A Constant, Quiet "Tapping" Noise Is Driving Me Insane, Please Help!

lordezekiel on 06/08/2022 - 12:28
Last edited 09/08/2022 - 08:36 by 1 other user

Hi all, for the last week a noise has begun that is audible inside my office and the adjoining bedroom.
It is a quiet noise, but it has not stopped for over a week. Best way i can describe is it sounds like a distant tapping sound, almost like someone tapping a wooden table rapidly with one finger, but much quieter. It is a rapid sound that does not seem to vary in rhythm or sound level and is at a rate of about 5 "taps" per second.

It is driving me nuts, as while it is a quiet sound, it does not stop, and is just invasive enough to be audible even while watching a youtube video or listening to a podcast at a reasonably low level and is audible when i try to sleep at night.

I have been unable to locate the source of the sound, though my best guess is it must be in the wall that the office and bedroom share as they are the two places it is audible.

I have read lots about water pipes and such making noises, but no one ever describes them as consistent non stop sounds that last over a week.

Things i have tried:
- Shut water off at the main control - made no difference
- Shut power off at the mains switch board - made no difference
- Shut down both mains water and mains electricity at the same time and ran water at a tap till nothing came out - made no difference
- Disconnected my NBN HFC cable from the main board outside - made no difference
- Removed every device in my room that could possible be running on battery power and making any sort of noise (laptop, UPS, etc) - made no difference
- I even used a stethoscope on the wall where i thought the sound might be coming from but it's completely quiet

I am all out of ideas so if anyone has advice i would gladly welcome it!

Update: In response to all the whirlpool level, completely useless "funny" comments, a big, sarcastic thumbs up.
To the other almost relevant comments, i am not actually insane, so yes my partner can also hear it, and my hearing is excellent, had a hearing test in the past month.

Update #2: Thanks everyone for your responses, i have tried many of the suggestions over the past few days and had still not been able to locate the sound, but then i woke up this morning and it appears to have stopped! (at least for now).
I really appreciate those who left genuine helpful responses, as a friendless nobody it was actually a little heartwarming to have a bunch of relative strangers trying to help me out, even if i sounded a little frustrated at some of the joke comments :P

Home & Garden

Comments

    • Euphemistic on 07/08/2022 - 14:12
      +5

      Help. Got kids to source noise. Now I can’t hear myself think and there’s crayon on the walls. How can I get rid of these kids? Google says they make take up to 20 years to leave.

      • slowmo on 09/08/2022 - 13:18

        up to 20 years? geez, the fine print says "at least 20 years".

        lol

  • skillet on 07/08/2022 - 14:59

    Do you have a hot water tank up the roof? Sometimes there is a pressure relieve valve that leaks constantly as the pressure in the tank increases. Do you have solar hot water system? If so there can be more than one pressure relieve valve in addition to that air bleeder valve. Water can flow out of air bleeder valve if it's broken or worked loose.

    As mentioned above, if theres a leak in the solar hot water system then it will flow down the roof onto the gutter making tapping noise.

    Turn off your water mains, open as many taps as you can some hot some cold. This will relieve the water pressure. Wait for a few hours and see if the tapping stops. Do it at night. If it's not the water pipes then it will be Aircon condensate drips this is pretty constant. Perhaps connection has come loose Aircon condensate is acidic tends to eat into most metals and some plastics especially when heated up.

    • lordezekiel on 07/08/2022 - 18:11

      Hi, no just a standard electric hot water system outside of the main bathroom/laundry area, no solar.
      I have already tried turning off water mains and running tap till nothing comes out, though i did only wait about 10 minutes after that before turning it back on, i suppose i could try leaving it off for a few hours.
      Being the middle of winter still, aircon hasnt been switched on for about 4+ months, but i did go and listen and there is no noise coming from it.

      • GandalfTheCheap on 08/08/2022 - 11:19
        +1

        Fans spinning in the ducts is very Common even when the AC is switched off, and makes a sound like you describe.

  • derrida derider on 07/08/2022 - 15:22
    +2

    Is it a metal framed house? These are often noisy as they heat and cool.

    • lordezekiel on 07/08/2022 - 18:12

      I am not sure, i am renting and have been here for 4 years and this past week or so is the first time i have heard this sound. So i dont imagine it would suddenly start doing it after so many years and it is a constant noise, it doesnt come and go.

  • WaitAwhile on 07/08/2022 - 15:29

    An exhaust fan blowing.

    • rinco on 07/08/2022 - 17:54
      +1

      ^

      I have a ceiling exhaust fan that makes a tapping sound, despite being powered off. I suggest OP jam a stick into all fans - kitchen bathroom etc.

      • HansieSYD on 08/08/2022 - 14:29

        ^ i have this, jammed it and ticking noise stopped

  • tulip99 on 07/08/2022 - 15:41
    +3

    Leaking cistern in the toilet?

    • Dreamcast on 07/08/2022 - 18:19
      +4

      Definitely worth checking this. Happened to me once and drove me insane. Changed the inlet in the cistern and happy days!

  • Eatslikeacat on 07/08/2022 - 16:03
    +1

    Sounds like a computer fan that's rattling. Sounds far away but might be right there nearby.

  • Eatslikeacat on 07/08/2022 - 16:07
    +1

    …. when someone forgets to turn off the vibrating butt plug. Just give it time the battery will run out.

    • us3rnam3tak3n on 09/08/2022 - 14:25

      Update: the battery is dead, crisis averted.

  • trev likes bargains on 07/08/2022 - 17:04

    Have you tried removing the clock?

  • Duckie2hh on 07/08/2022 - 17:27
    +1

    Or it could be a beetle drilling it's way through your ear canal into your brain. Better get that checked out.

  • servodude on 07/08/2022 - 18:45
    +1

    Blocked gutters leading to drips?
    especially if your down pipes are the rectangular extrusion type.
    The drip echoes through the pipe and is conducted to wherever it can be heard - with the added benefit that it's almost impossible to tell precisely where it is coming from.

    • lordezekiel on 07/08/2022 - 19:02

      I do have those rectangular ones but i have gone and put my ear up against all of them and there is no sound at all, not a single drip.

  • Tigercjn on 07/08/2022 - 18:59
    +1

    Some good ideas above can be caused by Electrical or Water so the best way is to turn off the Electricity first and see if the noise stops.

    If it's water it can be from the mains, rain or aircon. the mains is easy to test by turning off, relieving the pressure and then checking if its still happening.

    It could also be caused by Wind, it a tree or branch hitting the house or guttering, prune any close trees.

    Check all gutters are clear especially around the opening into the drain pipe.

    Good luck, I have had a couple of hard noises to find in a couple of cars, eventually, you will find it.

    • lordezekiel on 07/08/2022 - 19:06
      +1

      I have already turned off electricty and water mains and relieved pressure by turning on a tap till nothing came out. Didnt effect the noise at all. There are no close trees, but this is not an organic variable sound, it is a constant, consistent 5 taps per second.

  • Davo1111 on 07/08/2022 - 19:00

    Turn off the water for a few hours.

    Do you have central aircon?

    Has it rained recently?

    What about your neighbours? Do they have a downpipe on that side?

    • lordezekiel on 07/08/2022 - 19:05

      All neighbouring house are at least 20 metres away, no central aircon, it lightly rained a bit a few days ago but the sound had already started about 4 or 5 days before that. I will try turning off water a few hours tomorrow as there has been a few suggestions to do that (i had turned it off already for about 10 minutes but sounds like that may not have been long enough)

  • CrustyV on 07/08/2022 - 19:17
    +1

    It’s most likely a possum. They scratch and tap.
    It sounds like someone is knocking on the window or a door.
    I had the same issue , drove me crazy for months someone knocking on the door tap tap tap … 🎶playing topdown for music effects🎶
    Found out a possum had found a way up through a wall into the ceiling and they love to tap/scratch

    • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 08/08/2022 - 12:10
      +1

      Easy test, bang on the ceiling/wall and if the tapping continues, it isn't a possum.

  • gromit on 07/08/2022 - 20:11
    +5

    I have had 2 such instances over the past 20 years in this house. first one was intermittent and turned out to be a bloody bird walking around just above where my office was as it was making a nest, took me weeks to work that one out as it always sounded like it was coming from in the walls.

    Second and more frustrating one turned out to be roof ventilation fan, that took months to finally solve it. it was a constant distant tapping I could hear when quiet in office and I could not pinpoint any direction and there was no birds to blame this time. Dust combined with age meant it was making a soft tapping sound every rotation.

    • StalkingIbis on 08/08/2022 - 20:21

      The roof ventilation fan fits the bill!

      Is that a possibility for you?

      There could be a stick stuck in it or something.

  • imcold on 07/08/2022 - 20:17

    Hmm haven't tested but i think with a Cardioid microphone you might be able to narrow it down where the sound is the loudest, with a bit of audio editing/video editing software/perhaps even a phone app.

    Took me almost 2 hours to find out a beeping noise, turned out be an co2 alarm still in its unopened packaging. Only used the phone but I guess a mic would have made it really precise.

  • TransportPosters on 07/08/2022 - 20:46
    +1

    Some really great suggestions in this thread. I initially thought it was water dripping but it'd have to rain a lot or be a burst pipe to do that (and OP as turned it off to test).

    An animal like the possum suggestion sounds good but if it's 24/7 non-stop then maybe not. Possums have to go and find food and it sounds too precisely rhythmic to be an animal.

    While I can't help I would really love to see a follow-up post by the OP when they do find out what it is! Please don't forget us!

    A sound recording would be really interesting, hope you can manage it somehow. Have you tired climbing up towards the ceiling and corner to see if it gets louder / clearer?

  • darxtorm on 07/08/2022 - 21:01
    +6

    does it sound like a faintly beating heart under the floorboards by any chance?

  • aubh on 07/08/2022 - 21:01

    I have the same issue and found it comes from my neighbour. It starts every day 6:15 and lasts about 3 hours. And it seems neighbour’s circulation pump?

  • DonWilson on 07/08/2022 - 21:49
    +1

    Has it been raining lately?

    I find for quite a while after a rain there's a dripping sound that could be described as tapping.

  • BeamMeUp on 07/08/2022 - 22:18

    Do you maybe have one of those spinning roof vents and the bearing is going.
    I had a possum stuck in a downpipe outside a wall once. This sounded on the inside like something was in the wall but this noise was intermittent.
    If your on a slab you may have pipes in the wall that go to the ceiling. Pipes may be for reverse cycle aircon to external unit? These may vibrate at bit with aircon running and insulation around them has started to fail a bit and now touching a frame.

  • Cheap Gamer on 07/08/2022 - 23:25
    +1

    A constant 5Hz hum is likely electrical. It could be a number of things, such as a faulty smoke alarm or door bell, interference coming through speakers, or a faulty transformer near the house.

    Did you also disconnect plugs when you turned the power off? Some devices have large capacitors that power the hum for a while after disconnection. It could also be coming through the ground. As a last resort, consider getting an electrician to check for wiring problems.

    I've also heard of smart meters making humming noises. Are the rooms near your powerboard?

    • rinco on 08/08/2022 - 20:44

      Mains hum is not 5Hz.

      • Cheap Gamer on 08/08/2022 - 22:45

        Indeed, but that's just one of many causes of electrical noise.

  • belongsinforums on 08/08/2022 - 00:50

    if you've turned absolutely everything off in your house, and it's definitely not the plumbing, then perhaps a neighbour? side note: once i could hear a tap under the floorboards. eventually it stopped. pretty sure it was an animal that somehow dug under the house and tried to jump through the floor

  • belongsinforums on 08/08/2022 - 00:52

    i have one more suggestion: a tree rubbing against a fence in the wind.

  • darkmattersunB6c0MV on 08/08/2022 - 07:20

    Two things.

    1. Use ear plugs. It should stop any low grade constant noise. This will give you relief till you detect the source.

    2. If you are using Oil Fin heaters, turn them off, and see if you can still hear the voice. Also, can there be insects or animals? There are professionals who help/ X-Ray. Not cheap.
      If you are scientifically inclined and are good with DIY projects ( who isn't?), build a sound direction detector. Enough resources in the internet. Otherwise, you can purchase similar products to pin point the source.

    Fix it!

    Cheers,

  • hothed on 08/08/2022 - 07:56
    +1

    dripping water in a downpipe

    • zbys on 08/08/2022 - 11:21
      +1

      I have experienced this in a house my wife was housesitting. Heard a strange sound in half of the house, after a few weeks went to look around outside and it was coming from a downpipe near the ground. Pretty strange as hadn't rained in ages. Grabbed a small garden trowel to see if I could clear it a bit and rift just opened in the soil. Turned out the hydronic heating pipe had sprung a leak, was shooting a tiny high pressure jet of water. It washed away quite a bit of soil until it eventually hit the downpipe just below the ground and started making a noise…what are the chances!

      We notified the owner and got a plumber to fix the pipe. Months after wife moved out, we went back to the house for a visit. The ground had dried up and there were cracks in the walls floor to ceiling you could stick your thumb through.

  • megaclix on 08/08/2022 - 07:56
    +1

    Could it be a wasp nest in the wall. Search for some wasp nest in wall sounds on YouTube. When we had this, the clicking sound came and went.

  • SummerZero on 08/08/2022 - 08:28
    +1

    Termites

    • holdenmg on 08/08/2022 - 09:43

      Termites on Steroids.

      • SummerZero on 08/08/2022 - 12:08

        😆
        Maybe… but you'd be surprised at how loud the tapping sound can be when they're hard at work. I expected them to be silent but whej they attacked the door jamb we had a faint but continuous crunching/tapping sound coming from there.

  • Navman887 on 08/08/2022 - 08:45
    +1

    I quite tapping noise may actually be termites inside the wall…does the wall feel damp or is it distorted? You can try tapping on the wall and see if it stops briefly. Be Careful on the wall as if it is termites you may disturb them. Do not spray with bug spray but call a termite specialist.
    Good luck

  • kalithreaver on 08/08/2022 - 09:16

    could it be something inside the walls like termites or mice?

  • callmekev on 08/08/2022 - 09:25
    +4

    Late to the thread but i had a very similar situation to you about a year ago. Turns out it was a tiny tiny insect called a booklice/psocids. It was making the noise by tapping its body against a surface. Usually its not audible but it was located in a part of my bookshelf that acted as a natural amplifier

  • kindra on 08/08/2022 - 09:41
    +1

    I've had this problem before turned out to be a fire alarm running out of batteries.

    Check for devices with battery.

  • holdenmg on 08/08/2022 - 09:42
    +1

    I don't (Tap) know (Tappity) what the (TapTap) noise (Tap) is.

    Seriously though, would a White Noise Generator help? (Tap).

  • kaleidoscope on 08/08/2022 - 10:43
    +1

    Disconnected my NBN HFC cable from the main board outside - made no difference

    Why would nbn make any noise 😬.

    Is there any construction work that is happening nearby you? Could be underground tunnel boring work as well which can sometimes cause vibrations on certain objects above ground.

    • lordezekiel on 08/08/2022 - 10:57

      Probably because HFC cables (just like traditional landline telephone cables) send an electrical signal through the cable, and there is cabling thoughout both walls of the affected rooms.

  • shaundennis on 08/08/2022 - 10:50
    +1

    As a out there suggestion - Termites?

    They can make a clicking sound while chewing on wood.

    • lordezekiel on 08/08/2022 - 10:58

      Can they consistently maintain the chewing sound at a rate of 5 taps per second non stop for a week and a half with no variation?

      • shaundennis on 08/08/2022 - 13:06

        Haven't a clue, sorry. Its just what came to mind reading your post.

        Might be worth a call to a pest company and asking.

  • Thenarrator on 08/08/2022 - 11:03

    does the taps sound like fast clock ticking?

  • l005e on 08/08/2022 - 11:22

    I have the same thing, mine is the sensor for our sensor lights in the bathroom

  • dirtybigbjelke on 08/08/2022 - 11:41

    Ceiling fan in the adjoining bathroom? Could be touching/catching as it spins around, they will spin due to the outside wind acting as a venturi. Then you won't hear it when switched on due to the high speed of the fan.

  • kiitos on 08/08/2022 - 11:49

    Does it show up on a sound Meter app? If so, could use that to pinpoint the location?

  • commodorekid on 08/08/2022 - 12:09
    +2

    We had a similar thing that turned out to be termites!

  • Gravy on 08/08/2022 - 12:10
    +2

    Turn off water at mains, get your stethoscope and go out to your water mains incoming water pipe/meter and have a listen to the pipe to see if you can hear anything that may be coming from outside your home, even with the water turned off you may be getting some vibration that travels along the water pipe into the home. Water meters also tick when water passes through, maybe someone's meter nearby is on the blink or they have a fast leak.

    If it is a vibrating pipe then you may be able to fix the issue by getting into the wall space or roofspace and putting some padding around the area of pipe that is vibrating against something (perhaps pipe is touching a metal brace or something?

    Also possibly a Deathwatch beetle/s in the wall/roof space, these sound like a ticking clock in your wall although unlikely to make noise 24 hours (probably not 5 ticks a second though), unless there are a lot of them and they are all ticking at once or taking turns?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deathwatch_beetle

    In my experience, termites tend to sound like rice bubbles crackling and popping when you put your ear to the wall, less rhythmic compared to say a deathwatch beetle.

    Edit: actually deathwatch beetle can be a very rapid sound. A bit different to what I have heard before, have a listen to this https://soundcloud.com/tolly-music/death-watch-beatle-in-a-l…

  • Cheap Gamer on 08/08/2022 - 12:23

    Could be something loose that's vibrating. Try pressing against windows and fixtures. An engineering lecturer of mine told an interesting story about a large window in his office that started vibrating. He stopped it by placing tape on the window. it was just enough to change the natural frequency of the window.

    Anyway, I think a video would really help.

  • girafficlight on 08/08/2022 - 12:38

    could there possibly be a vent fan some where close to this area? a toilet or near the kitchen? I have had issues with mine in the past whcih makes this sound, and i have found it to be the fan. (sometimes these are in the cielings as well…

  • Issun on 08/08/2022 - 12:40
    +4

    I'm in your walls.

  • Hangryuman on 08/08/2022 - 12:59
    +1

    as a musician who grew up in a very quiet place, I've done heaps of noise analysis with db meters, etc.

    one thought is acoustic nodes - by reflection off walls, etc. a sound may sound louder in some places than others.

    there's also the gun barrel effect - where we can be disturbed by noise from neighbours directly opposite our bedroom or kitchen windows that others wouldn't notice

    so maybe move around the rooms where you can hear it - and see if it's louder in some spots and not heard in others - and see if you can associate the sound with said neighbours' pool pump or another electrical transformer

    in other words, consider what the two rooms are facing outside - probably electrical

    I'd also try moving up and down - closer to the floor, and closer to the ceiling - to see if acoustic nodes can suggest a direction of source

  • Lexus101 on 08/08/2022 - 14:18
    +2

    Hi OP,

    I am going ask you some questions and depending on your answer. I may give you the answer you are looking for.

    1. Do you have an "Electric Heater" (Rinnai, etc)?

    2. Do you have a "Heater Solar Panel" on your roof (2 Panel Solar)?

    3. Do you have a "Heater Storage Tank" anywhere outside your house or in your Roof Cavity?

    I am working now so may not get back to you immediately but will check msg when time permits.

    (BTW, I like how you have done some trouble shooting yourself (trust me, you don't have Tinnitus). You did good in describing the sound and frequency).

    Regards.

    • Gravy on 08/08/2022 - 14:33

      OP has mentioned testing with power and water off so this should likely discount any pump noise?? Although perhaps there are some solar hot water systems with solar powered pump to circulate (shouldn't run at night though?) ?

    • lordezekiel on 08/08/2022 - 19:02

      Hi, no solar anything, no electric heater and the electric hot water system is just on ground level outside the laundry, nothing in the roof.

      • Lexus101 on 08/08/2022 - 19:50
        +4

        Thanks OP.

        Then it's not a faulty recirculating pump problem which I was hoping it would be. The pump works even without power due to thermal differences between the solar panels and tank water.

        Because the sound is constant and does not vary in pitch or speed (5 taps a minute). This would rule out wind generated noise, whirlybirds, loose fittings or windows/doors. It would most likely rule out water problems as drips and spills don't present in this way.

        If this were my house, I would think it is (by probability):

        1. Electrical or Electronic in nature, Fire Alarms, Watches, Switches, House Alarm with backup battery, Smart meters, Gas meters. (70/30)

        2. Termites in walls or ceiling cavity, or other insect activity. (40/60)

        3. Extraneous noise, coming from outside your house from the direction nearest your affected rooms, pool cleaners etc. (50/50)

        4. Noise generated from under your slab or floorboards. (20/80)

        5. Finally, it could be your childs toy running out of battery stuck behind the sofa. (90/10)

        Good luck! let us know if you find it. I am curious now.

        • Gravy on 08/08/2022 - 20:35

          "Then it's not a faulty recirculating pump problem which I was hoping it would be. The pump works even without power due to thermal differences between the solar panels and tank water."

          Interesting… my old solar hot water needed power to run the recirc pump.

          • Lexus101 on 08/08/2022 - 21:27
            +1

            @Gravy: On a hot day, even without power the thermal currents will drive the pump (especially one with a faulty ceramic bearing). And it will produce a constant tapping sound from the dislodge or cracked bearing. But not in Op's case. I would like to know what's happening.

            • Gravy on 08/08/2022 - 22:56

              @Lexus101: Yeah, it wouldn't drive the pump at night given no heat being generated, correct?

              Your comment about the toy also a possibility, I seem to remember our kids had a little bird toy (Digibird ?? ) that was running low on battery and made a ticking sound for a while, doubt it would last a week non stop though.

      • Gravy on 08/08/2022 - 23:07

        Lexus101 mentioned fire alarm.

        I wondering if a previous owner/tenant may have had one installed in the roof space and it is malfunctioning/low battery?

  • RichardD on 08/08/2022 - 15:38

    Do you have a whirlybird?

  • 1happycamper on 08/08/2022 - 16:10
    +1

    Do you have an analogue dial timer plugged in to a light or irrigation system? I can hear mine through the wall, however they stop when the power is turned off.
    As others have said, I have heard termites before and they can be quite loud and constant.

    • Gravy on 08/08/2022 - 16:33

      Some mechanical power timers have a battery backup that allows them to keep ticking away for a while during a power outage.

      We have a hot water timer in our power box that has this feature. Hmmm. I wonder if the OP's power box backs on to their bedroom.

      Edit: I just a had a listen to my timer in the powerbox and can hear it ticking once a second with my ear to it. I do have another rotary timer in my house that plugs into a powerpoint that seems to make more of a grinding noise faster than one tick per second, but you would think the OP would be able to pinpoint this a little easier if they have a similar timer (with a battery backup). I guess there is a possibility a previous owner in OPs house installed a power timer in a ceiling space for some reason.

  • darkchoc on 08/08/2022 - 16:29
    +1

    Drain pipe could be clogged - gutter might be overflowing. Get your gutters and downpipes cleaned.

    Go outside and check out all around the rooms you are experiencing the noise. See if you can see any water dripping.

  • outlander on 08/08/2022 - 17:27

    I'd say wasps (I had a wasp nest that they built through the roof tile and into the wall cavity that sounded like this) except wasps go to sleep at nighttime.

    Could be something battery powered. I have a voice recorder that I got from an Ozbargain deal years ago. Every so often it will malfunction, and emit a tapping sound. But with only 2 AAA batteries it drains pretty quick. Don't think it would last a week

  • npc on 08/08/2022 - 19:16
    +1

    Could be a whirlybird on the roof.

  • legendary-noob on 08/08/2022 - 20:24
    -2

    1) have you had any significant life event? are you sure its not in the brain? if so you should get help

    2) hopefully not #1, so maybe get an ear plug?

  • Gravy on 08/08/2022 - 20:46

    Has anyone asked if your home is near any rail or traffic tunnels?

    I'd also be putting my head up into the roof space to see if you can hear it up there any louder.

  • THICKnSLOW on 08/08/2022 - 21:35

    Battery operated buttplugs can still run on almost flat batteries for a while, ever consider that?

  • ShortyX on 08/08/2022 - 22:07

    Probably not an annoyatron but funny if it was.

  • ald on 08/08/2022 - 23:08

    Does the noise ever stops? Is it random? Is it constant throughout hours and days?

    You mentioned turning off water and opening taps to leave them leak out. Also turning off power.
    If you do that - be really really sure you really turned everything off, esp. the big badass main breaker.

    How much time did you wait to see if there's a difference after turning things off ? If it's a hard problem, go for at least 1 hour.

    Any chance, no matter how crazy, that you may have a battery, or any other accumulator of power, water or gas in the house?

    Is it a new house? Used? Bought? Leased? If leased, call landlord straight away.

    Have a water tank by any chance? A hot water tank? Tried to flush a bit of that off after turning off water? And wait at least 1 h?

    Do you have a gas connection? Tried to turn that off too? Tried to run off the remaining gas (light up the stove, whatever)?

    Have you tried to stetho the floor on both rooms? What about the floor on the outside of the rooms, maybe any solid slab outside the house close to the rooms?

    Tried to stetho the ceiling?

    Does it make any difference opening/closing windows?

    If you go through elimination/divide-and-conquer, whatever remains after you removed all possibilities, no matter how crazy it is, must be the cause.

    With the information you posted, my best bet is slab propagated noise. May be originating from anywhere and just becoming audible in these rooms. I'd go around the house stetho'ing every wall, ceiling and floor, and narrowing it down.

  • AustriaBargain on 09/08/2022 - 00:15
    +1

    Is your home built on an ancient aboriginal burial ground?

  • defecat0r on 09/08/2022 - 00:43
    +1

    Maybe it's Jesus knocking at the door to your heart?

  • bigbadboogieman on 09/08/2022 - 00:53

    It is possible it's to do with water. Water can sit in pipes and keep dripping even when mains are off. Did you drain the pipes by turn the taps on after shutting off main?

    May be get an infrared camera. This could be due to temperature change related expansion/ contraction. Best bet is detection through infrared. There is also the chance of an insect colony might be visible on the IR cam.

    Other things could be checking out the roof cavity. Noise can travel through the roof cavity. Could it just be a noisy roof windmill? We have one that also makes quiet noise that is audible in two of our rooms.

  • Hoolio on 09/08/2022 - 02:00
    +1

    This thread is the best mystery/thriller I've read in years. We really need a final act. Hope you find the answer OP!

  • Bid Sniper on 09/08/2022 - 02:40

    Have something similar.

    Does your place have window doors. Open windows a crack to se if it stops.

  • JelIyfish on 09/08/2022 - 02:44

    OP ruled out wall clock.
    5 wall clocks?

  • secondsolution on 09/08/2022 - 07:11
    +3

    Is it the tell-tale heart?

    But seriously, is there a manhole near those rooms that you could stick your head up in to see if you can see anything?

  • morse on 09/08/2022 - 07:49
    +1

    Have you pissed someone off lately? Particularly someone who knows you’re not a fan of noise? Could they have hidden something in or around your house to make this noise as revenge?

    If not I’d guess new neighbours got a pool cleaner especially if it was set to run 24/7.

  • Happy501 on 09/08/2022 - 09:34

    Mouse in the walls?

    Is your home brick veneer on clay/ish soil?

  • msimpatient on 09/08/2022 - 09:41
    +1

    Ok, so record the sound and we can all take guesses in the greatest OzBargain secret sound competition…

    Winner gets street cred…

    I'm pretty invested in this now… I really want to know what it is…

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