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So for most of my time here in this apartment, it's been quiet.... occasional thud from the upstairs neighbor, or in spots where the walls are thinner I might hear one of my other neighbors sneeze. Nothing serious, nothing repetitive. That is, until a couple months ago. Starting about 3 or so months ago I began hearing, and feeling, very loud, solid, thumps, like something hitting the floor. When it first happened I thought maybe one of my neighbors was moving furniture around, but now, a few months later I'm just left scratching my head. I'd ask about it because we are all on decent terms with each other around here, but I don't even know which one is doing it.
It all starts with one solid thump, shakes my desk, my monitor wobbles in place, like something large and heavy was just dropped on the floor somewhere in the building. I can feel the vibrations in my floor. It continues with another solid thump 3 to 10 seconds later. This continues on for 3 to 5 hours, 3 or 4 times a week. From the way this building is designed, I can't even pinpoint if it's coming from the neighbor on my floor, or if it's one of the two upstairs apartments. It's definitely something heavy, possibly weights? Someone had suggested to me that it could be them lifting weights, and if it was for an hour, I could see that, but 5 hours lifting weights? Is that a normal routine length for weight lifting? Mind you I can't think of anything else it might be.
I would like to note this isn't to complain about it, just to try and figure out what it is. It usually happens in the late morning to early afternoon, so they aren't really disturbing anything, and it's fairly easy to drown out the noise with my music, either with my stereo or on my headphones. The shaking of the whole building, not so much, but it hasn't knocked anything over yet, so can't say anything about that either. Here's hoping someone here has experienced this before and knows what it might be, just to put my curiosity at ease.
Possibly, I know the my neighbor in the trailer next door (different building but same landlord) has a dog even though there is a no pet clause in the lease without written approval by the landlord so it's possible, but I've never seen anyone in this building out with a dog so I'll stick that in the "maybe but not likely" pile.
I lived in an Apt for the 1st time in 30+ years. Neighbor had a cat! I found out cause at nite it make these Thump and other strange noises. I saw them out side about 2 weeks after moved in asked them about the noise in the middle of the nite for Hours. Cat Playing with those balls with bells! Cat pouncing ball pop pop popping on the Hard wood floor. They took the toys away No more noise. I felt so bad I went & got a couple bags for the cat See once I knew what the noise was it stopped bugging me! BTW Small dogs & Cats can use Litter box... no need to go out side. & jumping around play they can sound like a herd of elephants!
Yeah the noise itself doesn't really bother me, it's the "what the heck is that" factor that's got me. The fact that they are making the noise I could care less about, it's only during the day, and isn't too bad. If I could pin point which apartment it was coming from I could ask about it in passing, just to satisfy my curiosity.
I'd guess it's a washing machine, dryer or dishwasher. Or maybe the heating unit.
I've heard the washing machines and dryers here, even when they are off balance they don't get to the point of shaking the house with a thump, and the furnaces and boiler are in the basement. Dishwasher... eh, I'm going to side with not very likely at all, not to shake the place like it does. It's powerful enough that it shakes my very large corner desk. It's definitely more of something heavy being dropped on the floor.
OP you must live in a Very Poorly built building if it Shakes like you are describing. Hope you don't get an Earth Quake! I would move! Before the building comes down!
My guess is it's related to heat, based on the timing of when it started. Whether it's a furnace or oil heat or radiator, this type of noise is possible. It could be the heater itself or the ducts or something connected to the heating system. It could even be hot water pipes or drain pipes. Some drain pipes make a thud at times.
When heaters run, metal can get so warm that it expands and causes random thumping noises.
Google for more info and you will see lots of people hear such noises.
My guess is it's related to heat, based on the timing of when it started. Whether it's a furnace or oil heat or radiator, this type of noise is possible. It could be the heater itself or the ducts or something connected to the heating system. It could even be hot water pipes or drain pipes. Some drain pipes make a thud at times.
When heaters run, metal can get so warm that it expands and causes random thumping noises.
Google for more info and you will see lots of people hear such noises.
Expanding hard enough to shake the apartment though? I mean this is literally shaking my desk, which is a corner desk that extends out 5 feet from the corner in both directions. No this isn't some sort of heating duct issue, this is something hitting the ground, weights, pets, furniture, something of that nature.
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See once I knew what the noise was it stopped bugging me! BTW Small dogs & Cats can use Litter box... no need to go out side. & jumping around play they can sound like a herd of elephants!
