Odd Question - What is this noise in my new rental house wall?

Charleston, SC · Member since 2011 · 72 posts · 2 votes

This is an odd question but maybe someone can help. I just bought a new rental house and found out there is a very loud vibration noise coming from the wall. It will vibrate really loud in the house and I can't imagine my renters not complaining about it especially when sleeping in that room where it's the loudest. I want to fix the issue before I get renters in it.

It's on the back wall of the house which the electrical box and wiring also sit.

There's no pattern of buzzes but usually it will hum several times and will come and go. Here's a video.

Anyone have any ideas what this could be?

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Ana Nomys

Allenwood, NJ · Member since 2014 · 92 posts · 17 votes

12y

@Erin Weiss

I have talked to so many contractor friends about this today.

Since you have eliminated most other suggestions we will go with an electrical issue. Since that is now the prevailing guess I reached out to 3 electricians. Got anything from a faulty surge protector at the box to a poor connection at main feeder cables an they are arching inside the box to "A short with surge somewhere at the box location".

If we do not get an answer soon Ind IN. is only twelve hours away and I have driven greater distances for a lot less "need to knows"!

Have a great day!

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Joel OwensBusiness Member
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Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
12y
Sounds like a vibration in the wall from a pipe or something else not mounted properly.

If you look at the drywall at the corner it is not very straight going up. You said you just bought this. Are you sure that wall has not been opened up before?

Make sure the noise doesn't sound like it's coming from the wall but somewhere else in another structure or outside.

I equate this to when I use to do car audio years ago. Someone might say there car is making a noise but until I start taking stuff apart I will speculate as to what the problem actually is.

You can get a cheap decibel meter at Radio Shack or similar and hold the mic to the wall to see where it registers the loudest. They probably have an Iphone or Android app you can download that does the same thing.
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Joel OwensBusiness Member
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Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
12y
Forgot to mention if this property has an attic you might be able to go in it and pull back insulation and shine a flashlight down to see what's in the wall without opening the wall. You can also do test holes in the sheetrock if you have a camera to look inside it.

Opening the wall is cheap though with drywall and paint and patch to fix so might want to go that route the first time.

No legal advice.
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Steve Babiak
Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
12y
What type of HVAC is that house?
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Erin Weiss
OP
Charleston, SC · Member since 2011 · 72 posts · 2 votes
12y
Thanks @Joel Owens

@Steve Babiak It's central air with the registers on the floor.
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Brandon TurnerPro Member
Investor · Maui, HI · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 3k+ votes
12y
Very very strange! Let us know what you find out. I'm guessing the contractor who built the house back in the day lost his cell phone in the wall, and has been calling it for years, wandering the earth looking for it. ;)
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Steve Babiak
Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
12y
Does it have an upstairs? Does it have return vents high up on the wall?

You might have to isolate systems in the house by disabling features. Shut off water, shut off HVAC, etc.
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Erin L.
Investor · Virginia Beach, VA · Member since 2014 · 45 posts · 8 votes
12y
it's not the well pump? (if you have one?) I had tenants that didn't know what a pump was so they were initially freaked over the noise when it kicks on under the crawlspace
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Erin Weiss
OP
Charleston, SC · Member since 2011 · 72 posts · 2 votes
12y
@Brandon Turner, that's one heck of a battery life ;)

I called the electric company. They are coming to look at the electric lines that are coming into the house near the area of the sound.

@Steve Babiak

No upstairs. No high return vents. We had all systems off and the noise was still occurring. So strange.
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Erin L.
Investor · Virginia Beach, VA · Member since 2014 · 45 posts · 8 votes
12y
never mind, I was finally able to play the video… wow sounds like a bass guitar not a well pump :)
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Erin Weiss
OP
Charleston, SC · Member since 2011 · 72 posts · 2 votes
12y
yeah it's even louder in person. I would not be able to sleep in the room with the noise.
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Jean BolgerPro Member
Aurora, CO · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
12y
Is it audible from outside at all?
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J ScottPro Member
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Investor · Sarasota, FL · Member since 2008 · 18k+ posts · 17k+ votes
12y
Does it happen more when it's windy outside?
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Dion DePaoliPro Member
Real Estate Broker · Northwest Indiana, IN · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
12y
Originally posted by @Joel Owens:

You can get a cheap decibel meter at Radio Shack or similar and hold the mic to the wall to see where it registers the loudest. They probably have an Iphone or Android app you can download that does the same thing.

I have always wanted to say this...."There is an app for that" ...and it's free to download for Apple and Androids. I have used "Decibel 10th", works great.
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David P.
Wholesaler · Westminster, CO · Member since 2013 · 224 posts · 77 votes
12y
Erin, it sounds like woodpeckers trying to get lunch from your furnace vent. I doubt it however since you have the sound all the time. I could check the heat/ac duct system that Steve recommended - could be a fan inside the pipe that helps with air flow and could have gone bad and/or out of balance. It is strange what some people will do to solve minor issues.

Good luck and keep us up to date on what you find.
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Matt Devincenzo
Investor · Clairemont, CA · Member since 2011 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
12y
I'll start with I have no idea!!

Does your HVAC have a condensate pump on it? That is the closest thing that I could think of that would make a sound like that. Otherwise I'd assume some sort of plumbing. It reminds me of piping on a ship that would vibrate where there were long runs that weren't secured as tightly, or where a pump connected and introduced vibrations to the pipes.
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Joel OwensBusiness Member
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Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
12y
Erin a humming noise could be an electrical problem and the off and on noise could be pulsing so it's good you have the power company coming out to inspect that.

When I owned a car audio business we would do deductive reasoning. We would go to the issues we found most often and then go to the more rare things if the problem wasn't solved.

You said all systems were turned off. Did that include turning off all breakers at your panel??

Why didn't your inspection before closing turn up this issue??
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Michael Olesky
Investor · Indialantic, FL · Member since 2013 · 111 posts · 76 votes
12y
how about neighbor's kid practicing the tuba?

this is going to be even more suspenseful than Brandon's bird in the wall thread!
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Account Closed
Investor · Central Valley, CA · Member since 2012 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes
12y
Originally posted by @Erin Weiss:
@Brandon Turner, that's one heck of a battery life ;)

I called the electric company. They are coming to look at the electric lines that are coming into the house near the area of the sound.

@Steve Babiak

No upstairs. No high return vents. We had all systems off and the noise was still occurring. So strange.

Have you had the power turned off yet? What kind of circuit box do you have?
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Rick Bradd
Real Estate Lender · Pt Hueneme, CA · Member since 2012 · 110 posts · 47 votes
12y
Turn off the water at the main and see if it stops. I had a similar problem randomly with my sprinkler system. The galvanized pipe from the manifold to the sprinkler valves was vibrating the pipe against the stud in my garage.

Mine developed into a "water Hammer eventually, but it started out the same way, a new pressure regulator fixed it.

Good luck.
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Andy Robison
Investor · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2013 · 465 posts · 170 votes
12y
Originally posted by @Erin Weiss:
@Brandon Turner, that's one heck of a battery life ;)

It has to be a Nokia...

1 Reply
Walt Payne
Real Estate Investor · Sebastian, FL · Member since 2014 · 812 posts · 432 votes
12y
@Erin L. Have you checked to make certain it is not coming from outside?
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Erin L.
Investor · Virginia Beach, VA · Member since 2014 · 45 posts · 8 votes
12y
@Walt Payne , wrong Erin… @Erin Weiss see above comment
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Wayne Brooks
Real Estate Professional · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 23k+ posts · 13k+ votes
12y
@Dion DePaoli What on earth does a note/legal geek need a decibel meter for? Dying to know.
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Dion DePaoliPro Member
Real Estate Broker · Northwest Indiana, IN · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
12y
Originally posted by @Wayne Brooks:
@Dion DePaoli What on earth does a note/legal geek need a decibel meter for? Dying to know.

Worked on some stuff with noise ordinance issues. Interesting stuff.
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Erin Weiss
OP
Charleston, SC · Member since 2011 · 72 posts · 2 votes
12y
@Account Closed Yes, power was completely off before we bought the place and it was still happening.

You can definitely hear it outside near the power lines coming into the house even when the power is off.

@Rick Bradd We had the water turned off from the main up until this past weekend...it was still happening with it off.

Here are some pics of what's on the outside wall where the noise is.

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