Ghosts in Your Home? Consider These Home Maintenance Fixes First

Loud banging noises, chilly drafts, flickering lights…Is your house haunted? Before jumping to supernatural conclusions, it might be worth considering a more practical explanation - your house may just need some repairs! Let’s explore some common home maintenance issues that are often mistaken for spooky signs, and how due diligence and a proper inspection can help identify them.

Mold or Carbon Monoxide

Let’s begin with those unsettling stories of shadowy apparitions in your home. While you may be inclined to believe you’ve seen something paranormal, it is important to first check for more logical causes like mold or carbon monoxide (CO) exposure.

Both mold and CO exposure can lead to symptoms such as confusion, nausea, and in severe cases, even hallucinations. If your home feels eerie or you are experiencing unexplained sights or sounds, poor air quality could be to blame. Mold growth or improper ventilation can create unhealthy environments that feel unsettling.

So, before these strange occurrences get out of hand, schedule a Mold or Air Quality Test with WIN. Our inspectors can assess your home’s toxicity, helping you address potential issues before they escalate. In most cases, a remediation specialist or a chimney sweep can clear away any problems that come up.

Cold, Drafty Areas

Do you feel an unexplained chill in certain rooms of your home? Before assuming a ghost just walking through you, check your home for drafts. Cold spots are often caused by small air leaks around windows or doors.

If you notice drafts, an infrared (IR) scan can help detect where air may be leaking and why. A lot of the time, it’s due to missing insulation within the walls, or cracked or wore

weatherstripping around the windows. Sealing these leaks by replacing caulking or weatherstripping will improve your home’s comfort, and even save you money on your energy bills.

Ghostly Plumbing Odors

Have you noticed foul smells coming from your sink or bathtub drains? While it may be tempting to think something more sinister is at play, the issue likely lies with your plumbing.

A common cause of these odors is a dry or faulty P-trap, which is the curved section of pipe located beneath sinks and other plumbing fixtures. The P-trap holds water, preventing sewer gases from entering your home. However, if it dries out or becomes clogged, those unpleasant smells can escape.

You can resolve this by flushing the drain with water, but a Sewer Scope Inspection may be needed to rule out larger issues with plumbing systems.

Flickering Lights? Faulty Wiring, Not Ghosts

Flickering lights may seem like something out of Stranger Things, but they are usually caused by electrical issues rather than interdimensional activity.

Homes built in the 1970s often used aluminum wiring, which can degrade and lead to flickering over time. Loose connections or incorrect wattage bulbs can also contribute to this unsettling effect. Ignoring these issues can be dangerous, even increasing the risk of home fires, so it is important to have them checked promptly. Before you assume the worst, schedule an Infrared (IR) Scan with WIN. Our inspectors use advanced thermal technology to detect hidden electrical issues that may be causing your lights to act up, helping you avoid these potential hazards.

Strange Noises? Likely a Maintenance Issue

Loud banging, creaky floors or strange noises coming from the attic can be unsettling. However, these sounds are often related to home maintenance issues:

1. Pests: Rodents, termites, bats or even snakes could be nesting in your attic or crawl spaces, causing mysterious sounds as they hunt for food. A Pest Inspection may reveal the cause, and WIN can recommend further steps for proper remediation.

2. Furnace Woes: A malfunctioning furnace can also produce loud bangs and screeching noises due to gas buildup or loose parts. It is essential to have your furnace checked if you hear these noises, as they may signal more significant issues and could even indicate gas leaks.

3. Squeaky Floors: Those creaky floorboards may sound foreboding, but the likely cause is usually as simple as loose nails or weakened wood in the subfloor. Consider renovating your oldest floors.

Slamming Doors and Moving Drawers

Doors that slam or drawers that seem to open on their own feel like supernatural occurrences. However, in most cases, gravity or loose hardware is to blame. If a door is not properly aligned in its frame, it can easily move on its own with the slightest drafts. You can correct this by adjusting the door’s hinges, but professional inspections are also important to pin down the issue. Similarly, drawers that open themselves may need hardware repairs due to normal wear and tear.

Mysterious Water Noises and Flushing Toilets

Is your toilet flushing by itself? Are pipes making loud noises? Don’t call a priest just yet. These issues may be signs that it’s high time to call a home inspector to clarify what needs attention.

A faulty flapper valve in your toilet can cause random flushing, while loud banging in the pipes (often called water hammer) is typically caused by pressure changes. A plumber can install a water hammer arrester to smooth out these shifts in water flow.

So Who Are You Gonna Call? WIN Home Inspection!

Whether you are dealing with strange sounds, cold drafts or lights that seem to have a mind of their own, there’s a good chance you can fix the issue without needing the help of paranormal experts. WIN Home Inspection’s comprehensive services are designed to identify potential issues and provide you with the knowledge needed to keep your home safe, comfortable and ghost-free.

For expert help, schedule an inspection with WIN today. Call us at (800) 309-6753 or email info@wini.com, and one of our specialists will be happy to assist you.