I am one of those people who no matter how tired I am, any noise, even a soft sound will wake me up into full attention! It’s almost like I sleep with one eye open, or in this case, one ear! What are these noises that interrupt a quiet sleeping house? After you have ruled out an intruder, there are many ways that a home can “talk” to you.

My parents have an air filter exchange that causes a loud “pop and rattle” every time the AC comes on. You don’t hear it so much during the day, but when the house is quiet at night, it sounds like someone has actually come through the front door!

Some other common noises, especially in older homes can be rattling pipes.  Exposed water pipes can clang against floor joists. To quiet them, wrap the pipes in foam insulation or rubber tubing cut from an old garden hose, then secure them to the joists with nail-on metal pipe straps. Simple!

Squeaky door hinges. We all have those, even in new homes! My first reaction is to grab the WD-40! My Dad’s cure all for squeaky hinges is to remove the hinge pin and coat it and the tip of the pin slot with a thick lubricant, such as petroleum jelly or marine grease. Then replace the pin, sliding it up and down to work the lubricant along the length of the hinge. Simple!

Squeaky stairs. Laying in bed at night you SWEAR someone is walking up those stairs!! Don’t call Ghostbusters…..instead  you need to tighten down the stair treads. To tighten them down, drill two starter holes into the tread and stringer at opposite 45-degree angles. Drive 8d or 10d finish nails into each hole to secure the tread to the stringer. Cover the holes with wood putty. Simple!

Noisy furnace. Especially true in older homes. Cold metal furnace ducts rattle and whistle when hot air rushes through. Cushion the ducts against wood framing with rubber pads. Also, check that there’s nothing blocking the air register at the return, causing pressure problems. Simple!

Tapping roof sounds. Most likely tree branches or falling tree nuts. Regularly trim those branches so they are not touching or near  the roof. Simple!

Gurgling sounds from the bathroom. Check the gasket in the toilet tank. The toilet fill valve may be worn out. Replacing takes 10 minutes and you have eliminated the possibility of a bathroom demon intruder! Simple!

Take a strong stand to eliminate these pesky noises and remember that ignoring a strange house noise is never a good idea. Doing so can often lead to the need for a bigger, more costly repair at some point down the line. Plus, it could cost you a few precious nights of sleep, too.

Rest easy!