Knocking and banging in house

https://www.reddit.com/r/RBI/comments/1ifsmpc/knocking_and_banging_in_house/

created by Whrzy on 02/02/2025 at 08:11 UTC

14 upvotes, 19 top-level comments (showing 19)

Hello everyone. I'm writing this in the morning now, but occasionally I'll hear knocking and banging in the dark hours. The noises persist for about 3 minutes, stop, then continue. It's specifically distinct because it's in my house, I can hear it in my basement, and in my attic. (Which connects to my room.) I've ruled out neighbours by checking outside various times, I've ruled out someone in the house too, and I just feel more stressed every day. I don't mean to sound paranoid, but it feels like someone's after me, if anyone can relate at all. I know that sounds self-centered, but you have to understand I don't intend it to be. When I close my eyes, I get quick visuals related to it, and I jump. I can barely sleep. A few nights ago, I was shaking so bad in my bed for 6 minutes straight. I couldn't even hold anything, my whole body was shaking constant.

If anybody knows what could be causing this noise, or just even a little bit of insight, it's greatly appreciated. I tried searching everywhere for answers, but they either tell you someone is in the house(which I checked already, but it could still be true), or it's just mental illness or whatever. Thank you

Comments

Comment by travisjd2012 at 02/02/2025 at 08:41 UTC

33 upvotes, 2 direct replies

First thing to do is isolate the noise to find out if it's only audible to you or can be recorded. If you can record it then it implies a likely physical cause and solution. If these noises can't be recorded it suggests that you may be inventing these noises in your mind.

Also coming back here with recordings, you can play them back here and people can give you suggestions.

Comment by SnooDonuts6494 at 02/02/2025 at 11:21 UTC

27 upvotes, 2 direct replies

Pipes.

Comment by Foxs-In-A-Trenchcoat at 02/02/2025 at 08:15 UTC

11 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Do you have a boiler and radiator heating?

Comment by russellvt at 02/02/2025 at 12:43 UTC

10 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Water heater? Something similar?

If it's predictable and persistent, you should be able to locate it.

Comment by 13thmurder at 02/02/2025 at 14:01 UTC

10 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I have the same thing in my place this time of year. It's extremely loud and startling at times. I live in an old house with lath and plaster walls.

It's rodents. Squirrels possibly. They get inside the walls from outside but there's no holes so they can't access the interior of the house (also makes it very hard to get them out, all I can do is set traps outside)

The hollow walls amplify the smallest sounds. It's annoying, but they'll leave in the spring time when it's warm enough to nest outside because they'll have easier access to food.

Comment by Outrageous-Rope-8707 at 02/02/2025 at 08:18 UTC

14 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Hearing knocks and feeling like someone is after you is what I heard from my friend before he got diagnosed with a form of schizophrenia.

Comment by bigpoisonswamp at 02/02/2025 at 10:45 UTC

7 upvotes, 0 direct replies

when you say that it feels like someone’s after you, do you mean a person or do you think it’s a ghost/something supernatural?

Comment by Insta_ShopperNJ at 02/02/2025 at 11:52 UTC*

7 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Just saw a post yesterday regarding noises/knocking. Someone responded it may be hypnagogic hallucinations. Hope you find the source, though, that must be unnerving.

Comment by Cookie-Monster-Pro at 02/02/2025 at 14:52 UTC

5 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Did you recently move into this space? Did it just get cold enough for the heat to kick on? Option 1 below might be the culprit. I have a couple other options too - if they have already been suggested I apologize:

1. it’s the heating pipes - they expand and contract as the heat goes on and off - they make knocking noises - pipes travel from the basement to the top floor of the house. If the knocking happens in the basement it can be heard all through the house and if the knocking happens in the attic, it can be heard all through the house. It’s very hard to tell where it’s coming from. If the pipes are touching each other or touching floorboards/etc it makes knocking noises as it expands and contracts. When we first moved in the basement pipes had little dried kitchen sponges between pipes that were actually touching. Not knowing what it was for we quickly removed them. Then in the winter we wondered what the knocking was. And in hindsight realized what those sponges were for and replaced them. We can’t access all knocking occurrences because some of them happen within walls so we just live with it. Hope this helps. Or . . .

2. Shrubs/bushes too close to the house brushing up against the siding/bricks. My daughter once complained about a squirrel scratching at her window all night: it was a branch of a tree that had grown close enough to touch the house. Or . . .

3. Check any wires that come to or leave the house and make sure they’re fastened to the house in a way where they don’t knock against anything.

Comment by SeanBeGone at 02/02/2025 at 08:44 UTC

10 upvotes, 1 direct replies

You could go talk to a counselor or medical professional about the anxiety and lack of sleep - it's really not sustainable to not be sleeping well, and can definately exasperate the anxiety/what you're feeling. As for the sound, we had an issue called "water hammer" in our condo and it would sound exactly like someone knocking.

Comment by AwkwardComment1307 at 02/02/2025 at 10:16 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Do you have a roommate, friend or family member that can be a witness to it? Have someone stay with you at least one night and record it. Put a recorder or smartphone in both places. You said the attic and basement . It's possible that you may have residual energy in your house. It is a common thing. Don't be afraid. You can get to the bottom of it. Please come back and let us know what is going on. WE CARE about you my friend 🌹

Comment by alwaysoffended88 at 02/02/2025 at 15:36 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

When we moved into our house the old furnace here would bang so loudly that the windows would shake. Do you have an old furnace?

Comment by Low-Guard-1820 at 02/02/2025 at 16:01 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

It might be water hammer/something in your water pipes? It happens sometimes in my house at night after my kids all take baths/showers and they use up damn near all the hot water. When it starts refilling we’ll hear some momentary loud banging in the walls. Do you use a bunch of hot water at night doing stuff like overnight laundry/dishwasher or taking a hot shower right before bed?

Comment by Adrift715 at 02/02/2025 at 17:11 UTC

3 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Our refrigerator and ice maker make quite a racket in the nighttime houses. Sounds exactly like someone is knocking on a door.

Comment by Candyo6322 at 03/02/2025 at 00:48 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

If you are able to record it, please come back and update us here. I've had several unnerving noises in or around my house over the years and they all turned out to be easily explained. The latest is the pool filter which, in the quiet of the night, sounds like something is being dragged in my backyard right outside my window. Hoping you figure out what it is so you can finally relax and sleep well.

Comment by Granny_knows_best at 02/02/2025 at 17:55 UTC

2 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Perhaps its happening all the time, but you notice it at night when its quiet.

Do you have a tankless water heater?

Comment by CallidoraBlack at 03/02/2025 at 07:25 UTC

2 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Do you have a radiator based heating system? Because air in the line can make knocking noises so loud it scares the crap out of you. I've jumped out of my skin a few times.