Why do I hear tapping in my walls?

Author: Zelda Watsica  |  Last update: Friday, February 27, 2026

This sound usually indicates that there is a water leak either in the ceiling or in the wall. Typically this will show up as a water stain near the source of the leak. Sometimes this sound is related to the thermal expansion of drain lines from cold or hot water running through it.

What to do if you hear tapping in your walls?

How to stop tapping noise in walls? Ensure loose pipes are zip tied. Pipes running through the stud wall need to be siliconed in place. Create a rubber joint to stop noise against the stud wall. Ensure everything is snug inside the wall to stop rattling. Locate where rats are getting into walls.

Why is there a ticking sound coming from my wall?

This is caused by pipes expanding or contracting against wood or metal. Pull back the dry wall at the closest point you can locate the sound. Find the pipe, put some buffers on it between the wood and close it back up.

Why do I hear tapping in my house at night?

One thing it might be is expansion or contraction. When the temperature falls in the evening, parts of a house will cool and contract. As they contract, the parts will rub against each other, catching and then periodically slipping. This often causes various clicks, creaks, and pops.

Why do I hear constant knocking in my walls?

Hearing knocking sounds on walls could be due to various reasons. It might be related to structural issues, pipes, or even something as simple as temperature changes causing materials to expand or contract.

Hearing Sounds in Your Walls or Attic? This is Probably what it is!

How to stop knocking noise in wall?

Copper expands when hot water passes through the pipe. For pipes that travel through tight spaces, the expanding pipes can rub against surrounding features. This doesn't usually cause leaks. However, if you are remodeling, it's a good idea to replace these pipes or to add padding around them to prevent further noises.

What is the tapping noise in my ceiling?

Tapping Noises – Tapping sounds coming from your roof or ceiling may be caused by your home's HVAC system. Ductwork contracts and expands throughout the day, and can often create a repetitive tapping sound.

Why do I hear tapping in my walls at night spiritual meaning?

Knocking on the walls, front door, or windows of your home may mean you have a spirit on your hands. Some believe a knocking spirit is asking for entry into your home, which would only lead to a more entrenched spiritual presence, while others suggest this type of entity just wants to get your attention.

Do mice make a tapping sound?

The sounds they make:

Mice and rats have itty-bitty paws that make quick, rhythmic scratching and light tapping sounds.

Why do I keep hearing thudding in my house?

If you hear similar clanging or loud banging noise in the walls, it can be a sign of clogs or air pressure in the system called a water hammer. If you don't resolve the problem, it can cause damage to the pipes, so consult a professional.

Why do I randomly hear ticking?

These irregular clicking noises in the ear should NOT be confused with tinnitus. Rather, irregular clicking noises in the ear are almost always due to muscle spasms... just like "eye twitching" or "facial twitching".

Why do I hear random noises in my walls?

Noises in house walls should be taken seriously: any buzzing, shaking, vibrating or scratching probably indicate the presence of bees, mice, squirrels or even birds inside the walls. If you hear such noises, install traps or call in an exterminator.

What is the dripping tapping sound in my wall?

For instance, temperature changes that cause thermal expansion may make pipes produce tapping, ticking, or dripping noises. Abnormal water pressure or air in the pipes can also create such sounds. If you believe that your dripping sounds come from behind a wall or ceiling, contact your plumber immediately.

Why is there a weird ticking noise in my wall?

A repetitive ticking or clicking sound coming from walls and ceilings can result from the expansion and contraction of metal HVAC ductwork that conducts ventilation through these voids. When metal heats up, it expands; when the furnace stops pushing warm air through the system, the metal cools and contracts.

Why can I hear tapping?

Tapping in the ear sometimes suggested by the brain

Sometimes the brain fools us. For example, it is able to produce sounds that we perceive in the ear - even if there is no actual sound source. So our brain can also fake a knocking in the ear.

What animal makes a tapping noise at night?

Skunk Noises

Skunks in your home also make tapping and scratching noises with their long claws. Skunks are usually nocturnal, and will likely be under your deck or in your crawlspace.

Why do I hear tapping in my walls at night?

If you hear any clicking, buzzing or tapping sounds in the wall, you may be facing a potential termite invasion. Termites are hard to spot and often go unnoticed, causing significant amounts of damage in homes each year.

What is living in my walls?

Some of the animals that could be in your walls include rats, mice, squirrels, and chipmunks. Though not technically rodents, bats are also a frequent home pest problem.

Why do I hear knocking in my walls?

There is usually a simple explanation for why your walls are making a knocking sound. Most often, it's your home's plumbing system. It may be due to fluctuating water pressure issues, loose plumbing pipes, or a faulty valve.

What am I hearing in my walls at night?

Why Do I Hear Scratching in My Walls at Night? Hearing scratching in walls during the quiet hours can be unsettling. These noises are typically caused by rodents—most commonly mice or rats—that have entered your home.

Why do I hear random knocking at night?

Knocking noises heard while sleeping can be a loved one trying to connect with you. Were you worrying about something, having a bad dream, questioning yourself or having conflict in your life at the time? Someone could have been trying to reach you to offer support and encouragement.

What is spiritual tapping?

The belief is that by using EFT, we can improve our physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness by releasing unresolved emotional barriers, and it's all done through light tapping of your fingers on specific meridian points.

Why do I hear a ticking sound in my house?

Thermal expansion and contraction: As the temperature changes throughout the day, the materials in your walls/ceilings may expand and contract, creating clicking sounds as they move. This is normal and harmless, but it can be annoying.

Why can I hear noises in my walls?

From raccoons, mice and squirrels to birds, bees, and the dreaded rat, these critters can become unwanted tenants in our homes. If you hear noises coming from the walls, you'll want to check the exterior walls for any signs of animals and call your local animal control expert for help.

What is the random tapping sound in my attic?

Noises in the loft can indicate that rodents or other wildlife may have taken habitation in your loft. Lofts are the ideal environment for a number of different animals including: rats, mice, squirrels, wasps nests and in some cases, bats.

Previous article
What is the normal temperature difference in HVAC?
Next article
Why am I finding wolf spiders in my house?