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goshere · Oct 10, 2011, 04:40 PM

I have a 24/7 humming noise in my house - new since about May 1, 2011. The house is in Alameda, CA and I have lived here 20 years. This IS new. Gas utility has been ruled out; electricity has been turned off - still the hum - as so many other people report. A few others hear it - one neighbor in her own house. I and guests in my home can also FEEL the vibration - feet, legs, chest cavity - after a while, I can feel it in my head, jaw, teeth. So far, no one seems to be able to help locate the source. I am trying to find out what can even cause that much vibration - what the rational possibilities are. Please help if you can...

Taylob · Oct 11, 2011, 12:11 AM

First off, this sound has nothing to do with your house and it is referred to as "The Hum."

I live in San Clemente Ca and my dad hears "The Hum" every night when it's really quiet... Really strange. I've looked into it and found that it actually made be caused by the earth itself. Check out this page about this phenomenon and Google "The Hum."

http://www.mydoubleglazingblog.com/double-glazing/the-hum-sounds-from-the-ground-mystery-or-mischief/

It talks about what you are experiencing exactly. People seem to feel this noise. Kind of creepy actually.

Hope this helps.

Milo Dolezal · Oct 11, 2011, 12:19 AM

Common problem, common complaint... There may be dozens of causes of hum audible when noise pollution is down, like at night. Lets start by pointing out few of the causes to you...

1. Water leak anywhere in your house and on your property
2. Reverse Osmosis system
3. Overhead elec. Wires
4. Coming from neighbor
5. Pool equipment
6. Any kind of transformer in the house, like the one for Door Bell, etc.
7. Computer
8. Hard Drive
9. TV
10. Radio
11. Ceiling Fan
12. Internet Modem and Router
13. Close by freeway
14. Ocean
15. Breeze though roof, attic and / or soffit vents
16. Hot Water Circulating Pump
17. Hum in your head ( not a joke )
18. Printer / Scanner / Fax
19. Fluorescent Lights
20... and many more

Usually, young people don't pay attention to "hum" while it is mostly older people who complain about constant hum in their house.

You can do this: Turn OFF main electrical breaker in your elec. Panel + main water at WATER METER at the curb overnight. Go to sleep and see if you still hear it. If you do than most likely it is not in your house. If you don't than you have to investigate more thoroughly in your house what's causing it.

Hope that helps. Milo

goshere · Oct 11, 2011, 12:49 AM

Many thanks to those of you helping -- I have read about "The Hum" - my understanding is that in at least one place it was caused by equipment. While I have turned off the electricity and the gas (outside the house) and still heard the same hum (and felt it), I have not yet turned off the water at the curb - my next trick.

The house IS vibrating - but the source, I believe, is not the house. I need to rule out the water supply - or rule it in - and I will re-post.

Again, many thanks...

speedball1 · Oct 11, 2011, 06:18 AM

Please keep us informed of your progress. Milo gave you a real good list of possibilities. I have found toilet that set up a whole house vibration. However, after reading up on "The Hum" it sounds like the source is outside your home. Good luck and let us know if you find anything. Tom

goshere · Dec 7, 2011, 05:02 PM

So far I have made no progress on the HUM noise - which still vibrates my entire house 24/7. One neighbor is also aware of it. I have had all the utilities turned off and the house checked for water leaks. There was no change in the hum. Recently a contractor I have reached out to said my pipes might not be properly braced - but I had been here 20 years and this hum just started this past spring. Another contact has found someone else in my town complaining of something similar. The wheels turn slowly but I am still trying to find out what is going on. So far, no luck.

speedball1 · Dec 7, 2011, 05:39 PM

I know it doesn't help you to know other people have it but here's what Wikipedia has to say about it.
The Hum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Hum is a generic name for a series of phenomena involving a persistent and invasive low-frequency humming noise not audible to all people. Hums have been reported in various geographical locations. In some cases a source has been located. A Hum on the Big Island of Hawaii, typically related to volcanic action, is heard in locations dozens of miles apart. The Hum is most often described as sounding somewhat like a distant idling diesel engine. Typically, the Hum is difficult to detect with microphones, and its source and nature are hard to localize.

The Hum is sometimes prefixed with the name of a locality where the problem has been particularly publicized: e.g. the "Bristol Hum", the "Taos Hum", or the "Bondi Hum".[1]
I haven't heard of a solution yet but I keep checking. Do ear plugs help? Regards, Tom

goshere · Dec 7, 2011, 06:29 PM

Ear plugs - a strange thing - I found one pair that help some - and drowning out with TV or radio noise also helps -- except when I am tuned into FEELING the vibration - such as after sitting at my desk.

speedball1 · Dec 8, 2011, 07:37 AM

The only solution that I can think of would be unacceptable to most people and that would be to sell out and move. I wonder why it affects some people and not others? Any ideas? Would a "White Noise Machine" help to control the hum? Regards, Tom

goshere · Dec 8, 2011, 12:34 PM

I don't understand the variability in perception - BUT, my next door neighbor hear it, one of my house guests both heard and felt it - that I ascribe to staying here for a while - one public worker felt it - said it felt like his foot was falling asleep, and one gas company heard it - saying it was "quite pronounced". When there is a lot of ambient daytime noise, it is harder for people to hear - including me - but I know what it sounds like apart from other noises. I am going to try to find out what it IS before I give up.

You are a plumber - someone told me that my water pipes might not be properly braced, and that it *could* be my own water pipes making the actual vibration and sound for that reason. Does this sound reasonable to you? To check this, what would I look for?

speedball1 · Dec 8, 2011, 12:49 PM

- someone told me that my water pipes might not be properly braced, and that it *could* be my own water pipes making the actual vibration and sound for that reason. Does this sound reasonable to you? To check this, what would I look for?

Not likely! While it's true that a faulty ballcock will produce a noise or a howl the rest of the pipes in the house pick up on that's not the case for you. As you've found out noise= vibration. And to make your pipes vibrate there must be water running through them. To check simply go out side when the hum starts an d turn the water off at the house shut off. I'll be really surprised it you tell me that stopped your hum. I'd bet the farm it isn't anything in your house. Keep me informed, Tom

goshere · Dec 8, 2011, 12:58 PM

Good to know - the hum doesn't start - it is there all the time - but I think there may be *some* variation in its intensity - I can't tell whether that is merely perception on my part - or a reality. The first time I turned the water off, I thought the hum was diminished. However - the water company came back out to test for leaks - at which point they turned the water off again - to test - and there was no change in the hum - no leaks detected, either. The worker even came up into my home office to *try* his leak detecting equipment on objects in the office - to see if he could detect anything. He didn't pick anything up.

There should be more adventures next week - some engineer (I don't know him yet) wants to test out some sound equipment - very vague - I have no idea what it is but I am going to let him come over (escorted by two contracts I know) to see if he picks anything up.

*** My house DOES vibrate (extra) when the refrigerator kicks on, or the washing machines running - so the house is vulnerable to vibration. I just have to find out what could be running 24/7 that could be affecting me - and if my refrigerator can do it, it seems to me there is a very large universe of things it could be. The 24/7 CONSTANT aspect is the only distinguishing characteristic... ***

speedball1 · Dec 8, 2011, 01:51 PM

The reason I don't think it comes from your house is this;

I have a 24/7 humming noise in my house

Nothing in your house will run for 24/7. Not water,( you've already checked that) A refrigerator or any other appliance. You did shut off the electricity off to see if the noise stopped didn't you?
Even this isn't a plumbing problem my curiosity's aroused. I'm a guy that thinks that there's just got to be a answer for everything. Too many people in too many places are affected.
Sooo, I'm going to research theweb until I can come up with a theory that makes some sort of sense. If I find anything I'll get back to you. N Good luck and please keep me informed. Tom

Milo Dolezal · Dec 8, 2011, 02:05 PM

If you turned off your main electric breaker inside elec. Panel AND incoming water at the curb - and noise still continues, than there is not too much you can do about it. It is a noise pollution that is common in Cities. Such a noise pollution can be generated by any utility in the street, including electrical, water, gas and phone/DSL/cable. We have had a similar case few years back and as we found out, the source of "hum" was neighbor's miniature water fall 2 houses down the street. This noise was not noticeable during the day but was only slightly audible in the middle of the night. Other neighbors didn't hear it. As we learned later, it was the configuration of houses and walls that allowed the noise transmission to the target area. Expert in sound visited the property to take few measurements and later advised us to plant tall bushes in one corner of the property. That solved the problem. Please, let us know if you find out what was causing it. We all are learning from experiences like yours. Back to you. Milo

speedball1 · Dec 8, 2011, 02:14 PM

Here's a video from England you may be interested in. Mystery Hum - Exploring the Phenomenon of the Mystery Hum Let me know what you think. Regards, Tom

goshere · Dec 8, 2011, 02:24 PM

Milo: Yes to this: "If you turned off your main electric breaker inside elec. panel AND incoming water at the curb" - and the noise still continued.

I had thought maybe a generator - something that would be on all the time - but when I checked with the City engineer, she said even a generator would be off at times - this hum NEVER stops. Still - I think "generator" or "commercial refrigeration" -- according to the city engineer there would be variation - not constant 24/7. I am seeking instrumentation to detect the hum, first and foremost... then the source; trying to get expert hemp in what the source could LOGICALLY be - a mess.

I live in a quiet area - I have been here for 20 years - this just started in May 2011 that I can tell. I know all the people on my block - but I am going to explore the greater area to see if I can detect the source - as I agree - It is likely something EXTERNAL that is affecting my house. My goal is not just to identify the source - but also to report HOW I was able to identify the source - to help others. Many thanks!

Milo Dolezal · Dec 8, 2011, 02:41 PM

That's great Goshere, I am glad you are determined to locate the source of the problem.

I would try to find out what changes took place in your neighborhood at or around May 2011 - like new street light installed, new type of light bulbs used on street lights, some kind of new cable installed on telephone poles, any kind of new service or installation in your area ( cable, DSL, optical cable, pumps, transmitters, ), etc.. .

Question: how far are residential electrical wires from your house ?

goshere · Dec 8, 2011, 02:58 PM

YES - I have been trying to find all those things out. There are electrical wires attached to my house - the pole is across the street - we checked them (no hum) - and no transformers near here... maybe new cell towers... there is a resident relatively close by also reporting something similar - I hope to meet this person soon to compare and triangulate... Thanks!

Tom - looked at the England Hum video - thanks! - I am not sure what to make of it...

speedball1 · Dec 9, 2011, 07:37 AM

I wanted to show you the problem's world wide.
They had "The Hum" on the big island of Hawaii. This hum was tracked back to volcanic activity. As I've said, worldwide and they still haven't come up with a answer for all areas. Regards, Tom

adisneylover · Dec 11, 2011, 10:07 PM

I just googled "constant hum Alameda, CA" because I have been experiencing what I can only explain as the constant sound of water running through pipes in the far distance since I moved to Alameda, CA about a year and a half ago. My Google search brought me here. I'm relieved that I'm not the only one experiencing this. I've tried using a white noise machine, as well as ear plugs, but neither help much. It is as if the hum resonates through the building, so when I'm laying at night, I can hear it through my bed, even with ear plugs. It isn't loud, but enough to be annoying. And sometimes I'll wake up in the early morning, around 2am because it suddenly becomes quiet due to the humming noise stopping. Very weird.