Things That Go Bump In The Night

Have you ever been woken by strange noises in house late at night? It is the sort of thing which makes you become suddenly wide awake wondering what on earth it could have been. You might even get up and to make sure you don't have intruders. There is a very good chance however that your home is simply making its own set of peculiar sounds, some of which you may have control over and some of which you will have to learn to live with.

A study conducted in October 2010 by the Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank discovered 13% of homeowners believe their home is haunted, but it is thought that much of this can be put down to natural “house” noises which could be rectified by some simple DIY. Common reasons for strange noises at night could be any of the following.

Small animals

If you have small holes in your roof or exterior walls, small animals such as mice, birds, rats or even squirrels could gain access to your home. They are more likely to run around at night when the rest of the house is quiet and dark and will make quite a bit of noise. They can even damage your home by chewing through cables or eating your furnishings – not to mention the hygiene factor. The solution is to lay down poison or get a pest control expert in to deal with them, then close up any holes.

Dodgy Boilers and Radiators

After your boiler has turned off for the night it may still continue to make noises. The metal surrounding the boiler would have expanded while it was hot and this will creak and groan as it comes back to its normal size. This can result in popping noises and strange creaks. Replacing your boiler with a more up to date one may help.

Your radiators will also make odd noises at night. The water in the pipes will settle during the night as the heating cools down. Bleeding your radiator may help with this gurgling sound as air in the pipes can cause knocking and banging to come from within your radiator.

Structural Issues

If your home has a wooden frame you can expect it to creak as your home cools down at night. Wood is a natural material and as such it tends to expand and contract depending on how hot it is. When you heat your home it expands and then at night as it cools, it will begin to contract. This can cause quite loud creaks and may sound as though your home is about to collapse.

Anything which is attached to the structure will also be affected by this slight movement. So floors which have been screwed down may make quite alarming noises as the screws squeak against the wood.

Unfortunately there is not much which can be done about these noises. Making sure your floorboards are properly screwed and leaving plenty of room for expansion will help. Other than that it is simply something which you will get used to.

It doesn't take long to get used to the noises in your home and it is very unlikely you are being visited by ghosts or even intruders. But do remember to keep your doors and windows ]]>