I have read through the questions and answers concerning the popping and/or cracking of walls, but my situation is a little different. In the earlier inquiries the construction is only a few years old. My house is 13 years old and the popping started last winter. The sound is similar to the wall being hit by a hammer or as if it has been hit by a bullet. The pops are always along the top plate and are never in the same spot. They occur regularly... day and night and when they do occur they are extremely loud! My wife all but jumps out of her skin!:) I jump a little too!:p
I'm sure that the weather has something to do with it as it only happens during the colder months, but I'm concerned that something may be settling after all these years... is that possible? I see no cracks or breaks in the wall or foundation. Any suggestions?

What's your Geo for cold this winter?

If you had an extremely cold winters and the insulation along the eves was frosted or had an ice dam this could cause wetness/dampness in the insulation at the plates/eves


It that area was subjected to dampness then the insulation there loses its properties to insulate. As a result there could be quick temp changes ( expansion/ contraction) in the plate area which makes noise.

Since it started last winter and is now doing the same thing, this is real inductive of "R" value loss at eves.

If you can I would check in the eves for wet/damp insulation.

Signed 21 Boat

If I Helped To Answer Your Question Please Rate My Answer

Thanks 21boat for your answer.
I am in Western Nc and this winter has not been any worse than last year or even years past. The lows have been in the teens and the highs in the 50's. Today was colder than usual, and the pops are about the same as any other day this winter. It's really pretty dry here. We are in the midst of a drought and have been for about 2 years.
The area where the pops occur is a vaulted ceiling and I cannot get into the attic in this area to look at the insulation. It is in an area where the roof meets the wall, not in an eve.

Signed willwalk

Since you have a vaulted ceiling over time it may not be venting from the eves "if you have one" any" or from the soffit to the peak

It gets cold enough there to possibly create heavy moisture in the insulation. 5% of moisture in insulation can cause the insulation to lose 95% of its insul properties. If this happened over time and now the insulation is partly shot, especially where the plate meets the roof rafter, then that is where you will have the most quick reaction of expansion and contraction along those plates bring its closest to most quick climate change.

Teens to 50s is plenty of range for this to happen, not to mention if you use AC that also would have some effect to help start a moisture problem in the insulation

If there are no signs in the drywall of stress or wall movement, Again I would check the insulation along the outside wall plate.

Bottom line. For a popping sound to be heard the house is settling at a very fast rate or there is quick expansion and contraction rates for material movement.

You should hear a big room on our re haps when someone fires up the torpedo heater and heats the room to fast. It sounds like the drywall is firing 22 calb shells. Again quick change in temp faster than the material can catch up.

A drought has nothing to do with the insulation possibly getting moisture in it. You can build a house is 0 humidity out side and still get moisture in insulation.

Most of the moisture in a house is our bodies breathing. Showers etc. This rises with the heat inside a room and this is why we put a vapor barrier's in the ceiling to help prevent our moisture from getting into the insulation. Now add the outside environment.

Signed 21 Boat

If I Helped To Answer Your Question Please Rate My Answer

Willwalk, I understand your reservations.

Most times I stick with basic simple science.
"Noise"

What's the engine /force to make noise?

Animal making noise

Plumbing/heat plant making noise.

Branch hitting house.

House listing or settling

Roof loose and separating from house

Rapid expansion and contraction due to quicker climate change.

Vaulted ceilings are tricky to get proper ventilation above the rafters. If it has some slow venting problems overtime, and the insul gets more and more moisture in it. Then the insul could reach a crucial point of not insulation properly due to change in climate to wards the end.

If you have a way to get into your soffit and check the insul/plate area that may greatly solve the is or isn't here.

I

I too have the same problem very very loud cracks and pops coming from different areas of the house day and night. I have to close my bedroom door at night to sleep it's so loud. Any help or advice would be helpful, Who do I get to look into this problem, could it be from termite damage? I live in Arizona. The house has a deck and a loft the sounds come from that area mostly but are in other areas too. This is very un nerving for me! I didn't hear it when I bought the house it was built in the middle 80's it's stucco with a loft and upper deck.. [email protected]