Try not to laugh - how do you figure out what’s making noise at your house?

Off Topic
#1

Attic vent gone crazy? Drone sized spy Helicopter outside my window? Daemon trapped in the attic? Aliens? Obama? I’m simply at a loss.
Since day one of move in to this new house I’ve been hearing some really strange noises. Not haunted noises from what I can gather, unless it’s a very lazy ghost. Ive been trying to figure out what’s what and I’m simply spoofed and I’ve decided to ask the tribe. It sounds like a muffled helicopter and comes in a 20ish second rhythm in my master bedroom. Sounds possibly wind inspired if not so regularly timed I swear to you my bedroom seems to shake. It’s loud. Well loud-ish. I’ve tried to record it with no avail so possibly it’s medium-ish. It’s a “shake” type of noise if that makes any sense and I’ve heard it every night with varying intensity. I’ve tried to figure out what it could be and I still don’t know. I’ve stopped at crawling up on the roof. But I’ll do that after I’m sure to have my hazard insurance in check. I had the house inspected by a fantastic inspector and he didn’t see anything of issue on the roof.
I’ve heard it with fans on, fans off, heater on, heater off, ac on, ac off. I don’t hear it in other rooms although I haven’t really hung out for long in the other rooms. It’s probably once every minute for about 10-15 seconds soft and gets louder and goes away and comes back.
All fans are currently turned off. Heater is on but not active. Ouiji boards are charged up but not currently taking telepathic messages. And here I am trying to record this noise and type this email trying to explain it like a total weirdo. This is a shaking - fan type of sound or like possibly a rotating type of sound it has a rhythm - I swear im just trying to get to an answer here I know it sounds nuts.
I’m next to a busy road so car noises are a new reality for me but this is different. I hear it mostly at night but that’s probably because I don’t spend time in my bedroom during the day. I haven’t heard it in other rooms. My house is a funky old 1973 so it creeks and cracks but this is straight outta lost.
All ideas appreciated.

On an unrelated please bring chickens and candles for a special evening party if no one has any ideas.

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#2

I’m going to lean in with neighbors. … Edit: or wind powered rotating attic vent.

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#3

Look around to see if there are any windmills in the area. Small electric generator windmills can make a similar sound.

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#4

My money is on the wind powered attic fan. Especially if it got leaves in it. You may want to get it covered for the winter. It beats climbing up there with 3" of snow/ice to do it. That’s how I did mine a few years ago.

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#6

Also see if there are any thermostatically, or manually controlled power fans in the attic. Thermostatically could be short cycling with temperature, or a manually activated one could have bad bearings, and be cycling on the thermal cutoff.

Seems a little early for heat, but if we have our heat on, and the fan set on, it does this annoying cycle that when the thermostat kicks the heat on, the blower shuts off, the draft assist fan turns on, the burners light, and the blower doesn’t turn back on until the system can tell the flame is well established, and you can hear both fans cycling if everything else is off in the house.

#7

That’s because your fan is at two different speeds. On fan speed for cooling is high speed, the other low speed for heat. The fan is controlled in heat(gas) by a bonnet switch that turns on at 160/180. I don’t recall exactly which.

PSA, those that have gas heat should have their heat exchangers checked annually for cracks. Also a CO detector.

I don’t have the heat on yet in our house, although it is getting closer. Makes it difficult to get up when it is 65 in the house.

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#8

We blame Unexplained Noise on squirrels.
They may look cute, but they’re furry evil with twitchy fluffy tails.
See? Evil.
Evil throwing parties in the attic.
Bonus points when they invite the raccoon.
Yes. There’s a story.

I’ll bring the candles.

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#9

Going along with what @TBJK said, my put would be to shut all the power off for 30 minutes or 2X the normal cycle. If it still happens it is not something powered. Get an exorcist.

if gone with power off, when you can hear it, shut down then. If it stops, you’ll it hear it stop. Then just systematically shut them off a say three at a time. When that group stops it, do one at a time. You’ll at least isolate it to the circuit and part of the house.

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#10

aka Tree Rats.

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#11

I’m voting on Obama.
:smile::rofl::joy:

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#12

Never seen a roof mounted windmill around my neighborhood. Now I want one!

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#14
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#15


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#16

Could be a blower fan out of Balance , what I would is turn the power off to unit , and see if the noise is still there ,

#17

Thanks guys. I’m up at my moms absorbing all the passive-aggressive holiday bliss I can.
I will be back to solve the issue as soon as possible. I appreciate all of you.

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#18

I have a hot water pipe that has decided to knock on a beam or something when the hot water heater is filling up, dishwasher or washing machine is on, or any hot faucet is opened.
Also check for branches scratching against the roof…but that’s usually not a cyclical noise

#19

Yours sounds like its the standard water hammer.

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#20

Water hammer sounds like an awesome si-fi weapon.

Unleash the WATER HAMMER!

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#21

It can be an awesome weapon. If the parts of your plumbing system that are supposed to absorb the pressure surges in the water are not working, it can rupture your pipes. (Been there, done that!)

#22

mice with fleas in the attic - they settle in to scratch and that’s what you hear… glue traps…