What is the Weird Sound in the Attic?

Any attic noises coming from overhead sound suspicious, but often the claim is emotionally loaded and the pest is often presumed until it is uncovered. Many sounds can come from the attic that are not pests or a monster. Many sounds can be determined by breaking down the conditions they are heard.

For example, the change of the seasons may cause the thermostat to detect a drop in temperature causing the heater to be initiated to start, which can sound different the first time it is turned on. Additionally, things that are supposed to be working within the attic can become broken and cause sounds that are mechanical but not normal.

For example, something may have fallen into an attic fan causing it to swing debris around to where it is banging on a wall, which is not good, but it certainly is not a pest infestation.

What is Running Around in my Attic at Night?

If you hear running in your attic at night, let’s hope it is not a burglar or human intruder first, but assuming it is within your home, and not a neighboring apartment.

Then it is probably a pest!  The sound could be an outside noise still, but if the problem does not seem to be coming from external to the home, call a professional. Often with pests living in the attic, problems occur more frequently and ultimately, the problem will get worse.

If you want to look at keeping pests out of your home forever, the solution is about adopting regular scheduled maintenance procedures, regular homeowner guided inspections, and prevention tactics such as air sealing your home. 

Addressing Attic Noises: Steps to Take

• Attic Inspection: Start by thoroughly self-inspecting your attic, both visually and by listening to the source of the noises. Look for signs of pests, damage, or loose materials. Is the sound moving when you hear outside wind or does the sound come sporadically? These will help you determine the source of the sounds. 
• Consult Professionals: If you’re unable to identify the source of the noise or suspect a pest infestation, consult professionals such as pest control experts, roofers, or HVAC technicians. If you have someone to speak to about the problem, this can help a lot. If you like, give us a call! (858) 289-6966
• Sealing Entry Points: This may prevent pests from entering your attic to begin with, sealing any gaps, cracks, or openings in your attic. This can help prevent future infestations and may even have some efficiency added to your home, look at the past article on air sealing and keeping pests out. 
• Regular Maintenance: Maintain your attic, including roofing, insulation, and HVAC systems, to minimize potential sources of attic noises from any mechanical or electrical sources. 
• Trim Vegetation: Trim back trees and vegetation near the roof to prevent branches from rubbing against the surface and creating noise. Often external trees can be a source of attic noises when it is windy or raining. 
• Insulation and Soundproofing: Proper insulation and soundproofing materials can help dampen noises caused by normal temperature changes or external factors.
• Professional Assessment: If attic noises persist or if you suspect structural issues, consider hiring a professional contractor or inspector to assess your attic’s condition. At Attic Health, we offer FREE inspections to help homeowners to resolve problems fast. If you would like to know more about our free inspection service, please read more!

By identifying the specific cause of attic noises and taking appropriate actions, homeowners can ensure a quieter and more comfortable living environment.

Can you Hear Running in the Attic?

Just hearing running in your attic can be enough information on it’s own to determine the likely culprit of the noise. In this case is likely that the sound is a pest, but because you hear their movement, you can guess the size and the amount of movement.

If you are in touch with a professional regarding this problem, relay the best information about the sound that you can, like how many sounds you hear. How often are they moving? And how heavy does the sound of their movements make? Are they squeaking or making other attic noises?

Because you are hearing living movement in your attic, you should make the move to get whatever pest is in there–OUT! Pests are known to not only occupy your home’s attic, but they will move their buddies in and breed which will rapidly make the pest become a pest infestation.

Why do I hear footsteps in my attic?

Ideally, there should never be footsteps in your attic unless you know about the guest. If you hear human sized footsteps in your attic, or thumping up there, and no one has been invited into the space, call a professional! No attic pest is worth the stress it causes nor worth the time it takes to repair the destruction it makes with procrastination of the problem. 

Other Attic Noises

A leak could have been developing that you never suspected, the leak could have only dripped from a pipe that was at the top of a wall conduit, allowing water to drip down to the crawl space below. Now that the leak has gotten bigger, you can hear it in the walls! This sound often comes with more than just that as water will be building up, but it may be building up under your home allowing it to go undetected.

A draft of air is new as your home as it has always been sealed in the attic, however a pest or a tree could have caused damages allowing an air leak. This could sound like a wind tunnel or like a very low whistle.

A number of animals can get into the attic, if you are sure you are experiencing an animal due to a sound, please review these example sounds of animals.

Attic Noises Wrap-Up

There are many external and internal causes for the weird attic noises, and often times they are not good. Sometimes, they are explainable given the conditions and external weather are always changing. If you hear any attic noises, this article should equip you with basics to deal with discovering the issue, but if you still need help, please be sure to call Attic Heath!