't be here.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Alefroth »

I'm with Roman on this one.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Montag »

Maybe throw all your breakers one by one then the main breaker to rule out a electrical issue?
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by YellowKing »

In our old house I was convinced (and horrified) thinking there were rats/mice in our walls/attic. We could hear very clear skittering and scratching from our upstairs bedroom. I HATE rodents so I was all prepped to burn the house down.

When one day I happened to be outside and noticed a squirrel running around on the roof directly above our bedroom. I hurriedly told my wife to go back inside and see if that was the sound and sure enough that was it. Stupid squirrels frolicking on the roof.

Months later those playful little squirrels ended up gnawing the flashing off one of the vents and causing a roof leak. :grund:
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Pyperkub »

Don't go into the light!

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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by dbt1949 »

I have an exhaust fan in the bathroom that makes that noise. I never use it but somehow one day I accidentally turn it on. Took me three days to find the noise.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Rumpy »

LawBeefaroni wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 1:59 pm
Rumpy wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 1:42 pm with a spinney thing at the end?
AKA a rotary vent.

Great minds...
Yeah, that. Sorry, I must have missed your post. Anyhow, yeah, that's the first thing that came to mind. Those things can make quite a bit of noise when they spin up fast.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by The Meal »

Isgrimnur wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:59 am
ImLawBoy wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:52 am It's probably wolves. You have to be careful, because if the wolves come out of the walls, it's all over.
Wallwolves...
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Jeff V »

Roman wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 1:29 pm Bees/hornet nest?

With that many bees etc that could sound like humming.
That's my thought. My parents had bees in the wall once, made the paneling bulge until it nearly split.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Lassr »

He has not posted since this morning....I fear the house has consumed him
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Jeff V »

Lassr wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 10:36 pm He has not posted since this morning....I fear the house has consumed him
So...murder hornets I suppose.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Isgrimnur »

The Meal wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 9:59 pm
Isgrimnur wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:59 am
ImLawBoy wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:52 am It's probably wolves. You have to be careful, because if the wolves come out of the walls, it's all over.
Wallwolves...
Yo mamma so fat, when the full moon comes out she turns into a warehouse.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Holman »

I've got a goddamned squirrel running around behind my walls as I type. Our dog is out of his mind.

My office is on the top floor. Because the roof is peaked and angled, there's a significant amount of empty space both above these rooms and to the sides of them. Some of this space is accessible as storage, but a lot of it isn't.

Right now there's a varmint running around in the above-ceiling space I can't access. This does connect to a low storage space where I've placed a trap baited with bread and peanut butter. This plan worked the last time we had a squirrel, but so far the fat bastard is ignoring the treat.

I found the hole where the monster got in, and I can access it easily by walking on the porch roof. I suppose that if I seal the entrance, my nemesis will eventually *have* to go for the bait.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Isgrimnur »

If he gnawed his way in, he can gnaw his way out.
It's almost as if people are the problem.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Unagi »

Alefroth wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 3:22 pm I'm with Roman on this one.
I’m with Roman and Alefroth.

I could also be convinced it’s a hum being translated ‘from outside the house’

You said the noise eventually stopped. Did it start back up ever ?

The idea of bees or wasps warming up their hive in the morning is what I pictured.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Alefroth »

Curious to hear if it has returned or not. Or if Jaymon is still alive.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by em2nought »

If there's a condensate pump for the air conditioner it's probably on a circuit with electrical outlets instead of the same breaker as the AC.
Technically, he shouldn't be here.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by GreenGoo »

The Meal wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 9:59 pm
Isgrimnur wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 11:59 am Wallwolves...
Yo mamma so fat, when the full moon comes out she turns into a warehouse.
Oh, I like.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Jaymon »

No spinny vents on roof. Just vents, and a pipe.
When I went out for inspection, did not feel windy, also, extreme fog, so wind on the roof very unlikely.

Had HVAC services out for an inspection.

they did find the capacitor for the furnace in the attic was low, so that can explain the grinding noise. BUT why could I hear it from the hallway, but not when I was standing right next to the furnace? BUT why didn't it stop when I had the power cut? so thats still a mystery.

There is a light socket right where the noise was coming from, tried banging on it, wiggling it. We gave it definite maybe as the source of the noise.
Theory: a low frequency vibration from elsewhere hit the harmonics for this socket and triggered it to rattle. Got the socket and housing all taped up now, HVAC moved all the insulation to find the housing and was willing to tape it up as part of the visit.


next step. if it happens again, call electrician. Although still no clue why noise continued when power was off.

When electrician finds nothing, call exorcist.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by dbt1949 »

Who you going to call?
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Kraken »

We've had a critter noise in our kitchen ceiling for years. It's rare and random. It sounds insectoid to me, but it travels. Whatever it is has never bothered us so I'm inclined to return the favor.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by dbt1949 »

We have a small tree growing right next to the house. When the wind blows the branches will sweep against the siding .From the inside it sounds like critters moving in the walls.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by LordMortis »

dbt1949 wrote: Wed Feb 15, 2023 9:32 am We have a small tree growing right next to the house. When the wind blows the branches will sweep against the siding .From the inside it sounds like critters moving in the walls.
+1 I'm debating cutting it back now, only I'm not supposed to let refuse build up (as a critter deterrent) and they don't start collecting until ??? in March.
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Re: Noise in the wall

Post by Holman »

Holman wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 5:24 pm I've got a goddamned squirrel running around behind my walls as I type. Our dog is out of his mind.

My office is on the top floor. Because the roof is peaked and angled, there's a significant amount of empty space both above these rooms and to the sides of them. Some of this space is accessible as storage, but a lot of it isn't.

Right now there's a varmint running around in the above-ceiling space I can't access. This does connect to a low storage space where I've placed a trap baited with bread and peanut butter. This plan worked the last time we had a squirrel, but so far the fat bastard is ignoring the treat.

I found the hole where the monster got in, and I can access it easily by walking on the porch roof. I suppose that if I seal the entrance, my nemesis will eventually *have* to go for the bait.
We finally caught our squirrel in the attic trap. It managed to steal the bait (tiny tomatoes) through the sides of the cage until we finally placed them where it had to go inside. Interestingly, it was one of those rare black-fur squirrels, and really kind of cute.

Our exterminator has no problems poisoning mice, but they're adamant about taking caged squirrels and larger rodents out to be released in nature.

Having trapped the invader, I got out on the porch roof and sealed the small hole for good with two bricks and wire mesh. Hopefully that was their only entrance.
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