Among the most common and often harmless household noises are gentle groaning, creaking sounds, or even a loud cracking noise in the house. These are often the result of changes in temperature and humidity throughout the day, week, or season.
Random noises in your house can stem from various factors, including settling structures, HVAC systems, or wildlife. Additionally, changes in temperature and humidity can cause materials to expand or contract, producing sounds.
Tinnitus (pronounced tih-NITE-us or TIN-uh-tus) is the perception of sound that does not have an external source, so other people cannot hear it. Tinnitus is commonly described as a ringing sound, but some people hear other types of sounds, such as roaring or buzzing.
Some creaking is normal. The house frame is not entirely rigid and the siding on the house, assuming is has siding, can creak. It can creak with changes of temperature, which wind can cause if the wall has been heated by the sun and then is suddenly cooled by a wind.
If they're coming out of nowhere, they're most likely vocal/phonetic tics of some sort. Tics aren't a condition themselves, but they can be a symptom of Tourette's syndrome, or autism spectrum disorder.
Repetitive behaviours, including humming, are one of the common features of autism. Individuals with autism may engage in this behaviour as a means to self-regulate, express emotions, or find sensory stimulation.
Up to 70% of people experience these types of hallucinations at least once. If you experience auditory hallucinations while you're wide awake, it may be — but isn't always— a symptom of a mental health or neurological condition. Talk to your healthcare provider about the hallucinations and any other symptoms you have.
Do you notice creaking and cracking noises at night, when things are quiet? Most of the time, this is just the normal thermal expansion and contraction of your home's wooden structure and attic beams. It happens often when the air cools in the evening and the wood contracts.
It is a fact that homes will settle over the years. This is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. However, knowing when to call in a foundation repair expert will help alleviate unnecessary anxiety and worry.
Over time, as the materials stabilize, these noises usually diminish. If the creaking persists or becomes bothersome, consult with your builder or flooring specialist to ensure there are no structural issues that need attention. In an older build, creaking floors are expected.
You're more likely to hear voices or sounds that aren't there if you have a condition that affects how your brain processes sound. This may happen with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or medical conditions like brain tumors, dementia, Parkinson's disease, migraine, or hearing loss.
Silence is a 'sound' you hear, study suggests
The idea wasn't simply that these silences made people experience illusions, the researchers said. It was that the same illusions that scientists thought could only be triggered with sounds worked just as well when the sounds were replaced by silences.
Many people who are profoundly deaf can still hear planes, dogs barking, etc. Hearing a sound does not mean that Deaf people can understand speech. A person with a significant hearing loss generally has difficulty or inability to hear speech even when aided.
Hearing voices at night is not uncommon. While it can be a sign of a mental health condition such as schizophrenia, it is also seen when sleep is disrupted, after stress or trauma, or with certain medications or medical conditions.
Your doctor may suggest using an electronic device to suppress the noise. Devices include: White noise machines. These devices, which produce a sound similar to static, or environmental sounds such as falling rain or ocean waves, are often an effective treatment for tinnitus.
Just not a ghost. If you have an unfinished attic, odds are those footsteps you hear come from some rowdy ducks, mice, a cat or even a wily raccoon. Maybe they are looking for food or – perhaps – to escape from becoming food.
If your house is shifting everything will be slightly out of alignment, and this includes doors and windows. Walls that are pulling away from ceilings and floors. This happens because when a house is shifting it isn't moving in sync. This can cause the walls to separate from the ceiling and/or floor.
Courtesy of the artists. The average lifespan of a house in the United States is between 50 and 63 years, from construction to demolition.
Another common cause of cracking or popping sounds in the house is settling. In these cases, the weight of the house presses down on the soil beneath, causing small changes in the ground below the house that cause bits of the house's structure to shift slightly.
Houses frequently make noises—a floor creaks, a pipe gurgles, a refrigerator hums—but while some sounds are harmless and even charming, others are early indicators of potential problems that warrant attention.
High Water Pressure
If the water pressure in your home is too high, this can also create banging and knocking noises. In this case, the noises occur when water is running through the pipes.
It generally takes about one season for a house to settle. How much a property settles can depend on the soil composition, its moisture level, and the local climate. Building materials can expand and contract as temperatures fluctuate, too.
Poor sleep – sleep problems may cause you to hear voices. Hunger – you may hear voices if you're extremely hungry. Physical illness – if you have a very high temperature you may hear voices or see things that other people can't. Hearing voices can sometimes be a sign of other illnesses.
Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
These tubes can be open or closed; they're typically closed, and open when you yawn, chew, or swallow. If you're hearing a crackling noise in your ear when chewing, chances are that your Eustachian tubes are malfunctioning, so they're not opening or closing properly.
Hallucinations may occur as part of normal development or may be a sign that your child is struggling with some type of emotional problems. This may be related to issues at home, school, with friends, or from experiencing upsetting thoughts and feelings.