Why Do I Hear an Intermittent Buzzing in My Walls?
There you are, sitting in your living room, trying to wind down from the events of your hectic day. Suddenly, your feeling of peacefulness is interrupted by a buzzing sound coming from your wall.
You know this isn’t normal, but what could be causing this intermittent buzzing? This sound could be a warning sign that you need to have some electrical repairs done within your home.
Can Electricity Be Heard?
Homeowners know that there are a wide variety of noises that you can only hear when the house is quiet. Most of them are every day sounds like the ice maker or your HVAC fan. However, if you hear a buzzing, cracking, or humming sound near an outlet, there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
If you are concerned for your home and your family’s safety, don’t wait for the problem to become bigger. Contact an electrician right away.
Health Effects of Buzzing Sounds
Other than becoming annoying, that buzzing sound you’re hearing can eventually lead to health problems. It can disrupt your sleep, cause you to lose concentration, and ultimately stress you out.
Since not everyone always hears what you do, people may not take you seriously about this buzzing sound. That can cause you to become irritated and feel powerless or frustrated.
Locating the Problem
If you’re hearing a buzzing sound that is out of the ordinary, you’ll want to locate the source soon — before it causes any serious damage. You may want to do some electrical troubleshooting before calling an electrician.
Turn off all of your circuit breakers and walk through your home. If you still hear a buzzing sound, the problem isn’t coming from your electrical system. It could be a bee or wasp nest inside your walls or high air pressure caused by a half-open air vent.
If the buzzing shuts off when your power does, you will need to turn on each circuit one by one and move through your home to locate where the noise originates. Check everything that is connected to your electrical system — outlets, switches, appliances, and fixtures — until you’ve found the problematic area.
Here are a few reasons why you might hear a buzzing sound coming from your walls:
- Bad connections inside an electrical outlet or switch
- Loose screws that fasten the wires to an outlet or switch
- Outside gas meter or electric meter may need repairs or to be replaced
- Ceiling fans might be creating humming or buzzing sounds
- Fluorescent light ballasts can make a buzzing noise as they degrade
If you can say yes to any of these items, the next step would be to call an electrician to officially diagnose the problem.
The Buzzing Outlet
If you can identify the buzzing noise coming from an outlet in the wall, you hear the electrical current flowing through it. Although it might be intriguing to know you can hear electricity, it’s not a good sound to hear. This buzzing sound is telling you that there is a problem with the circuit.
The culprit might be a loose connection or faulty wiring. Loose connections happen over time as the plug holding the wiring into place is no longer as secure as it once was. This deterioration may occur in older homes and will require the outlet to be replaced.
If your home is new or recently had electrical work done, the installer may not have wired the outlet correctly. This issue is considered faulty wiring and may be causing the buzzing noise.
If the buzzing gets louder when you plug in more devices, faulty wiring is likely the reason for the buzzing in your walls and requires the immediate attention of a licensed electrician.
Why You Should Call an Electrician Right Away
Even if you do your own electrical troubleshooting, there’s no way to immediately know the true cause of the noise. However, letting it go could mean you’re ignoring faulty wiring and damaged electrical components, which could lead to dangerous situations.
Your electrical appliances may become permanently damaged; you are vulnerable to personal injury, and an electrical fire could occur.
You should contact a licensed professional as soon as possible for these reasons. Professional electricians are trained and possess the equipment necessary to diagnose any electrical repairs your home may need.
Once the electrician has determined that your circuits, wiring, and electrical systems are properly working, you might have other issues that need to be addressed, such as a bee infestation or loose vents.
It’s Time to Stop the Buzzing Coming from Your Wall
If you’ve used our electrical troubleshooting tips and still cannot pinpoint the issue, it’s time to call in the experts at MZ Electric. We have licensed electricians on staff trained to inspect and diagnose the noise and problem.
We can complete the electrical repair promptly if it is an electrical issue. Don’t let that buzzing noise drive you up the wall any longer! Call MZ Electric in Littleton, CO today!
