Even though they’re inanimate, houses can be quite the chatterboxes. Houses creak, groan, pop, bang, ring, and hiss. At times, the noises are so loud they sound like something is snapping or cracking within the walls. 

Your house may sound like it’s constantly moving or packed with animals. In reality, both of those things could be somewhat true. 

The causes for those unexpected sounds can be as innocent as wood expanding and contracting or as disturbing as pests in the walls. 

Not all groaning and creaking noises in your house indicate a problem. For some homeowners, a creaky house is and always has been normal. 

Read on to learn about the different types of noises your house might make, what they could mean, and how to address any problems. 

Why Do Houses Make Noise?

While the following section includes several house sounds and their associated problems, not all noises should worry you.  

Generally, soft groaning, creaking, and loud cracking noises in the house are among the most common and least problematic types of sounds.  

Whether these noises exist in your home and indicate a problem can depend on:

  • The age of your house
  • The construction of your house
  • The type of noise

If you suddenly hear a new sound or are unsure, it’s best to contact a professional to inspect the relevant area for any issues. 

Creaking, Groaning, Popping, and Cracking Noises in the House

If you hear creaking or a wood-cracking sound in the house, there are several possible causes, from the temperature outside to the settling of your home’s foundation. 

Temperature and Humidity Changes 

Thermal expansion causes your house’s wood and steel framework to expand slightly when heated. They also contract in cold environments. 

A rise in temperature and humidity during the day causes the material holding up your walls and roof to expand, while a dip in these factors causes the material to contract at different rates. As a result, pressure builds and causes the materials to shift against each other. 

This shifting can lead to normal sounds in your home, like creaking, groaning, popping, and cracking. By the same rule, you might hear house creaks when the heat is on. 

Why do houses creak at night?

You may notice creaking more at night because life is less hectic than during the day. But it could also be due to the drop in temperature as the sun sets and causes the materials in your home’s framework to contract. 

Settling Foundation

You may hear people blaming house creaks on the house settling, but what exactly does that mean?

Settling refers to your home’s foundation and framework shifting over time. We’ve already seen how temperature changes can cause settling by affecting your home’s materials. Your home can make similar creaking noises due to shifting soil below the foundation. 

Excess rain and other factors can cause the soil to expand and move your home’s structures from the ground up, leading to creaks, groans, and pops. 

Creaking from settling can be normal for your house if you always hear the sounds. But you might have a foundation problem if your house is creaking more than usual and you notice the following symptoms along with it:

  • Stuck windows or doors
  • Uneven flooring
  • Vibrating in the wall
  • Noticeable cracks in walls, flooring, or driveway 

Contact a local foundation contractor to inspect your home’s foundation if you notice any of the above signs. 

Creaking Floorboards

If you have hardwood, laminate, or vinyl flooring, you likely have a few floorboards that notoriously creak. 

Creaking floorboards can be normal when the cause is humidity and temperature changes that expand and contract them or the friction between loose floorboards when you walk on them. 

However, a noisy floor can also point to a subfloor problem. 

As its name suggests, a subfloor refers to layers of supportive material beneath the flooring. If you hear new creaking in your flooring, the subfloor material could be rotten or have termites.  

Contact a professional flooring company in your area through the Flooring Contractors Association directory to help you with damaged subfloor or floorboards.

Scratching and Scurrying Noises in the House

No one wants to hear scurrying or scratching noises in their house. As you might have guessed, these irregular noises in the walls or attic aren’t due to normal settling. Instead, they are more likely due to pests. 

Rodents and other small animals can squeeze into your home through holes and crevices from the exterior. They look for warmth, food, and water and make a ruckus while at it. 

While these rustling noises can be scary for homeowners, catching the problem early removes much of the worry. Find a pest control company near you through the National Pest Management Association directory.

What if you’re hearing scratching sounds coming from the outside of your home? 

On the harmless side, animals can scamper up and down your roof, and tree branches can brush up against your gutters. 

But if you’re hearing scratching from within your gutters, it’s likely because water is pooling and attracting birds. Sitting water can signal clogging and lead to drainage problems that affect your foundation and crawl space if you ignore them for too long.  

Hissing Noises in the House

A hissing sound in your home is rarely a good sign. Whether it’s your HVAC system or a natural gas leak, you’ll want to find the source and respond accordingly.

Assuming you’ve ruled out a hissing snake in your walls, carefully inspect your HVAC system to see if the sound is coming from valves or hoses. If it is your central AC or heating, find a professional HVAC repair service near you with the Better Business Bureau directory.

On the other hand, gas leaks can cause an explosion if any type of spark or flame is present. Gas leaks are also dangerous as carbon monoxide exposure can cause several symptoms, including:

  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Suffocation

A natural gas leak that causes a hissing sound may smell like rotten eggs. If you smell a leak, immediately leave your home—but don’t turn on your car. Call 911 and your utility company to address the problem.

Whistling Noises in the House

A whistling sound can be as simple as a backed-up furnace filter or inadequate weather stripping around your windows and doors. 

You have the option to fix weather stripping or change a furnace filter on your own. However, larger problems with the furnace and windows may call for professional help from a contractor.

No matter the cause, you’ll want to address the problem as soon as possible to prevent further damage and persistent whistling sounds. 

Running Water Noises in the House

If you hear the sound of running water, it’s usually exactly that. However, it can be difficult to tell where the water is coming from. Left unchecked, running water from a leak or burst pipe can cause water damage.

Here are a few places to check around your house if you hear running water:

  • The toilets
  • Sprinkler system
  • Dishwasher 
  • Washing machine

If you still can’t pinpoint the source of running water, turn off your water main, inspect your home for signs of water damage, and contact a local plumber to help you find a solution. 

Ringing and Humming Noises in the House

If you hear a high-pitched sound in your house from an unknown source, an electrical device could be working too hard or an electrical connection could be loose.

First, check your appliances by unplugging one and listening to hear if the humming or ringing goes away. Then, keep unplugging the next appliance until you find the source. 

The continuing sound may come from an outlet. Before you examine for loose connections or other damage behind an outlet plate, always turn your home’s power off. 

If a hard-working appliance wasn’t the problem, we recommend finding a local electrician through the National Electrical Contractors Association directory. 

Banging and Clanging Noises in the House

Banging noises in your house are among the most jarring to hear on this list, but there are explanations that don’t involve burglars or supernatural activity. 

Some possible sources of banging sounds include:

  • Trapped air or water in your radiator: Steam coming in contact with cooler water and expanding pipes can cause banging. Your radiator may not be running efficiently because of problems like leaky valves, buildup in your pipes, or being at the wrong angle.  
  • A roof truss in a newly constructed home: Newly built homes will have more moisture inside the new wood. You may hear loud banging as the moisture dries up over time and the wood contracts.
  • Copper plumbing that expands with hot water: If your home has copper pipes, they may expand when hot water runs through them. In crowded areas, these pipes may make noise against other structures. This is not usually a problem, and you can remedy the banging sound by lowering the water temperature. 
  • Water hammer in your pipes: “Water hammer” or hydraulic shock happens in a pipe when a valve closes quickly on rushing water. The momentum causes the water to slam against pipes and make a banging or clanging sound against the framework or other pipes. Call a plumber if your pipes experience water hammer before it leads to damaged pipes and leaks.

How to Stop Your House From Creaking—and Making So Many Other Noises

In many cases, consistent creaking is nothing to lose sleep over. But sometimes your house makes noises so suddenly or loudly that you may actually lose sleep from being woken up. 

Your go-to solution should be to call a professional contractor to look at your home’s foundation or framework. 

If you know the sounds are coming from a specific part of your home, hire a specialized professional to inspect and repair the issue. 

Does Homeowners’ Insurance Cover Foundation Problems?

The dwelling portion of your homeowners’ insurance usually covers foundation damage only when the cause is unexpected and sudden. 

Some common risks that your dwelling insurance protects your foundation from include:

  • Lightning and windstorms
  • Fire and explosions
  • Damage from an aircraft or vehicle
  • Falling objects
  • Sudden and accidental water damage from plumbing or HVAC system
  • Vandalism

However, homeowners’ insurance does not cover damage from the normal settling of your foundation, as this kind of peril is preventable. 

For this reason, it’s important to closely monitor the sounds your house makes to catch a foundation problem before it results in expensive damage. 

Settling Your Concerns About Your House’s Noises

Your walls can talk, and they’re telling you a story about your home’s condition. 

If your house creaks a lot and you’re more curious than concerned, you most likely have little to worry about. 
But if your house’s settling noises are more unsettling, it may be worth checking out with a professional contractor or a home inspector. It’s wise to be proactive and treat unexpected sounds in your home as a warning sign to best protect your home and family.