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Help needed – Wall noises when there is wind

BenSav | Posted in General Discussion on December 6, 2020 11:31am

Good morning all,


A year and a half ago I bought a house. Since then I have noticed that when there are winds of a considerable magnitude (for example: gusts of 25 to 40km/h depending of the direction of the wind), there are noises in one of the walls located on the 2nd floor . The sound looks like a wooden component undergoing mechanical stress (tic, tic, tic, crackle) and there is also sometimes a sound which seems more “metallic”. I can hear the sound at 2 or 3 specifics spots on that same wall. 

I’ve put two videos on youtube so you can hear at the sounds (see links below):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oISqroEbhRE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1hzxuDLzWM

Lately I’ve been analysing the relation between noises and wind intensity/direction. So far, I noticed that the noises are more important (or start with lesser wind intensity) when the wind is perpendicular to the problematic wall.

Here are some informations about the house:

– Year of construction: 2006

– Two floors, without basement.

– Brick facing on all sides of the house.

– Roof with four slopes.

– In the attic, there does not seem to be any anomaly.

– Unfortunately I cannot give more information concerning the history of the problem, the former owner mentions to me that this situation is “new” for him. So I cannot know how long this problem has been around and if it has worsened over time.


Is there anyone who has experienced similar issues before? Does anyone have any hypotheses on the cause or the solution of such a problem? Currently I am dealing with a construction contractor and an engineer is also on file, however this type of problem is relatively new to them …


Thank you in advance for your comments and cooperation.


(sorry for my english, not my first langage)


Greetings.

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Replies

  1. calvin | Dec 06, 2020 12:21pm | #1

    Go outside and take a picture of the side where you hear a noise.

    Post it here.

    1. BenSav | Dec 06, 2020 03:50pm | #2

      Of course. It's the zone in red.

      Thanks.

      1. calvin | Dec 07, 2020 06:14am | #4

        Any change or addition to chimney cap?

        What type of soffit, alum or vinyl and continuous venting or partial?

        What’s the black pipe running up the wall? Radon exhaust?

        Do you hear the noise in the 1st floor at all?

      2. calvin | Dec 09, 2020 06:49am | #12

        Ben,
        Did you figure it out yet?

  2. K2build | Dec 06, 2020 08:03pm | #3

    Have you looked more into the gutters? Sounds like it could be the wind pulling on the downspout/gutter in the heavy winds.

  3. florida | Dec 07, 2020 11:31am | #5

    That doesn't sound like typical gutter harmonics to me, more like wood creaking. Since the only exposed wood is the soffit I'd bet on wind pushing it up and straining the connections. If you can get to it from the attic I'd try having a pro spray foam in there as an adhesive and to stiffen the soffit.

    1. calvin | Dec 07, 2020 08:23pm | #6

      Fla,
      To me it sounded like the cabin of a sailboat in a decent wind.

  4. florida | Dec 08, 2020 11:00am | #7

    calvin,
    Yes! Maybe there's a mast and sail in the soffit! Lol! It does sound like that. Maybe there's a sailboat just out of sight in that painting......

    1. calvin | Dec 08, 2020 01:17pm | #8

      As an aside,
      I’ve missed your presence, where you been?

      Here’s what we call city bait......

      For a photo, that is.

  5. florida | Dec 08, 2020 07:47pm | #9

    calvin,
    Thank you, I'm flattered that you noticed.

    I had a bad accident back in April when the turf tires on my ZTR slipped in exactly the wrong place. The mower and I went off the side of a culvert berm backward onto the rocks 6' below. When I came to all I could do was scream. My wife happened to be in the yard and heard me. I got my first ambulance ride that day! My rotator cuff was totally torn off my left shoulder, my elbow busted up and my left wrist broken. I still wonder how I lived and have flash backs but less frequently now. I did PT 4 times a week for 6 months and got some motion back but I may never get it all. My elbow is still weak and painful, my hand aches, and I can barely make a fist.
    Obviously, typing wasn't in the mix until recently and that right hand only. On the happy side, I still have my children and grandchildren close by and see them every day. We have a new granddaughter only 10 weeks old that I can hold even if I'm never able to lift her over my head. I'm glad it didn't happen when I was young.
    I'm not looking for pity or sympathy, I'm moving on and my life is still wonderful. I will say that after a lifetime of doing and fixing everything it's tough to have to call my son or SIL law to do simple jobs. Humbling even.

    Be careful out there.
    My wife won't let me mow anywhere near that bridge!

  6. florida | Dec 08, 2020 08:04pm | #10

    I call this the Christmas buck for obvious reasons. MY DIL took it last year about this time in their back yard in Colorado Springs.

    1. calvin | Dec 08, 2020 08:58pm | #11

      Well damn man, that story was not what I expected....

      Keep recovering, I suppose therapy could be a good hobby. Best of luck!

      There’s been deer here with all sorts of things draped on them. The one I had the most fun with was Buck Marley. Imagine one of those old, real old, single seat rope hammock. This deer with the down turn antler got into one. He wore dreadlocks for several weeks. Got a picture on my old flip phone that didn’t/doesn’t transfer. He was a true Rastafarian. Here he is this year with the same downturn, probably 3-4 years old....maybe 5.

  7. florida | Dec 09, 2020 09:41am | #13

    calvin

    Thanks, I quit PT about a month ago. I was spending way too much time at it with diminishing results. Neither of the therapists disagreed.

    That's a gnarly drop tine buck!

    1. calvin | Dec 09, 2020 03:16pm | #14

      That deer above is Gimpy.

      Left rear hurt a few yrs ago. Whatever happened he hasn’t had use of it since. For three legs he’s one able deer. Moves slow unless he’s a reason to run. Can jump but prefers not.

      I may get lucky and find this yrs drop. The over 30 yrs we’ve lived I think I’ve found 2 pair, the rest singles. There’s one 12 pt that frequents our woods every so often. 12 if you count the 2 straight up tines at 5”.

  8. florida | Dec 10, 2020 10:16am | #15

    BenSav
    Sorry to hijack your thread. Before you do anything I'd take a 12" 2 x 4 and try pushing up on the soffit and see if it moves and creates the noise you hear.

  9. Ayla | Dec 22, 2024 03:21pm | #16

    Hi, conscious this is an older post but I've been searching online for some answers. I've listened to the video you posted and we have the EXACT same noises coming from our outside wall (annoyingly in our bedroom!) since Storm Darragh a couple of weeks ago. Only during wind.

    Did you get anywhere with investigating or resolving the noises?

  10. calvin | Dec 23, 2024 01:56pm | #17

    There’s a slim chance that the original poster will reply. Try finding a way using his link to the utube link.

    With luck he may get a notice from here of another response to his post.

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