Expert: Dave Johnson - 6/19/2008

Question
Dave:

I hope you can help!  We have a 10 year old wood frame with brick vineer home in the Midwest. In the mornings as the house warms up and in the evening as it cools, we hear popping sounds coming from the walls, especially the walls in the two story great room. This occurs summer and winter.

My daughter's room, which has one whole wall borded by the back of an unfinished attic over a garage, makes a particularly very loud pop/bang sound at least once per night.

There are no visible cracks on the walls. I'd like to stop worrying the house will collapse and this is normal but our old house never made a sound. We are starting to call it the Rice Crispies House (as in Snap Crackle Pop!)

Thank you!

Answer
Hi Marie,
GET OUT!! Its possessed!!

Seriously, I don't think there is any danger of collapse. If this was really serious, you would see signs of stress...cracking in the drywall, mortar breaking away from the bricks, etc.
It sounds (no pun intended) like just expanding/contracting of materials in the walls.
To make sure, take a careful look at the drywall at door/window openings especially at the  top corners, the inside corners, and wall/ceiling corners. Also, look at all the exterior joints and see if there are any openings in the mortar.
Best of luck,
Dave