Temperature Changes As the temperature in your house goes up and down, the materials used to build your house expand and contract with the heat and cold. Often this expansion and contraction causes popping sounds in the wood or other materials. This is why many people notice the things that go “pop” in the night.

Why does my ceiling keep making cracking noises?

The duct-work expands when it heats up and cools and contracts when the furnace stops taking warm air through the system. The contraction and expansion of metal duct-work is what produces the noises you are hearing.

Why does it sound like my walls are cracking?





That loud popping noise you’ve noticed your house or deck making isn’t a poltergeist or structural issue. Instead, it’s the friction between your home’s building materials as they contract and expand at different levels. Extreme cold air reduces the moisture content in the building materials, causing them to shrink.

Why is my house creaking and cracking?

The most common reason for a house to make noises is temperature changes in the air, or what is known as thermal expansion and contraction. The temperature changes cause the wood, metal and other materials in the house structure to expand and contract, resulting in ominous creaks.

Should I worry about my house creaking?

As a house ages, it may be more likely to make these sounds. However, creaking should never just be blamed on the house being old. If you hear a sound that is not normal for your house, it is important to look into it. Another noise that you might hear is something moving in the walls.

How do you stop a creaky ceiling?

Spray foam insulation added to the attic ceiling, immediately opposite the roof, will keep the wood frame and rafters at a more steady temperature. That will mitigate the wood contraction that causes creaking sounds from the roof.

What do termites sound like in walls?





When disturbed or threatened, soldier termites create rattling noises by hitting their heads against the walls of tunnels. The pests use the vibrations caused by these movements to warn their colonies of danger. Worker termites also make clicking and rustling sounds with their mouths as they tunnel through wood.

Do houses creak more in the winter?

During the cold winter it is normal for homes to do this, it is just basic physics. The reason why these creaking and popping sounds are so loud can also be explained by physics. The cold dense air and the lack of activity in the night allows sound to travel farther and sound louder than it would during the day.