Extreme cold causing house to settle?

[lhfarm]

Quick background. Original house w/basement built in early 60s. Added a second story in mid-90s. We have had weeks of cold weather, much below normal and nothing like this since the remodeling. Recently we have heard thuds that sounds like a large branch hitting the roof. I rushed outside after the first one, but nothing on the roof. It is a brick on the bottom wood siding on the second story house and I don't see any cracks in the bricks. It was 6 degrees out this morning when I heard another thud about 5AM.

The other "clue" is a bathroom door isn't closing properly. Had to shim the bottom hinge. What should I be looking for to find the cause of the thuds? Should I call someone to do an inspection? Or not be too concerned?

Thanks!

 

[mark02tj]

I am not an expert on this by any means, but here's some of my experience.... I used to own a home in the 'burbs. The soil in our area was full of clay. According to some "experts", during really dry years, the clay would contract from lack of moisture and it would cause the houses to settle. Most of the house in that neighborhood had some sort of settling issue. Cracks in the foundations, chimney's separating from the house, walls settling, etc. The garage floor in my own house settled a few inches down and we had to get a concrete pumping company to jack it back up. Luckily, the crew was doing a job a couple of houses down and I got the guys to do it while they were there. Saved several hundred bucks that way!!

The house I'm in now doesn't have those problems, but it does make some noises. We live in a log home so the wood does expand and contract a little bit. But, when it gets really cold, we hear really loud pops. In our case, I think that the builder spaced the decking too close on our front deck and the boards will pop as they expand and contract against each other. The first time we heard this was about 2:00 one morning. Scared the crap out of me and I had no clue what it was!! Grabbed the gun from the nightstand and went "patrolling" in my underwear! Not a pretty sight!! Of course, I found nothing and after a couple of days of this happening (during cold weather like right now) we finally figured out that it was the deck popping.

Are you seeing cracks in the walls or ceilings?

I'm sure that some of the folks on here that are a lot smarter than me will weigh in with something more helpful for you!!

 

[D7E]

It's normal here , All timber frame houses i know do it . Usually around christmas as the deepfreeze sets in and house moves then again in the spring as it warms up . It can be alarmingly loud at night

 

[lhfarm]

I am not an expert on this by any means, but here's some of my experience.... I used to own a home in the 'burbs. The soil in our area was full of clay. According to some "experts", during really dry years, the clay would contract from lack of moisture and it would cause the houses to settle. Most of the house in that neighborhood had some sort of settling issue. Cracks in the foundations, chimney's separating from the house, walls settling, etc. The garage floor in my own house settled a few inches down and we had to get a concrete pumping company to jack it back up. Luckily, the crew was doing a job a couple of houses down and I got the guys to do it while they were there. Saved several hundred bucks that way!!

The house I'm in now doesn't have those problems, but it does make some noises. We live in a log home so the wood does expand and contract a little bit. But, when it gets really cold, we hear really loud pops. In our case, I think that the builder spaced the decking too close on our front deck and the boards will pop as they expand and contract against each other. The first time we heard this was about 2:00 one morning. Scared the crap out of me and I had no clue what it was!! Grabbed the gun from the nightstand and went "patrolling" in my underwear! Not a pretty sight!! Of course, I found nothing and after a couple of days of this happening (during cold weather like right now) we finally figured out that it was the deck popping.

Are you seeing cracks in the walls or ceilings?

I'm sure that some of the folks on here that are a lot smarter than me will weigh in with something more helpful for you!!

We have a lot of clay and sandstone. No cracks, just the door frame seems to have moved. We do have a balcony/deck off the second story bedroom. That is in the area where the noise originates.

It's normal here , All timber frame houses i know do it . Usually around christmas as the deepfreeze sets in and house moves then again in the spring as it warms up . It can be alarmingly loud at night

Thanks! That is reassuring. It is loud.

 

[Dutch445]

it has been a cold winter, and the houses i've owned have all had their share of pops
during cold snaps.
is your bathroom on outside walls? i have an outside entrance to the basement that has
had the hinge side of the door heave quite bad, and i've had to shave off a bunch of the
top of the door to continue using it. i think it's the whole corner of this block wall that
lifted, 3/4 inch or so.
i would check your foundation and see if you see any cracking and go from there.

 

[deerseeker001]

We have that every once in the while in very cold weather.

 

[dave1949]

The door frame could be just that humidity levels are low.

 

[MNBobcat]

Google this:

indiana frost quakes

That "thud" could be a frost quake. They've been reported this year in your state.

 

[lhfarm]

Google this:

indiana frost quakes

That "thud" could be a frost quake. They've been reported this year in your state.

Wow, that is interesting! I'll do some looking around at the ground. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[jaotguy]

thuds are the "rafters" that are frozen to the top sill plate .. eventually in the deep freeze, the house shrinks / expands enough to pop them free ... hence the crack or thud .... nothing to worry about.