Just in time for Halloween.....

I have what sounds like a slow dripping (or ticking perhaps - it sounds
more like a drip to me) in one of the walls in our home. The noise seems to
coincide with the arrival of colder weather.

The sound was evident through the winter months and then went away for the
warmer months. It's now back. It does seem to be related to the outside
temperature but not to whether or not we are running our furnace. We live
in Ohio and the weather has been cool (40s occasionally at night) but we
haven't been near freezing or anything.

We moved into the house last January, the house is 10 years old and is a two
story with basement. Standard wood frame construction, forced air gas heat,
about 3200 square feet.

The noise is in the wall separating our family room from our garage. I am
aware of no plumbing in the wall. There is a cold air return near the base
of the wall in one area.

The garage is on a slab and the family room sits above a basement crawl
space.

I first noticed the noise a few weeks after we moved in last winter. I
assume the noise was water dripping from the overhead Master Bath (not
directly overhead but I figured water was finding its way down the wall). I
checked for water damage or the presence of moisture in the cold air return,
basement crawlspace, garage, etc. We had the carpet in the family room
replaced (worn) and didn't notice any signs of moisture.

I've not torn into the wall and I've not hired anyone to specifically check
out the sound. I have had a roofer, plumber and HVAC technician listen to
the sound and give me their theories.

The roofer advised that it was unlikely (because of location) to be coming
from the roof. The plumber advised that it could be a leak but that there
should be evidence of moisture somewhere.

The HVAC tech advised that the temperature imbalance between the warm air on
the inside of the wall (family room) and outside wall (unheated garage)
might be causing condensation to form in the wall.

The house was vacant when we moved in. Original owners had taken a company
relocation so I can't ask anyone if the noise was something they lived
with.

Any suggestions would be appreciated - thanks !

wrote:

....
I have what sounds like a slow dripping (or ticking perhaps
... in one of the walls in our home. The noise seems to
coincide with the arrival of colder weather.

The sound was evident through the winter months and then went away for the
warmer months. ... related to the outside temperature ...

... the house is 10 years old ...

The noise is in the wall separating our family room from our garage. I am
aware of no plumbing in the wall. ...

That it went away in warm weather and is back w/ cool is certainly
indicative it isn't water, either plumbing or roof. I would suspect
there is plastic vent pipe in the wall and what you're hearing is
thermally induced expansion/contraction movement. That it's in the
unheated garage wall makes it almost certain to be simply a
temperature-related problem imo.

wrote:
Just in time for Halloween.....

I have what sounds like a slow dripping (or ticking perhaps - it
sounds more like a drip to me) in one of the walls in our home. The
noise seems to coincide with the arrival of colder weather. ...

Just for fun, the next time you hear it, run down into the basement and
put your ear close to that cold air return. If it is related to it, you
should be able to hear it clearly.




--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

wrote:
Just in time for Halloween.....

I have what sounds like a slow dripping (or ticking perhaps - it sounds
more like a drip to me) in one of the walls in our home. The noise seems to
coincide with the arrival of colder weather.

The sound was evident through the winter months and then went away for the
warmer months. It's now back. It does seem to be related to the outside
temperature but not to whether or not we are running our furnace. We live
in Ohio and the weather has been cool (40s occasionally at night) but we
haven't been near freezing or anything.

We moved into the house last January, the house is 10 years old and is a two
story with basement. Standard wood frame construction, forced air gas heat,
about 3200 square feet.

The noise is in the wall separating our family room from our garage. I am
aware of no plumbing in the wall. There is a cold air return near the base
of the wall in one area.

The garage is on a slab and the family room sits above a basement crawl
space.

I first noticed the noise a few weeks after we moved in last winter. I
assume the noise was water dripping from the overhead Master Bath (not
directly overhead but I figured water was finding its way down the wall). I
checked for water damage or the presence of moisture in the cold air return,
basement crawlspace, garage, etc. We had the carpet in the family room
replaced (worn) and didn't notice any signs of moisture.

I've not torn into the wall and I've not hired anyone to specifically check
out the sound. I have had a roofer, plumber and HVAC technician listen to
the sound and give me their theories.

The roofer advised that it was unlikely (because of location) to be coming
from the roof. The plumber advised that it could be a leak but that there
should be evidence of moisture somewhere.

The HVAC tech advised that the temperature imbalance between the warm air on
the inside of the wall (family room) and outside wall (unheated garage)
might be causing condensation to form in the wall.

The house was vacant when we moved in. Original owners had taken a company
relocation so I can't ask anyone if the noise was something they lived
with.

Any suggestions would be appreciated - thanks !

I also get a ticking sound at times in my bathroom
when it gets cold. Has nothing to do with water
dripping. It is the the plumbing vent that goes
up through the roof. Run hot water down the
waste and that heats the pipe enough that it
expands and makes noise where it touches wood.
Usually there is enough water noise when it is
expanding that you don't hear it, just hear it
when it is cooling.

My house makes different sounds in the winter than in the summer as
well, one door doesn't close fully in the winter, and another will
swing closed (not latched) in the winter, but not in the summer. I
wouldn't worry about it, especially if it seems to happen around
consistent times and/or temps.

The only other thing I can say is now is about the time that things
that normally live outside start looking for a warmer place to hang
out.... as long as you don't find any mice droppings you are probably
OK.

I also get a ticking sound at times in my bathroom
when it gets cold. Has nothing to do with water
dripping. It is the the plumbing vent that goes
up through the roof. Run hot water down the
waste and that heats the pipe enough that it
expands and makes noise where it touches wood.
Usually there is enough water noise when it is
expanding that you don't hear it, just hear it
when it is cooling.


I have the same thing happen here. Took a while to figure it out the
first time I heard it though.


--
wallybbo

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll do some additional investigation
venting in that wall and etc.

I've convinced myself that it's not plumbing related but I sincerely
appreciate the confirmation.

On Sun, 23 Oct 2005 13:59:52 GMT, wrote:

Just in time for Halloween.....

I have what sounds like a slow dripping (or ticking perhaps - it sounds
more like a drip to me) in one of the walls in our home. The noise seems to
coincide with the arrival of colder weather.


Deathwatch Beetles are eating your house.

Another waste of bandwidth from Goedjn