Are There Haunting Sounds Within Your Home?

Spooktacular is in the air … Are you hearing haunting sounds in your home? Knocking, banging, whistling, moaning and groaning and water running when no one in the house is running water? At this time of year when Halloween is just around the corner, your home may be “haunted.”

Whether a house is old or new, a house will make a variety of strange sounds, especially at this time of year. When things are needing to warm up again, and when the world quiets down at night, all those eerie clanking noises seem to surface.

You may have a “haunted house.” There are a few things you can do to check out these haunting sounds to determine, “Are we haunted or not?”

Groaning, knocking and clicking: Are these ghostly sounds from rattling chains in your attic, or did you just turn your heat on for the first time this fall? You can expect a little groaning and moaning from your heating system. These sounds are from ductwork in your house as it expands and contracts from the change in temperature.

Bubbling and popping: Is this the sound of a cackling wicked witch, stirring up her special witch’s brew she will be serving on Halloween Eve? Or is this your water heater, telling you it may be time to replace it? The bubbling and popping are the sounds from sediment that has settled to the bottom of the tank as the water heats. When a gas or propane system lights up it’s also common to hear a popping sound. Draining your water heater to remove the sediment can help. Any more, especially if you bought a home that was built as a “spec” home, most contractors choose the low end of all the equipment installed in your home, and if your home is 10 years old or older, your water heater is helping you out. Better to be proactive versus reactive when your water heater begins to leak.

Banging in the walls: Do you have googly goblins lurking in your walls trying to scare you away, or are these banging sounds in your walls from air pressure in your water pipes? You may notice this happens more often after you use a faucet or flush a toilet. Water pipes run all through the house, so the sound doesn’t have to happen near the water source itself.

Foul odor: Is this a trick-or-treater playing a prank on you and egging your home, or may there be a slight gas leak? This could be a serious situation. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Call the local gas company to have someone check your home.

A gurgling toilet: Is this gurgling ghouls discussing how to sabotage your home further or a much more serious problem? 1. A toilet valve that is worn out can also be the cause of a gurgling sound. If you have a toilet that constantly runs, this is a good indication. The gasket in the tank reservoir may need to be replaced. 2. A backed-up sewer line can be the culprit. Tree roots sometimes grow into the sewer line; add in other possible flushed items such as baby wipes, which can snag on the roots. This latter culprit can create a big gurgling mess. Be aware, if you own a home 40 years or older you probably have galvanized drain lines, these all should be replaced as they begin to wear out; this gurgle should be taken care of proactively.

Breaker switch tripping: Is a jack-o’-lantern playing tricks on you to turn the lights out so he shines and scares you away, or is there more of a serious problem to address and correct by our master electrician finding the solution?

If you hear haunting sounds that go “bump” in the night in your home this fall and winter, “Who ya gonna call?” Central, the ghost-busting team, who delivers “all treats and NO tricks.”

And remember, whether you are in Kalispell, Whitefish, Bigfork, Columbia Falls or anywhere else in the Flathead Valley. . .As always, your Comfort is our Central concern, Call 406-756-6656 for all your heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical and drain cleaning needs.

An old-time favorite of my kids this time of year: Who does not love Rice Krispie Treats? Follow the recipe on the box, then take a bit of a twist when mixing the hot marshmallow mixture: I add orange food coloring and mix with cereal, and as I press mixture into the pan I add 1 cup of the fall-colored M&M’s into the mixture evenly. Enjoy!

 

 

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