Any ideas of what is making the sound I hear in my house?

Question

When my house is quiet which is always at night (and sometimes in the day when the kids aren't around!) if I lie still in my house I can hear a distinct high pitched sound. (My husband cannot hear it but my Mum can.) It is continuous and similar in tone to the noise you get when taxiing down the runway at an airport but obviously quieter and I would say higher pitched.

It is definitely NOT electrical as when we have the frequent powercuts in our village I can still hear it. I live in a village on a hill in the UK. And I can assure you I am NOT barking!

Any sensible ideas?

It is definitely not tinitus...if it was my mother wouldn't be able to hear it. Any other ideas?

davidcarlee....Sadly never Denmark!....You made me laugh. Thanks! ;-)

Answer 1

Does the house stay put? Perhaps the house is taxiing down a runway like you say. Do you wake up in Denmark often?

Answer 2

We had this sound and others back in the seventies. I solved most of them. One was next doors central heating pump reverbrating through the wall and being amplified through my double glazing. The second one , like yours, turned out to be the wind blowing (like pan flutes) across the narrow overflow pipe sticking out from the upstairs bathroom. Guttering caused another weird noise but only when the wind was blowing from a certain direction. One humming noise was an electric sub station nearby. A bizarre one was traced to the looms in the mills down in the valley clacketty clacking in the distance and vibrating through the ground uphill. (yes, we lived on a hill as well...in Lancs)

Answer 3

If you hear it even when there is no electricty, then its likely to be something to do with your inner ear, which would explain your husbands inability to hear it, and your mother who can.
It is a known problem with the way the chamber of your inner ear is formed, and manifests itself in people with Tinnitus, or after a very loud rock concert, or explosion. The chamber is effected by pressure, and its formation genetically, so you and your mother being related hear it whereas your husband who isn't does not. Like a loudspeaker enclosure, sound is created by the difference in air pressure, and each of us are unique with the way the chamber forms and grows, (with genetic similarities), you'll probably find the frequency veries between you and your mother. Not alot you can do about it, but if it gets unbearable you should visit your doctor.

Answer 4

It could be a number of natural phenomena that's causing this, but most high pitched noises in the house are caused by electrical applicances. It could also be something near by your house such as an electric sub station. Or even over-head cables. Do you have a railway nearby?

Try asking the forteantimes forum, they always haev some helpful (often wacky) answers ;)

This may be of interest to you, similar story...
http://www.forteantimes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=65&highlight=high+pitched+sound

Answer 5

I have absolutely no idea but I have heard that noise myself when I am lying in bed at night - you are definitely not barking by the way

Answer 6

Tinnitus. 1 in 10 people suffer from it.

Answer 7

Sometimes you can "hear" silence - where we are not used to it in this day and age, it manifests itself as a noise. Otherwise, could it be a distant motorway you are hearing??

Answer 8

Hi. If you still hear it when everything is powered down then it probably biological. Maybe tinnitis? http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=tinitis&gwp=13 Or background insects?

Answer 9

Alien spacecraft.☺☻☺

Answer 10

being on a hill, it might just be wind blowing across something that causes vibrations.