[Iamnotalone]

Me to help

[ledel1]

I have this low level hum problem too and wonder if anyone ever identified the source. I even had the electric company come out and shut off transformers. Sound was still there and continuous. We live in the country where it is otherwise quiet.
The noise drives me nuts, but my wife and most other people barely notice it. Navigational aids for planes causing vibration through the foundation and wood structure sounds plausible as there is a small airfield about 10 mi away as the crow flies?

[Iamnotalone]

I have this low level hum problem too and wonder if anyone ever identified the source. I even had the electric company come out and shut off transformers. Sound was still there and continuous. We live in the country where it is otherwise quiet.
The noise drives me nuts, but my wife and most other people barely notice it. Navigational aids for planes causing vibration through the foundation and wood structure sounds plausible as there is a small airfield about 10 mi away as the crow flies?

Your not crazy. I recorded the sound I guess Im the only guy so far that owns a recording studio with gear capable of recording the sound that can hear the sound we are all referring to.

So I guess that makes me the key link.

Here is the sound. This was a real quickie job and I can get a better recording, but for now this will have to do.


YouTube - The Hum

[RonKnight]

I have heard the low frequency noise, about 52Hz, for some 10 years. About 6 months ago, this was joined by a new noise somewhere around middle C (256Hz). This is now the dominant noise, and can be heard day and night indoors when quiet. I have suffered from genuine tinnitus for many years, not severe enough to need treatment, but I do know what it's like. These noises described appear to come from outside the head, not inside like tinnitus. They also very occasionally stop for some time and then return. They also seem to be affected by weather conditions. The noises are not local, I have heard them on holiday in France, various parts of Germany and in Spain, in large cities and small villages. You have to be in an enclosed space, room etc. to hear them.

I really have no idea of the cause, but there are rumours of secret communications systems, possibly for submarines.

I live in North-West England, sbout 20 miles south of Manchester.

[humdiggity]

In some of the responses there seems to be a common thread about airport / military bases / navigation systems.
I live in Virginia Beach near Oceana Navy Jet base. I hear the same low level hum.

We had an electronic problem with our oven (kept getting error messages on the control panel) and the service man put an electromagnetic ring around the wires. He said it was a common problem in homes near the Jet Base because of the electro megnetic impulses the Navy sends out to jam communication interference.
I lived in a different location of the same city, farther away from the Base and never heard the noise before.
We recently had a major storm and the power went out all ove the area for 45 minutes. I stood in 6 different rooms and could hear it loud and clear but my wife couldn't.
The Navy of course has their own power backup system and they were operating as usual.
If that's not the cause then it must be that the house and I have the same harmonics as the earth.
I wonder if we plotted the locations of each response if we'd come up a pattern similar to the electomagnetic field of the earth?

[humdiggity]

Update. Since my lat post I did some research on low frequency noise relating to airports.
The following link helps with some explanations http://web.mit.edu/aeroastro/partner/projects/project1-qanda.html

MIT shows that the "hum" is more noticeable at night about 10 PM which has been my experience

Does this relate to anyone else?

[Goingbatty]

Our problem started 6 weeks after moving into house-first heard as a low idling diesel. Eventually worsened to point the concrete slab actually vibrates when the "cycles" increase. This is a 24/7 noise but "idles" at times, then gets rock and rolling, usually in the later nighttime hours when plant is producting water for storage or demand, but can be bad anytime. We think we've traced it to the water treatment plant about 1/2 to one mile from us. Problem is no other neighbors seem aware of the problem so we think the placement of our home is resonating to the plant acoustics. We've had people in house who also cannot hear it so we believe it to be a subsonic frequency not audible to all. Husband has spoken with various authorities who won't do anything unless other complaints come in, and they won't own up to the noise emissions, so we are in the position of not getting any help. From investigating we know it is the pumps, lime hoppers, and other plant equipment causing the noise and vibrations. Hiring a noise engineer is too costly. Anyone have any other suggestions. Do not have proper equipment to record but the noise inside the house is unbearable but outside is heard as a high pitched whine, low frequency. It penetrates earplugs, headsets, and even a Bose noise cancelling headset was so good. It has got me taking prescription anxiety meds and my husband's bad health is worsening. We've had plumbers verify there is no problems related to the water system. We are ready to move!

[scorellis]

Dave, where are you in Chicago? I am in Lake Bluff and recently (I'm thinking about three months ago) I started hearing this pervasive hum that is equally audible in every room of the house. It is a somewhat wavering tone, and sometimes lasts as long as 12 hours. I am the only one who hears it, and I only hear it in one ear. It definitely is there - I have gone to other quiet places (like outside in my car) where I don't hear it, and when I come back in I hear it again. I suspect the Great Lakes Navy base may have a power plant and what I am hearing is sound transmitted through the ground or through the underground river that runs under my neighborhood. There are also some train tracks, and I know sometimes these big freight engines sit and run for hours at a time. One of these days I am going to walk the tracks and see what I see. Or maybe it's just the sound of the underground river when it reaches certain levels. I have begun tracking the sound in an excel and comparing it to rain fall. Hole... anyway, I thought maybe we had a geographical link. Let me know.

[romdpste]

This might help someone who is experiencing a low humming noise in their house that never seems to go away. Today after months of try to find out where in the house the noise was coming from, I had an idea to check the electronic pest control devices that you plug into the wall. These seem to have some kind of ultrasonic sound waves that travel through the walls. After Georgia Power came out to the house and disconnected the power to the house from the pole, and it there was still humming, I was sure this noise would make me nuts. Seems like only I could hear it. After the service man left, that's when I knew I would have to think of something! I happened to just think that I tried everything else (replaced the prv valve, had gas line checked, had the power company out), when I knew for a fact that I heard the noise and it was in every room of the house. I walked from room to room and then saw these electronic/ultrasonic pest devices in every room. I do know that these devices emit sound that travels through the walls to keep bugs, roaches, etc. away. The good news is... once I removed all of them from the walls, the noise stopped!! Please, I have seen a lot of answers to the humming noise in houses, but I have NEVER seen on about these electronic pest control devices. My advice is this... check to see if you have any electronic pest control devices in your houses. If so, remove them, my noise stopped and I hope your's does too!

[jfascoots]

Hearing it here too in Gilbert, Az. Since 11/2009 (started just prior to Thanksgiving). 24/7, every room, have killed main breaker, water main (on house), battery back-up on alarm system, etc. etc. etc. And no; it's not a toilet or washing machine. Just wrote to my electric company asking them if they would be willing to kill the mains to my home. No gas here, no sump pump, no heavy industry. It would be redundant to reiterate all that has been said here; it's just more of the same. Girlfriend can't hear it, driving me nuts and losing sleep, and perhaps some of my sanity...

[Mystery Buzz]

Hearing it here too in Gilbert, Az. since 11/2009 (started just prior to Thanksgiving). 24/7, every room, have killed main breaker, water main (on house), battery back-up on alarm system, etc., etc., etc. And no; it's not a toilet or washing machine. Just wrote to my electric company asking them if they would be willing to kill the mains to my home. No gas here, no sump pump, no heavy industry. It would be redundant to reiterate all that has been said here; it's just more of the same. Girlfriend can't hear it, driving me nuts and losing sleep, and perhaps some of my sanity...

Hello, looks like jfaScoots sums it up pretty much for the whole string of similarities, comments and suggestions this far. I have one suggestion and that is like jfascoots, why don't everyone state their general location where their noise is? I am also experiencing a mystery noise in Southern Oregon, Josephine County on the South side of Grants Pass City. I have been aware of it for about a year. Just about all the discriptions of the sound have described mine exactly with the same one thing in common: Don't know what is creating it or where its coming from! Ahhh

Here is a link from Calgary Canada that even has a Blog about their noise!
Unidentified Noise in Calgary

Good luck. Be checking back! Thanks, Mystery Buzz.;)

[ElizabethJane]

I have also tried everything from turning off the water to turning off the electricity. Nothing works. However, we did discover that we have a slow water leak someplace but it is so small that plumbers tell me they cannot locate it. Don't know what I'm going to do! I live in Florida, Brevard County.

[jubjub2010]

My husband and I are experiencing the same humming noise that everybody describes. Impossible to rest or sleep at night even with earplugs. For the ones who think that we are crazy, we are not. Our problem is that we are renting and, of course, the owner does not hear it. It does not want to let us go until we pay it the rest of the yearly rent... $16,000.
As we cannot find where this noise is coming from, did somebody resolve the problem by buying a white noise machine and custom made in-ear plugs sold on line. Thank you for your help.

[Robert Gift]

Possibly a mild variation of Meniere's disease?

May even be related to blood sugar level.

Some medications will cause perception of sounds and higher blood sugar levels or chocolate may cause such perceptions.

After a friend eats too much chocolate, he has audible effects.
If he vigorously exercises, or goes to a dry sauna and sweats out, it diminishes or disappears.

If you turn off water, open a line to relieve residual perssure.
Vibration from water or gas lines coming into the house?
Neighbor's machinery?
Usually soil will absorb and attenuate noise, but a pipe can transmit sound well.

[Robert Gift]

What is the pitch?
Use a piano or keyboard to match the pitch and publish it here.

60 cycle AC is closest to B-natural.
Could a radio frequency emissions cause vibration between metal parts somewhere?
Have you disconnected your telephone line at the SNI? (Standard Network Interface)
Also disconnect cable.
All worth a try.

[jubjub2010]

Sorry, but if I was the only one who is hearing the noise, I would have already have my ears checked. My husband hears it as well. And when we are outside or in another house, we do not hear the humming noise. People affected with tinnitus hear this noise constantly.
We have checked everything with no result.
We have disconnected the telephone from the box located outside the house. Is it what you call the SNI?

[Robert Gift]

...We have disconnected the telephone from the box located outside the house. Is it what you call the SNI?

Yes. The plastic case contains the SNI.

Wish I were there to track the mystery down for you.
Can you discern what pitch?
If B-natural or harmonic thereof, it is likely related to thelectrical power.

I have a stethoscope. I would place the diaphragm against the incoming water pipe and natural gas pipe.

Turn off the main breaker and listen to the electrical panel in case hum is following the loop from the utility pole (if you have one) into the house.
Perhaps hum from the transformer could be conducted through the wires.

Maybe the multiple ballasts of the lights in the neighbor's clandestine basement marijuana growing operation.

[jubjub2010]

We live in Naples, Florida. Does somebody in this area experience the same humming noise?
We checked the toilet flappers as suggested. They are OK. We will try to disconnect the alarm transformers in the garage again. We will keep you posted.

For the people who do not know what the noise sounds like, it is like a diesel engine running out of your window. It can be heard in each room and is constant.

Please, do not make fun of us. It is real and we are not insane...

[az_r2d1]

Hearing it here too in Gilbert, Az. since 11/2009 (started just prior to Thanksgiving). 24/7, every room, have killed main breaker, water main (on house), battery back-up on alarm system, etc., etc., etc. And no; it's not a toilet or washing machine. Just wrote to my electric company asking them if they would be willing to kill the mains to my home. No gas here, no sump pump, no heavy industry. It would be redundant to reiterate all that has been said here; it's just more of the same. Girlfriend can't hear it, driving me nuts and losing sleep, and perhaps some of my sanity...

Where in Gilbert are you at ? I am in South Gilbert and hear it too, usually at night. At first I thought someone was watching TV in their house and I was hearing the lower noises. When I walk outside I can't hear it.
Honeywell has a test facility not too far from here, I wonder if it has something to do with it ?

[jubjub2010]

I think I have located where it is coming from... it is the traffic (in our case). Though, we are located about one mile from the main road but in Naples, Florida, they have cut so many trees to build communities that nothing protects against the traffic noise. As we want to move, we have visited other houses and of course we always check if we can hear the same humming noise. In most of the houses, we do. Please, try this: Park your car outside the house, windows close. And listen... If your hear the humming noise, you will know that it is not a problem with the house.
My last comment: we bought a white noise machine and it helps sleep. When it is too loud, I still need my earplugs.