10/31/2026
Your house isn’t haunted. It’s October, and the furnace is back to work after a summer off.
That ticking in the walls when the heat kicks on is the metal ductwork expanding as warm air moves through it. It’s normal, and it settles once everything warms up.
A bang in the pipes when someone shuts a tap off quickly is called water hammer. The water’s still moving when the valve closes, and the pipe takes the hit. A small part called a water hammer arrestor usually quiets it down.
Gurgling from the sink after the dishwasher drains often means the plumbing vent isn’t letting in enough air, so the drain pulls it through the trap instead.
The one we’d want to hear about is a loud boom when the furnace lights. That’s worth having someone take a look.
Got a noise you can’t explain? Tell us about it in the comments, and we’ll tell you what it probably is.
(780) 953-1826