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Update: I don't believe it is the lift station. I met with the lift station support guys (who were super helpful), yet they think it is the motor from the fountain on the property behind my house - any thoughts?

I found the question below from “Dean” and I have the exact same problem. No solution was in the thread. Turned off the electric in the entire house, still happening, turned off the water in the entire house, still happening. We are also on ear plugs to sleep, fan running on high, anything to block this noise. It is not the refrigerator. It seems to be more strong near the ceiling, even with the power and water off….any help is appreciated!

From Dean: For the last month, I have a vibrating sound low in volume, but strong enough to hear clearly sounding like a motor or a pump. I turned off the power and also shut off the water, but to no avail...the sound continues. It is so hard to sleep and ear plugs help. I checked in the crawl space and did not hear it. The sound is hard to locate, but may be coming from the garage. I hear the sound in most of the home, but stronger nearer to the garage. Right now late in night, it is really humming. No signs of leaking pipes. I am stumped and so wish to cut that sound out. What to do, who to get (plumber or electrician) and how to find the source of the sound?

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  • It is not the neighbors AC (we worked together to turn this off along with their pool pump, not either of these) and they can hear the noise, so I’m not nuts (at least not about this)
    – Holly Millner
    Commented Jan 20, 2022 at 1:41
  • Could it be an attic fan? I assume you have checked none of the bathroom exhaust fans are running. Normally an attic fan will only run if its hot but if the sensor has failed it could be running continuously.
    – jonathan
    Commented Jan 20, 2022 at 2:17
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    Just wondering if it is something the Windsor hum. Maybe something with your house allows you to hear it. Windsor hum is one a few odd hums people hear. npr.org/2020/08/04/898853311/…
    – crip659
    Commented Jan 20, 2022 at 2:21
  • how far to the nearest railroad tracks, particularly any yard or siding where a train might be left idling all night?
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented Jan 20, 2022 at 2:23
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    Can you add a link to the question you're referencing?
    – ThreePhaseEel
    Commented Jan 20, 2022 at 5:21

1 Answer 1

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If the noise does not disappear if all electric circuits (possible >1 panels/boards at different locations like garage, garden shelter, basement, attic etc.?) and the water supply are shut off, the source should be somewhere outside.

Some ideas of devices, that could have been recently installed in the neighbourhood or are defect, if the noise started recently:

  • Transformer (stations)
  • Fresh water or sewage pumps
  • A/Cs
  • Heat pumps
  • Shops, 24/7 industry with heavy equipment
  • Railroads
  • Mining industry
  • Subway systems
  • Ground water pumps of construction sites

Maybe a date/time/rain/temperature (outdoor) logging helps to identify the problem: workdays only, night/day shifts changes, only at cold/warm/rainy nights etc.

Since resonance effects inside and outside of a house can be misleading, a free App like spectroid could help.

F.e., there was a case of a quarry with day and night running heavy crushing equipment with defect bearings in the counterbalance wheels.

That low frequency noise was transmitted through air in dependence on the temperature and air pressure layers resp. local weather conditions.

In 1.5 miles distance, a low frequency noise was heard inside of a house, but not outside. Nothing was heard in the neighbours' houses. It turned out that the concerned house or parts of it were in resonance with one or more frequencies produced 1.5 miles away by the defect crushing machine.

With the App it is more likely to find the source by walking/ bicycling around and watching changes of the amplitudes of the specific frequencies found inside the house.

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  • That is so interesting because we don't hear it outside. There is a sewer lift station nearby - no noise emitting from it that we can hear.
    – Holly Millner
    Commented Jan 20, 2022 at 11:51
  • I long suspected an attic fan, alas - wouldn't this have stopped when we turned off the electricity? (noise was still present). The nearest RR tracks are miles away (at least 5 miles) and wouldn't other homes hear this? I tried to add a link to the other question (the actual question is above) - and will try again. This sound is so disturbing we are seriously considering moving.
    – Holly Millner
    Commented Jan 20, 2022 at 14:51
  • Original post I copied above: diy.stackexchange.com/questions/105712/…
    – Holly Millner
    Commented Jan 20, 2022 at 15:10

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