Most homeowners can get used to outside noise, like airplanes, trains and the neighbor kid's garage band, but those persistent little sounds in our own home are what will drive you crazy. The good news is that most home noises are easy to eliminate without spending hours on repairs or a ton of money. Here is a collection of fixes for the most annoying squeaks, creaks, gurgles and bangs.
Refrigerator noise comes from either the compressor under the fridge, the condenser fan motor under the fridge, or the evaporator fan motor inside the freezer. Open the freezer door while the fridge is running. If the noise doesn’t get louder when you open the freezer, pull out the fridge. Most refrigerators have a condenser fan motor. Unscrew the back cover and listen—you’ll be able to tell whether the noise is coming from the fan or the compressor. The best cure for a loud compressor is usually a new fridge. To replace the fan motor, remove its mounting screws, unplug it and install the new one. Get all the repair tips on a rowdy refrigerator. 25x25 Square Tube
Many gas fireplaces use a blower to drive warm air out into the room. They also have a fan speed adjustment switch so you can strike a balance between blower speed and noise level. But if the fan gets loaded with dust or the motor bearings wear, the blower will make a rumbling noise at all speeds. Sometimes it’s possible to remove the blower and clean the fan blades to quiet it. But if the blower still makes noise, it’s time to replace it. Here’s what to do when faced with a noisy fireplace.
The handy hints for the home are downright genius!
Psst! Looking to soundproof your home? Learn if putty pads can help.
If you’ve got a dull whistle that comes through the house on a windy day it can make for a long day. Take care any possible leak by caulking the window.
Editor’s Tip: There’s nothing more disruptive to a night of sleep than excessive sound apart from a cold chilly breeze, these seemingly minor noises can have an outsized impact on your well-being. So, turn to soundproof curtains to block out some of the din.
If the bath fan in your home is more than 20 years old, chances are it’s pretty loud. A loud fan may be good for masking bathroom noise, but the jet engine roar is downright annoying the rest of the time. Worse yet, your old bath fan may not be moving enough air to keep your bathroom free of mold and mildew. Here’s how to fix a noisy bath fan.
Often a stiff wind will open vent dampers, causing them to periodically clang shut. If the noise drives you crazy, new spring-loaded backdraft dampers ($9 to $30, depending on the size) should solve the problem. Measure the diameter of the vent pipe and order the dampers from a duct supply company (hvacquick.com is one source). Start by replacing the backdraft damper directly above the vent hood. If that doesn’t solve the problem, install a second damper near the wall or roof discharge cap. The second damper will greatly reduce the clanging problem.
Many door strike plates have an adjustable tab or tang. Some of these tangs can be adjusted in place with a flathead screwdriver. Others need to be removed and adjusted with pliers or an adjustable wrench. The more you bend the tang toward the door, the farther the door has to travel before latching shut.
Most aluminum soffits fit into a channel mounted to the wall. Sometimes the soffits fit loosely, which allows them to clatter in the wind. Set up a ladder and tap on the soffits to see which ones are loose. Next, insert a length of screen spline in between the soffit and the aluminum channel with a plastic putty knife. The soffits may have been cut too short, so push the screen mold in far enough so it won't be seen from the ground but not so far that it slides past the end of the soffit. A package of 25 ft. of screen spline is available at hardware stores and home centers.
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who shut cabinet doors, and those who slam them. If you live with a door slammer, consider installing cabinet door dampeners. The piston in the dampener slows the door down before it makes contact with the cabinet. The one shown here is adjustable and installs with one screw in less than five minutes. Your cabinets need to have self-closing hinges for the dampeners to work. You can buy a 10-pack at home centers and online.
If there's a dripping noise made by water falling from your drain tile into your sump basin, try this: Tie a string to the bottom edge of the drain tile pipe and extended it right into the basin. Attach a washer on the other end of the string and make sure it isn't so long that the pump gobbles it up. Now water will follow the string instead of dripping into the sump basin.
If you have a grille or register that hums or whistles, all you have to do is twist the fins slightly until the noise stops. Pliers will scratch and kink the delicate fins, so use a hinge with strips of tape applied to the inside. Then grab a fin between the hinge leaves and give it a twist. Twisting all the fins so they open a little wider will give the best results.
An outdoor faucet with a worn-out washer can make a loud vibrating noise when it's turned on or off. You can easily replace the washer without removing the entire faucet. First, turn off the water to the faucet. Then use a wrench to remove the retaining nut.
Slide the handle and stem assembly out of the sill cock. Remove the screw at the end of the stem and remove the washer. Buy a new washer that matches the old one at any hardware store. Then reassemble the faucet. Occasionally the washer is fine, but the screw holding it is loose. If so, put a drop of thread-locking sealant (sold at hardware stores) on the threads and tighten it.
Ducts made from sheet metal can make a popping sound when the furnace kicks on, changing the air pressure inside the ducts. One simple fix is to reinforce the sheet metal by scoring it. Simply take a straightedge and score a large 'X' in the center of the sheet metal with a screwdriver. It may take a few X's in a row to stop the pop.
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