Wednesday, October 29, 2014

What is Causing Those Footsteps in your Attic?


















The many materials that make up your house — wood framing, plywood, glass, metal ducts, 

nails, plumbing pipes — all expand and contract at 


different rates.

When a house cools at night, these materials may move slightly, rubbing against each other 

and making noises. Occasionally, they’ll contract with 

an audible pop.


These sounds tend to be more noticeable in fall, when warm days give way to rapidly 

cooling nights. The bad news? Not much you can do about it. 


The good news? Those sounds are harmless and normal.


Zombie Odor

It’s either time to throw out the garbage, or you’d better call your gas utility to check on your 

gas lines and connections.


Natural gas is odorless, but natural gas suppliers add a foul-smelling odorant — butyl 

mercaptan — to alert occupants to any leaks. The smell is 

like rotten eggs.

Leaks can occur at your gas-fired water heater, fireplace, clothes dryer, and any gas line. 

Leaking natural gas is potentially dangerous — leave the 

house and call your natural gas provider to assess the situation. Most utility companies 

perform safety checks for free.


Footsteps in the Attic


Amplified by an unfinished attic space, a raccoon or even a good-size squirrel on your roof 

might sound like an ax murderer is doing the polka 

overhead.

These rooftop transits are normal for critters — roofs offer a nice long unobstructed 

highway.

Make sure your soffit, rafter, and gable roof vents are covered with screens and in good 

shape, or your rooftop buddies might find their way into 

your attic for real. Trim back branches that provide critters easy access to your roof.

Something’s Burning

You can smell the odor of burnt wood, but the smoke detectors aren’t going off and there’s 

no smoke in the house. The culprit could be your 

fireplace — even if you haven’t had a fire for days.

The probable cause is a drafty chimney and negative air pressure in your home, meaning that outside air is infiltrating down your chimney, bringing 

stale burnt smells with it.

Stop drafts by making sure your damper has a good seal. Regulate air pressure by adding 

more cold air return ducts to your HVAC system. You’ll 

get rid of the odor and save on your energy bill, too.


Moaning and Clattering

These classic spooky sounds often show up when the wind blows and there’s a storm 

brewing.

Vents for clothes dryers, bathrooms, and water heaters exit out the roof or the side of the 

house. To prevent backdrafts, these vents have dampers 

— flaps designed to let vented air out and prevent outside air from coming in. These flaps 

sometimes move and rattle in high winds.

Because dampers often are located in attics or in between floor joists, the sound can be 

difficult to pinpoint. You may need a new damper ($85).




Contact your local RE/MAX  Realty Center Agent Stacey Guzanick 262.490.3696 /

Guzanick@gmail.com if you have questions about buying a house or selling one. I can  guide

you  toward your next home.
Looking to purchase a home? Visit www.HomesWithStacey.com for your home search.

To get a Free market analysis of your home visit www.waukeshacountyhomevalues.info





See You At Closing.


Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/maintenance-repair/spooky-house-noises-bad-smells/#ixzz3HXzOEl5u
Follow us: @HouseLogic on Twitter | HouseLogic on Facebook

No comments:

Post a Comment