Harmonic unidentified noise in apartment
 

Just moved into a new place. Noticed a sound that reminds me of
somebody playing a single note on a wind instrument over and over ad
nauseum. The noise is intermittent and always sounds the same. I think
some people refer to it as "white noise".

1. Water pressure? I noticed that when I flush one of the toilets there
is rattling that goes on for about 2-3 seconds. No noticeable issues
with the showers, although I did replace the showerheads in both
showers since the old ones looked a bit limey.

2. Some kind of metal fan reverberating sound through the
heating/cooling system? Could there be some fan that just needs a good
whack of WD40?

The sound has an irregular rhythm. There can be pauses from 2 to 20
seconds, but it seems rather constant. I notice it more at night likely
because there isn't as much background noise.

Well, any help figuring out what this sound is?

Thanks,

Jabba

Jabba wrote:
Just moved into a new place. Noticed a sound that reminds me of
somebody playing a single note on a wind instrument over and over ad
nauseum. The noise is intermittent and always sounds the same. I think
some people refer to it as "white noise".

It's not "white noise". White noise has energy spread across the
specturm, not just a single note.

Is this a single family or multi-family dwelling?

Try turning off various circuit breakers and see if you can make it go
away. That will give you a clue.

In article ,
"Travis Jordan" wrote:

Jabba wrote:
Just moved into a new place. Noticed a sound that reminds me of
somebody playing a single note on a wind instrument over and over ad
nauseum. The noise is intermittent and always sounds the same. I think
some people refer to it as "white noise".

It's not "white noise". White noise has energy spread across the
specturm, not just a single note.

Is this a single family or multi-family dwelling?

Try turning off various circuit breakers and see if you can make it go
away. That will give you a clue.

I was thinking of wind going across a vent pipe, or some airflow
through one of the vents or chimneys. Does the noise say
constant, or does it come and go? Is it always the same pitch,
or does the pitch vary?

-john-

--
================================================== ====================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ====================

On 7 Feb 2005 09:49:44 -0800, someone wrote:

Just moved into a new place. Noticed a sound that reminds me of
somebody playing a single note on a wind instrument over and over ad
nauseum. The noise is intermittent and always sounds the same. I think
some people refer to it as "white noise".

If its one note, its NOT "white noise" - that is more random frequency
"static-y" noise.


Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file.

On 7 Feb 2005 09:49:44 -0800, someone wrote:


Well, any help figuring out what this sound is?

As asomeone else said, may be electrical. One of the few things
around the house that is at a constant frequency. In our house we had
a hum, and it was some part of a sodium vapor light that was mounted
to the side of the building.


Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file.

Thanks for correcting me about what white noise is.

It is a multi-family dwelling/apartment complex. Neighbors below us and
adjacent to us. No neighbors above, just the roof.

No changes in electrical equipment made the noise go away. It actually
made it more noticeable.

Wind going across a vent pipe seems like the cause. The sound comes and
goes and the pitch does not vary. I first imagined it being a squeaky
iron fan or other piece of equipment on top of the roof. I guess the
sound could be similar to blowing air across the top of an open, empty
bottle.

So, I'm guessing that if it is a vent pipe then I'm out of luck. Can't
block a vent pipe or keep air from going across it. This seems like the
only probable cause given the suggestions presented thus far.

I thought it was ghosts from the past coming to haunt me. Lucky for me,
my wife also could hear the noises.

Jabba

It's not "white noise". White noise has energy spread across the
specturm, not just a single note.

Is this a single family or multi-family dwelling?


Try turning off various circuit breakers and see if you can make it go

away. That will give you a clue.

I was thinking of wind going across a vent pipe, or some airflow
through one of the vents or chimneys. Does the noise say
constant, or does it come and go? Is it always the same pitch,
or does the pitch vary?

In article .com,
"Jabba" wrote:

Thanks for correcting me about what white noise is.

It is a multi-family dwelling/apartment complex. Neighbors below us and
adjacent to us. No neighbors above, just the roof.

No changes in electrical equipment made the noise go away. It actually
made it more noticeable.

Wind going across a vent pipe seems like the cause. The sound comes and
goes and the pitch does not vary. I first imagined it being a squeaky
iron fan or other piece of equipment on top of the roof. I guess the
sound could be similar to blowing air across the top of an open, empty
bottle.

So, I'm guessing that if it is a vent pipe then I'm out of luck. Can't
block a vent pipe or keep air from going across it. This seems like the
only probable cause given the suggestions presented thus far.

I thought it was ghosts from the past coming to haunt me. Lucky for me,
my wife also could hear the noises.

Jabba

It's not "white noise". White noise has energy spread across the
specturm, not just a single note.

Is this a single family or multi-family dwelling?


Try turning off various circuit breakers and see if you can make it go

away. That will give you a clue.

I was thinking of wind going across a vent pipe, or some airflow
through one of the vents or chimneys. Does the noise say
constant, or does it come and go? Is it always the same pitch,
or does the pitch vary?


If it's a vent pipe, you can probably attenuate the noise by either
changing the length of the pipe or even adding a wider piece above it.

Robert Morien wrote:
If it's a vent pipe, you can probably attenuate the noise by either
changing the length of the pipe or even adding a wider piece above it.

They make vent pipe covers - that would change the profile of the vent
and perhaps eliminate the wind noise.

On 8 Feb 2005 19:25:25 -0800, someone wrote:

Wind going across a vent pipe seems like the cause. The sound comes and
goes and the pitch does not vary.

OK next step - does the noise come & go in relation to the wind? On
what kind of timetable & duration does it come an go - random ,time of
day, weather; for seconds, minutes, hours etc.? Does it seem to have
any relation to how hard the wind is blowing or what direction? When
the wind is gusty does the noise 'gust' also? When the wind blows
harder does it get louder? I was under the perhaps unwarranted
impression that the noise level was fairly constant - skeptical that a
wind noise would be like that.

Is the roof accessible? When it is blowing can you go up outside &
"hear for it" to try and discern where it is coming from? If it can
be 'depended' on to be for several minutes or avery day, just
TEMPORARILY put a coffee can over the pipe (its not gonna explode your
house to impede the venting for a few minuted) and see if it makes a
difference.

If its a wind whistle, just, say, taping a stick to the side of the
pipe (sticking above the end) could change the harmonic
characteristics without impeding the venting.


Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file.

That happened to me one afternoon about two years ago when it was
uncharacteristically quiet in the house. There was one spot in my kitchen in
which I kept hearing a long, drawn-out, one-note sound. It almost sounded
like a motor running quietly, but not quite. After much investigation, I
discovered it was the wind blowing the attic vent on the roof and it was
making the noise as it was spinning. It probably always does it, but I
didn't notice until it was totally quiet in here, which isn't often, believe
me.