For some people, unusual cracking sounds at night can be pretty scary.
For others, it’s a typical sound they have become accustomed to hearing and aren’t phased by it at all.
Regardless of how you feel about the noises, have you ever wondered what’s causing them?
Sometimes they are naturally occurring sounds that result from the natural expansion and contraction of your ceilings wood beams.
But other times, it may be a real issue that needs to be fixed, such as a damaged water pipe or even a pest infestation problem.
So in today’s article, we’re looking at 11 problems that might cause your ceiling to crack.
Why is there a cracking noise in the ceiling at night
If you are experiencing cracking noises in your ceiling, don’t be alarmed; more often than not, it can be attributed to the ceiling settling through the natural temperature changes that occur between night and day.
But depending on what type of noise you hear, it may indicate something that needs addressing, such as an animal making the sound or an electrical issue.
So understanding what is causing the noise is essential to giving yourself peace of mind, so you know it’s not something to be concerned about.
So let’s take a look at all the common causes of cracking noises in your ceiling and where applicable, we’ll offer some solutions on how to get rid of the sound.
1. The house structure is settling
Over time the foundation of a house will sometimes need to settle as the ground underneath it moves slightly.
Don’t be alarmed by this; as the ground freezes and thaws through the seasons, a little bit of movement is to be expected and your home is built in a way to where the foundation can adjust to accommodate it comfortably.
This settling of the structure of your house can manifest as a loud cracking noise, particularly as the beams in the ceiling adjust.
Keep an eye out for any cracking you may see forming on the ceiling or the adjacent walls to ensure things aren’t shifting too much.
If you spot any cracks that appear to grow noticeably bigger over time, you may need to contact a professional to check that everything is safe – but this is an infrequent occurrence.
2. Temperature changes
This is probably the most common cause of noises, cracks and pops in your ceiling at night.
Because during the daytime, your home has the sun shining on it, causing many of its wood elements to expand (the technical term is ‘thermal expansion).
When the sun sets and the temperature drops, the wood will creak and pop as it contracts.
This sound can be exacerbated during the wintertime when the temperature fluctuations between night and day are often more extreme.
Mostly, this is also a very normal part of home construction.
The only time there would be cause for alarm is, once again, if you see noticeable cracks start to develop.
Suppose the sound is bothering you a lot.
In that case, it is possible to install insulation between the ceiling boards or underneath the floorboards above, which can help manage the temperature and keep it more consistent, resulting in fewer cracking sounds.
3. Water pipes
Of course, wood beams are not the only thing that can run through your ceiling; depending on where in your house, there might also be water pipes up there.
If there is hot water running through them, for example, when someone is using the shower, these pipes can often rattle or crack due to both the force of the water running through and the hotter temperature against the metal.
A certain amount of noise from these is expected and normal, but if you notice it becoming unsettlingly loud, it may indicate a pipe has been damaged or cracked, causing water to leak out.
In this case, it should be repaired.
You’ll usually be able to spot if this has happened as a wet patch will appear on the ceiling.
4. Squeaking floorboards
Now just because the sound appears to be coming from the ceiling, it might not necessarily be the ceiling itself but the floorboards above it.
Mainly if you use older, thick floorboards nailed down to the support beams.
These are very susceptible to developing creaks over time as they get a little wiggle.
These can also produce noise if someone walks over them, as well as just general temperature changes and slight movements in the house.
If the noise is a problem, you can either try to affix them to the floor better or put insulation underneath them to keep them in place and manage the temperature fluctuations better.
If you suspect they have not been installed well, call a professional and get them to look at them.
5. A roofing truss issue
Sometimes a cracking roof can be misinterpreted as just simple thermal expansion, but if you have an issue with your roof trusses, they will also create loud cracking sounds.
While you will seldom find roof trusses become compromised to the point where they may fail, minor damage or wear can often result in them having a small amount of movement, which is where the strange noise will come from.
Mainly if there are heavy winds or rainfall, which put additional pressure on the roof structure.
Once again, this is something a professional will need to check as you cannot address this yourself.
6. An issue with the subflooring
The subflooring is a middle layer that sits underneath your regular floor to provide additional stability and structural rigidity.
However, like regular floorboards, these can develop gaps or become slightly loose over time.
This leaves them susceptible to all the factors that affect a floor’s top layer, including thermal expansion or creaking due to gaps.
So ensuring these are correctly attached to the joists will eliminate any potential movement or vibration, making them silent again.
7. Pests and animals
As much as it’s not nice to think about, small animals, rodents or pests such as cockroaches or spiders are an all too common cause of strange noise in your ceiling at night.
They often will make their way into your home through pipes or climbing up the walls.
Mice or even squirrels are the most common animals to find here, but other smaller pests, such as cockroaches, can produce quite a scratching or popping noise depending on what surface they are crawling over.
The first step here is to remove the pests, identify what is making the sound and remove them yourself or call someone to do it for you.
After that, you must identify how they got in and seal the entry location.
You can use a small screen if it’s somewhere that needs to be left open.
Or if they have got through a gap somewhere, repair it as needed.
8. Water damage and leaks
In addition to the water pipes themselves, water may be dripping down onto the ceiling from somewhere else, such as the roof or attic.
This dripping sound can commonly be mistaken for a cracking sound.
This water will slowly work through the ceiling and drywall, potentially resulting in mold or ceiling damage which can be pretty expensive to repair.
Particularly if the roof is damaged and letting in water, this is something that should be repaired as soon as possible as it may indicate a more serious structural problem with the house.
9. Noise from appliances
Now while I’m sure you won’t have appliances such as a water heater, compressor or fan situated in your ceiling, the very nature of the vibrations these cause can resonate through the flooring, quite literally producing the sound from the ceiling.
This will be particularly noticeable if you don’t have insulation underneath the upper-level floorboards and the vibrations are free to reverberate directly down to you.
Of course, if a defective appliance causes this noise, you should repair it.
But if this is a natural and expected noise produced by the appliance, then perhaps you can look at insulating either the ceiling or the area surrounding the appliance to reduce the amount of sound it’s able to produce.
10. Banging from outside the home
Another case is where you can hear the noise through your ceiling, but the actual source is from outside.
So the potential causes of this are endless.
It could be a tree branch hitting your home in the wind, hail or even birds.
If you are concerned about this sound, the easiest thing to do is inspect what exactly is causing it and then decide whether it’s something that needs addressing accordingly.
11. Creaking due to air gaps
Finally, suppose there are small gaps between the floorboards above you or small areas in the roof where wind and air can make their way through.
In that case, this can reverberate on your ceiling, creating many sounds, from a whistling or popping noise to a more prominent vibration effect.
You can usually tell if it’s caused by air travel as the weather outside will also be equally windy.
It’s worth checking where the air is coming from as an unwanted gap in your floor or roof might require repairing.
David Kessler is a CSLB licensed contractor with over 25 years of experience. He is specialized in home building, construction, and electrical works; he also has a keen eye for interior design and, over the years, has collaborated with various architects.
