Building buzzing noise or vibration sounds at buildings: troubleshooting: causes & cures.

These articles discuss building noise control: how to inspect, diagnose & cure noise or sound problems in homes or commercial buildings. Information is provided about auditory (hearing), visual, historic, medical, or other clues of building condition that explain various sounds heard in buildings.

How to Identify & Cure Buzzing / Vibrating Noises & Sounds in & Around Buildings

Here is an alphabetical list of sources of annoying buzzing noises or sounds heard in or around buildings. For each source we link to a detailed diagnosis & repair article.

Is it Buzzing or Humming ? Because some people describe as "buzzing" noises that others may characterize as humming, the choice of words "buzzing noise", "humming noise" and "hissing noise" or even "chattering noises" is a bit subjective. Therefore,

also see HUMMING NOISES in BUILDINGS

• Buzzing noises from electrical equipment:
  
  At electrical equipment of any type you may hear a mix of humming, buzzing, snapping, crackling, or popping sounds.
  
  Watch out: buzzing or hissing at an electrical panel, circuit breaker, electric light switch or receptacle as well as at some other equipment such as motors may indicate an arcing failure or a short circuit: dangerous conditions. Turn such equipment off immediately and ask for help from a licensed electrician or trained service technician.
  
  Buzzing also occurs at failing or failed relays such as the relay in a heating system aquastat or circulator controller or in relays used to control HVAC fans, blowers, and compressor motors.
  
  See these buzzing electrical component diagnostic articles:
  
  BUZZING RELAYS
  
  CHATTERING RELAY CONTROL SWITCHES
  
  CHATTERING RELAYS, HVAC EQUIPMENT
  
  CHATTERING WATER PRESSURE CONTROL SWITCH
  
  LOW VOLTAGE TRANSFORMER TEST - Humming and also buzzing noises are also found at low voltage transformers. A low voltage transformer may continue to put out the requried 24-Volts but may keep up a humming noise for months or years. I prefer to replace such devices.
  
  More details are at POPPING SNAPPING NOISE DIAGNOSIS
• Buzzing noises from gas regulators is described
  
  and GAS REGULATOR NOISES - buzzing, humming, and other noises at gas appliance regulators
• Buzzing noises, health & hearing disorder-related
  
  See HEALTH RELATED NOISE EFFECTS
  
  and HEALTH RELATED NOISE COMPLAINTS
• Buzzing noises from heating equipment are discussed
  
  at HEATING SYSTEM BUZZING NOISE including buzzing & vibration from various sources on all types of heaters
  
  at BLOWER FAN WON'T START, BUZZING
  
  and at OIL BURNER BUZZING NOISE
  
  and at OIL LINE BUZZ & VIBRATION CURE
• Buzzing noises from HVAC equipment like air conditioners, heat pumps, heaters are described
  
  at BUZZING SOUNDS sounds from HVAC: A/C, heat pump or inverter or from other equipment in, or, or near buildings
  
  HVAC NOISE-1 BANG BUZZ VIBRATE - banging, bearings, buzzing and vibrating sounds from air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, boilers.
  
  HVAC NOISE-3 HISS HOWL HUFF HUM - hiss, howl, huff, hum, groan, woo wuu wuff
  
  Also see this topic home:
  
  NOISES, HVAC SOUND DESCRIPTIONS where we list all types of noises and sounds since one woman's buzzing is another gal's thumbing or another fellow's banging.
• Buzzing noises at buildings traced to insects
  
  See INSECT NOISES in BUILDINGS
• Buzzing noises from a water heater are
  
  at BUZZING WATER HEATER
  
  and at NOISE, WATER HEATER including buzzing & vibration
• Buzzing noises from a water pump are
  
  at WATER PUMP PRESSURE SWITCH NOISES including buzzing & vibration that may be a failing relay
• Also see POPPING SNAPPING NOISE DIAGNOSIS

• Humming or Vibrating Noises from Other Causes:
  
  see HUMMING NOISES in BUILDINGS - topic home

 

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Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2018-01-31 by (mod) - furnace has a humming or buzzing sound when the furnace is running

Ham

If the buzzing is truly from the circuit breaker that is a shock or fire hazard and I would turn OFF the circuit right away, then call your electrician to examine the circuit and equipment to make the needed repair.

Other conditions and components can cause buzzing at a heating furnace.

See HEATING SYSTEM BUZZING NOISE - https://inspectapedia.com/heat/Heater-Buzzing-Noise.php

On 2018-01-31 by hamlett733

My 220 breaker for the furnace has a humming or buzzing sound when the furnace is running. Is that a fire hazard? Will that cause my electric bill to be high?

...

Continue reading at HUMMING NOISES in BUILDINGS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

• NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE - home
  • NOISE TRANSMISSION PATHWAYS
  • NOISE SOURCE LOCATION - LOG FILES
  • ALPHABETICAL LIST OF NOISES by SOURCE or SOUND TYPE
  • AIR CONDITIONING NOISES
  • AIR LEAK NOISES in BUILDINGS
  • ANIMAL NOISES in BUILDINGS
  • APPLIANCE NOISE DIAGNOSIS
  • BUZZING NOISE DIAGNOSIS
  • CHIMNEY NOISE DIAGNOSIS
  • CLICKING NOISE DIAGNOSIS & CURE
  • DECIBEL METER dB METER CHOICES
  • DRIPPING WATER SOUND SOURCES
  • DUCT SYSTEM NOISES
  • ELECTRIC MOTOR NOISE DIAGNOSIS
  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NOISES
  • FAN NOISES in BUILDINGS
  • FLOORING NOISES in BUILDINGS
  • GHOST NOISES
  • HARDWARE NOISES
  • HEALTH-RELATED NOISE PERCEPTION
  • HEARING DISORDER NOISE ISSUES
  • HEATING SYSTEM NOISES
  • HISSING SOUNDS in BUILDINGS
  • HOWLING NOISES in BUILDINGS
  • HUMMING NOISES in BUILDINGS
  • HVAC SYSTEM NOISE DIAGNOSIS
  • HOWLING NOISES
  • INSECT RELATED NOISES
  • PLUMBING SYSTEM NOISE SOURCES
  • POPPING SNAPPING NOISE DIAGNOSIS
  • RINGING NOISE DIAGNOSIS
  • ROOFING NOISES
  • SCREAMING NOISES in BUILDINGS
  • SIDING NOISES & SOUNDS
  • SOUND CONTROL in BUILDINGS
  • STAIR NOISES
  • TAPPING NOISES in BUILDINGS
  • TICKING NOISE DIAGNOSIS
  • WALL NOISES
  • WATER HEATER NOISE DIAGNOSIS, CURE
  • WIND NOISES at BUILDINGS
  • WINDOW NOISES
• SOUND CONTROL in BUILDINGS - home

Suggested citation for this web page

BUZZING NOISE DIAGNOSIS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.

Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to BUILDING NOISE DIAGNOSIS

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Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

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