How to Fix Pesky House Noises

Are you tired of listening to all the things that go bump, buzz, or squeak in the night? Sure, you’re bound to hear an occasional noise from the various appliances and systems that help keep your home running. But incessant clanks, creaks, and scratches can drive you batty. Restore peace and quiet in your home by tackling these 7 common causes of annoying noises.

  1. Clanking Radiator. A hot water radiator can make lots of noise, mostly due to condensed steam that gets trapped in the pipes. Shimmy the radiator so that it tips back toward the boiler to prevent pockets of steam from developing.
  1. Squeaky Doors. Squeaky door hinges are common, but that doesn’t make them any less annoying. Luckily, they’re also quite easy to fix. Gently tap out the hinge pin with a hammer and coat it with a thick lubricant like petroleum jelly. Put the pin back in place, open and close the door several times to work the lubricant through, and enjoy the sound of – well, nothing!
  2. Running Toilet. A running toilet isn’t only annoying, it wastes gallons upon gallons of water and runs up your water bill. Open the lid of the tank and check that the float sits below the overflow pipe. If that’s not the problem, it might be a worn or defective flapper, fill valve, or fill pipe.
  3. Creaky Floorboards. Some people find creaky floorboards charming. If you don’t, give a snap-off screw kit a try. Predrill a hole in the board and drill in the specialty screw provided in the kit until it snaps off. Hide the tiny hole that remains with wood filler.
  4. Bubbling Water Heater. Over time, sediment and mineral deposits can build up in a traditional tank style water heater, leading to popping and cracking noises. To get rid of the deposits – and the noise – flush the tank regularly.
  5. Rattling Pipes. When water runs through a pipe, the force can cause the pipe to bump and clank up against floor joists and wall framing if the pipes are not properly secured. Wrap exposed water pipes in rubber insulation and secure them to joists and framing with metal pipe straps, ideally every four feet.
  6. Buzzing Bulbs. A dimmer switch allows you to set the brightness and ambience in a room. But it can also cause the bulb to buzz or hum. Swap out the bulb for one with a stronger filament or change the dimmer switch to one that alternates current more gently.

Each of these tips can solve the problem, but often it takes more of a specialist to get the job done to your complete satisfaction. For all things carpentry, plumbing, heating and cooling, nobody’s better qualified to quiet things down in your house and make needed repairs while we’re at it. If there’s something bugging you at home, it’s Pann Home Services to the rescue.