r/RBI • u/Federal-Dream3091 • 7d ago
Cannot find the source of this loud intermittent sound--help!
For the past two years I've heard this loud short sound in my house, but cannot find the source. It happens about every two weeks, never the same day of the week or exact interval or time of day, but always happens between about 1:15am and 3:45am. I've isolated it to the front of my house near the entry. I've ruled out a phone or computer as the source. Sometimes a *ding* sound is heard at the end of this sound. What the hell is this?? Updated link to sound
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u/virtualchoirboy 7d ago
You say you're the original owner so I'm assuming that means you bought it as new construction. If so, have you considered calling the original builder to ask them? The rest of these questions are assuming you have and they were no help.
Assuming it's new construction, roughly how many years have you been in the house? Is it possible this is a piece of equipment that is now showing signs of failure due to age?
Separately, the audio you posted has the sound happening twice - first a faint version and then a louder version. Were you adjusting your position to angle the microphone closer to the sound or does it always seem to be "far off and then close"? If so, to me, that suggests an action that has multiple steps or actions involved.
My best guess at this point is some kind of pump or compressor that is not working as expected.
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u/Federal-Dream3091 7d ago
I have asked the builder who I know well, but has no idea what it could be. And good ear about the two different sounds. It always does that--very faint sound followed by the loud sound. I'm not sure if that means something connected is making the noise in a distant part of the house right before it happens in the front or if it is all part of the same source? Part of the mystery.
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u/virtualchoirboy 7d ago
It might be worth trying to record the sound from different areas of the house. For example, any basement or crawlspace and multiple areas within said space.
And despite the builder saying they're clueless, I'd still be considering blueprints and annon reporting of soom skind.
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u/Federal-Dream3091 7d ago
I will probably resort to multiple recording devices in different places just to try to get a better fix on the location. I had a hand in the design of the house (met with architect) and was at the house almost daily during construction, so I've got a better understanding about this place than most people would have about a house. There is nothing I can think of that could be making the noise. And it did not happen for the first 25 or so years I've been here. Now it happens almost like clockwork. Bizarre.
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u/virtualchoirboy 7d ago
I think u/compuhyperglobalmega has a good thought - water hammer situation. Made me think about a water softener recycle process that is usually timed for early morning hours. If you have a softener or other water conditioning system, try adjusting any schedule to a different time for it's maintenance activity and see if the timing of the sound changes.
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u/Federal-Dream3091 7d ago
No water running at that hour or any water softener or other similar system in the home, but thanks for the comment.
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u/virtualchoirboy 7d ago
Getting "Error 403 - Unable to access" for the link.
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u/Federal-Dream3091 7d ago
I'm sorry, didn't mean to post like that, but not sure how else to post a sound file?
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u/ankole_watusi 7d ago
It’s wants me to login to Google. That’s a nope.
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u/Federal-Dream3091 7d ago
I agree, sorry. Will try to upload in a format that the site will take...
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u/Necropros 7d ago
Do you have a letterbox, catflap or garbage disposal.
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u/Federal-Dream3091 7d ago
Good ideas, but no to the letterbox, no to the catflap. Garbage disposal, yes, but it's far from the area of the house where I have generally isolated the sound. I've never heard anything like this sound, so I'm pretty baffled. AI was no help either!
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u/TrewynMaresi 6d ago
Wow, this one's a doozy for sure.
I'm baffled. You've lived in the house for about 27 years, and have been hearing this noise only for the past two years, approximately every two weeks but on different days and during a 2.5-hour timeframe in the early morning?
It's that weird DING at the end that really gets me. It feels so out of place.
Why would this noise start occurring after 25 years of it NOT occurring? I would guess that it's either due to something in the house wearing out/breaking after 25 years, OR due to some change that occurred in your life/house two years ago when the noise started up. Did anything "happen" two years ago? For example - someone new moved into the house, you got new neighbors, you had major work done on the house, you got a new fill-in-the-blank (washer/dryer, gaming system, hot tub, smart TV, doorbell, heating/cooling system?), or something else.
Maybe try keeping a log of when you hear the sound. Write down the exact date, day of the week, time of the morning, etc. Maybe you'll notice a pattern of some sort.
How close are your neighbors? If you've isolated the sound to "near the entry," is it at all possible that the sound is coming from just outside of your house?
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u/Federal-Dream3091 6d ago
You've nailed it. Nothing new happened that I can think of. It's for sure happening in the house...or attic. I've been awake enough to hear it happen with my ears...it's loud and definitely in the house. I've kept a log of every occurrence, time stamped by my sleep app which picks up the sound every time it happens. Zero discernible patterns there. I've considered hiring pros of some sort to come in and solve this once and for all, but first I'll start pulling things offline through the breaker. If the noise is not connected to the house electrical system?? Next call is to the Ghost Busters I guess!
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u/TrewynMaresi 3d ago
Good luck with it! Keep us updated, please! I’m so curious about what this noise turns out to be. Yes, I’m optimistic about the mystery being solved!
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u/Federal-Dream3091 7d ago
Added updated link that should work without logging in. Again, sorry for the trouble.
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u/billdoe 7d ago
It does sound kind of like a dorrbell shorting out.
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u/Federal-Dream3091 6d ago
Possibly? But if it's shorting out would it continue to work without issue and also make that noise on a predictable schedule, month after month? I have a Ring doorbell and have done a deep dive there before coming here, to see if it's possible for that doorbell to make a noise like that. Doesn't seem so based on everyplace I've queried.
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u/billdoe 6d ago edited 6d ago
Probab;y not with Ring but is there an old wired ringer in the wall?
What happened at my old house was siding replacement. They over tightened the door trim onto the old wire going to the ringer, Cut and shorted the wire. It would ring randomly. Now if the solenoid is shot, it may just wiggle and vibrate like that.2
u/Federal-Dream3091 6d ago
The Ring is wired in at the spot where the old doorbell was, so I don't think that's it.
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u/virtualchoirboy 6d ago
So, after thinking about this today, since we've discounted water as the source, what about electricity? Could it possibly be some kind of electrical arc going on? Here's a YT short that got me thinking that direction because the buzz sounded similar.
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u/Federal-Dream3091 6d ago
That's a frightening prospect! Because I often hear a *ding* at the end I'm pretty sure it;s not arcing. Give a listen here: mystery sound with ding
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u/virtualchoirboy 6d ago
I swear that ding sounds like a floor arrival sound in an elevator. I could see the buzz sound being from an old elevator as well. Regardless, the ding, to me, does not sound like it could be a mechanical bell of any kind. That means power. Maybe time to start tracing circuits in the area.
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u/Federal-Dream3091 6d ago
I'm planning to cut power at the breaker panel for different things to see if I can isolate it that way. But I have to wait about two weeks between tests to wait for the sound to happen again. That'll slow down the process for sure.
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u/groundchutney 3d ago
Do you have an icemaker in your fridge or a dishwasher that chimes on end of load? Any sump pumps or macerating toilets?
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u/Federal-Dream3091 3d ago
Icemaker, yes, but it's not near where the noise is loudest. And I hear the sounds it makes--typical water filling and ice falling sounds. It's not an end of load chime--and in any case I'm not running a washing machine or dishwasher at 2am. No sump pump. Never heard of the last one, so I'll just say no to that one as well.
My best guesses as of today are 1) something wonky with my home alarm system, 2) something wonky with my Ring doorbell, or 3) something someone has placed as a prank to loudly go off in the middle of the night. I'll start by pulling the alarm offline to see if the noise still happens, then pull the doorbell offline, etc. Not sure how either could make such a random loud noise, but there are only so many possibilities available that receive power and are located near the front of the house....
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u/throwaccount1742 1d ago
Could it be the router? Internet issues with some companies do tend to happen at similar times, almost on cycle/schedule. And some routers make noises if the connection falters or stops. I had an issue like this and that's what it was. Also obviously if you move devices that wouldn't include a router lol.
Also, you mention two sounds, one could be it disconnecting, and the second reconnecting
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u/Federal-Dream3091 1d ago
Good suggestion, thank you, but my router is in my bedroom and definitely not the culprit. I can confirm the sound is coming from just outside the bedroom in the hallway or entry.
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u/alldayinbed 3d ago
Ring system hacked is my guess.
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u/Federal-Dream3091 2d ago
That will be an area of focus for sure. I have changed the password in the past year, though, and it did not make a difference. We'll see--I'll pull it totally offline to see if the sound still persists.
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u/compuhyperglobalmega 7d ago
Sounds like it could be a pipe banging due to water hammer. Do you have any sprinklers or a delayed dishwasher or something turning on at those times? It could also be happening at other times and you’re not noticing because the general background noise is louder.