Architecture/Creeky houses

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Expert: - 3/21/2006


Question
Hey my name is carole sorrells, my class is compiling a unanswerable questions encyclopedia, my question is: Why do houses creek at night?

Answer
Hi Carole - thanks for your question!

This isn't "unanswerable" at all!  Houses are dynamic; they're made of many, many pieces of wood, held together with metal fasteners.  They're subject to all sorts of inside and outside forces - the movement of people; wind; sun; rain/snow; groundwater; and ground movement.  All these forces push and pull on a house - it pushes back a little and that pushing makes noise.

During the day, the sun heats up parts of the house while other parts don't heat up.  This causes some parts to expand slightly.  At night, those warmer parts cool off - which means they shrink a little - and rub against other parts of the house, making noises!

A house is constantly shifting and changing.  You've probably seen very old homes that look like they're falling down in slow motion - every house is doing that every day; it's just so slow you don't see it happening.  But the stresses that act on houses build up over time and express themselves as squeaks and pops.  You don't hear them during the day, with all the other noise of daily life going on, but you hear it at night when all else is quiet.

Hope this helps!

Richard Taylor, AIA
Richard Taylor Architects, LLC
www.rtastudio.com
www.betterhomedesign.blogspot.com

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Richard Taylor, AIA

Expertise

Ask me about all aspects of house, remodeling. , and room addition design and construction. Ask me about historic homes, renovation, and restoration. Ask me about materials and techniques, and about how you can get the best value for your design and construction dollar. Ask me how you can make your home a very special place. I can't, however, answer specific structural engineering questions in this forum - that's something you'll need on-site observation for.

Experience

I own a full-service residential architectural firm, and have been designing custom homes, remodelings, and room additions across the country since 1983. Check us out at Richard Taylor Architects and RTA Plans. I have written and been published extensively on the subject of residential architecture.

Organizations
American Institute of Architects, City of Dublin Architectural Review Board, Vice Chair of City of Dublin Planning and Zoning Commission, American Planning Association, Board Member Historic Dublin Business Association, Past Editor of SPLASH (a software forum), Past Editor of Open Directory Project, Assistant Scoutmaster, Boy Scouts of America

Publications
Business First of Columbus, Suburban New Publications, About.com, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Columbus Dispatch Residential Architect Custom Home Architect Remodeling Architect

Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Environmental Design (Architecture) Miami University 1983
For more about home design, check out my blog at Sense Of Place and join the conversation on our Facebook Page.

Awards and Honors
2010 Dublin Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year

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