# "Cracking" noise every evening/night



## Bob Mariani (Dec 1, 2008)

It sounds to me you have a a RED SQUIRREL in your kitchen ceiling opening acorns. Or it could be your fridge making ice.


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## jerryh3 (Dec 10, 2007)

Hot water baseboard?


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## Red Squirrel (Jun 29, 2009)

Nope no hot water baseboard (only gas furnace and it does not run at night unless it gets below 10 degrees). Been in the attic already, quite clean up there, no squirrels or bugs, or other traces of any vermin. I doubt they would be able to handle the glass fiber dust very well.  I made the mistake of going up there without a mask, came out pretty quick while choking lol. 

Actually could it be a CCFL light? I have a CCFL lamp I leave on and only turn off before bed. Though sometimes it's on when I hear the noise. Another possibility is a window, think the seal could be cracking or something?


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## ArmchairDIY (Oct 21, 2009)

Could it be a water pipe expanding and contracting and rubbing on the framing somewhere?
Is it ok to answer a question with a question?...lol


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## Red Squirrel (Jun 29, 2009)

Hmm don't think it would make that noise, but suppose I can't rule it out. The temp drops at night more then anything so it could cause something like this.


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## Thurman (Feb 9, 2009)

Do you have an ice-maker? If so, these will make these type noises when dumping ice. These noises are more noticeable at night when everything is quiet, rather in the daytime when we are moving about or have a radio/TV on and other household noises. Try to pay extra attention when in the kitchen area and listen to hear your ice-maker dumping, that is IF you have one. After I told my sister to do this, she swears that the ice-maker is louder now than ever. :laughing: Good Luck, David


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## Red Squirrel (Jun 29, 2009)

Nope no ice maker.


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## n0c7 (May 15, 2008)

Is it a persistent noise or just a few cracks and it stops? If it's just a few cracks and stops it could just be settling noises with contraction from the temperature change in Ontario.


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## LeviDIY (Apr 16, 2009)

Red S - is it coming from the refridgerator? Could it be related to the compressor running? That happens from time to time on my Fridgedaire.


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## Red Squirrel (Jun 29, 2009)

n0c7 said:


> Is it a persistent noise or just a few cracks and it stops? If it's just a few cracks and stops it could just be settling noises with contraction from the temperature change in Ontario.


Seems to be a few ones only then it stops. It's hard to tell if it actually does it during the day or not as I'm at work, but I have not noticed it any other time, normally when I'm in bed before I sleep.

It could very well be structural settling like you say, seems kinda loud for that, but could be the hardwood floor too, it would probably resonate at that pitch.

I'd have to be around when it happens so I can hear better exactly where it's coming from.


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## Red Squirrel (Jun 29, 2009)

LeviDIY said:


> Red S - is it coming from the refridgerator? Could it be related to the compressor running? That happens from time to time on my Fridgedaire.


I'm suspecting the fridge but not 100% on that. I can often hear when the compressor kicks in and it's a different sound, though.


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## Red Squirrel (Jun 29, 2009)

I think I found what is causing the noise. It seems to in fact be the hardwood floor. I was adding weather strip around my door so the door was wide open for 10 minutes or so during this whole time so the temp dropped very fast in the living room, and the floor made cracking sounds. When I walked on it it was also cracking more then usual. Probably also has to do with the fact that it's been recently varnished. It's the old style hardwood with ~1.5" wide planks.


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## spark plug (May 5, 2009)

Red Squirrel said:


> I think I found what is causing the noise. It seems to in fact be the hardwood floor. I was adding weather strip around my door so the door was wide open for 10 minutes or so during this whole time so the temp dropped very fast in the living room, and the floor made cracking sounds. When I walked on it it was also cracking more then usual. Probably also has to do with the fact that it's been recently varnished. It's the old style hardwood with ~1.5" wide planks.


Interestingly. I still occasionally hear that kind of noise. But it's coming from the opposite direction. The ceiling in my kitchen. After I installed a new 48" (T8) Fluorescent light I started hearing a crackling noise, sometimes like dripping water. I Scientifically determined (mainly by listening) that it's the metal (stud) frame of the ceiling that absorbs the heat of the fixture. It makes much less noise now. (No matter what):yes::no::drinkon't Drink and Drive, ever!!!


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## spark plug (May 5, 2009)

ArmchairDIY said:


> Could it be a water pipe expanding and contracting and rubbing on the framing somewhere?
> Is it ok to answer a question with a question?...lol


It should be Okay. Due to a Mathematical equation. 2 Negatives Multiplied = Positive (-x-=+) I guess???


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## n0c7 (May 15, 2008)

Red Squirrel said:


> I think I found what is causing the noise. It seems to in fact be the hardwood floor. I was adding weather strip around my door so the door was wide open for 10 minutes or so during this whole time so the temp dropped very fast in the living room, and the floor made cracking sounds. When I walked on it it was also cracking more then usual. Probably also has to do with the fact that it's been recently varnished. It's the old style hardwood with ~1.5" wide planks.


Wouldn't doubt it. The last place we lived in prior to our new home was a townhouse built in the 70's. On those cold cold -30C to -40C Canadian winter nights the nail pops sounded like gun shots and would often wake us up at 4AM.


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## RDS (Feb 29, 2008)

I love the weird noises old houses make. Ours has a few. But one stumped me for almost a year after we moved in. If I was home in the late afternoon, the whole house would suddenly shudder, as if from water hammer, or as if something heavy had fallen onto the roof. Trying to track it down drove me crazy.

It was almost a year before I discovered that half a mile away, there was blasting going on at a condo development, and they were allowed to blast exactly once per day. It was too far away to hear, but the shock wave ran through the ground.


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## Red Squirrel (Jun 29, 2009)

RDS said:


> I love the weird noises old houses make. Ours has a few. But one stumped me for almost a year after we moved in. If I was home in the late afternoon, the whole house would suddenly shudder, as if from water hammer, or as if something heavy had fallen onto the roof. Trying to track it down drove me crazy.
> 
> It was almost a year before I discovered that half a mile away, there was blasting going on at a condo development, and they were allowed to blast exactly once per day. It was too far away to hear, but the shock wave ran through the ground.


Interesting. This reminds me of a few months ago, there was construction going on the highway near the hospital I work at. A few times per day it felt like something very heavy fell on the floor above us. Everything would shake. We'd always joke and say "oh must be fat guy who fell out of his bed again!". Turns out it was the blasting. Was weird because it sounded so much like the sound and vibration source was above us. I wonder how they got away blasting so close to a hospital though. I hope surgeons were given warnings, would suck during a precise incision lol.


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## diy4life (Oct 31, 2008)

*Its called Temperature Change!!!!!*

It is your wooden floor or walls, my friend. Wood expands and contracts due to outside and inside temperature. My house does the samething every now and then not just in one place. Pretty much all throughout the house especially when there is a significant difference in the outside and inside temperature. Sometime it is pretty loud other times we hardly hear it. Wood bends, shrinks, expands, etc.....

If you are still concerned, then my suggestion is to go up into the attic and see if there are any squirrels living up there. I didn't know this, but my neighbor living right across from me noticed that birds are flying about and banging into my attic windows from inside my attic. They were making pretty loud sounds that she left us a note in the mailbox. We were fooled to many times thinking someone was at the door or I yelled my wife to quit breaking the doors. :no::laughing:

I think you can probably guess who won that battle...:bangin:


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## Red Squirrel (Jun 29, 2009)

diy4life said:


> It is your wooden floor or walls, my friend. Wood expands and contracts due to outside and inside temperature. My house does the samething every now and then not just in one place. Pretty much all throughout the house especially when there is a significant difference in the outside and inside temperature. Sometime it is pretty loud other times we hardly hear it. Wood bends, shrinks, expands, etc.....
> 
> If you are still concerned, then my suggestion is to go up into the attic and see if there are any squirrels living up there. I didn't know this, but my neighbor living right across from me noticed that birds are flying about and banging into my attic windows from inside my attic. They were making pretty loud sounds that she left us a note in the mailbox. We were fooled to many times thinking someone was at the door or I yelled my wife to quit breaking the doors. :no::laughing:
> 
> I think you can probably guess who won that battle...:bangin:


Haha no squirrels or other forms of life, attic is well sealed from the outside other then vents that squirrels (even bugs) can't fit in. Been up there already to do a bit of work. 

I do have a chipmunk that comes around but have not seen him in a while. I keep forgetting to buy peanuts. :laughing: The old lady that used to live here probably fed him all the time, he seems to come by the main entrance every now and then.


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