Cacophonies in your house? Don't keep any, you'll run out of money if you ever want to build a castle.
Huffpost has compiled an article on five household noises that should never be ignored.
As the online magazine writes, it's important to know the difference between noises that are simply annoying and those you shouldn't ignore.
Water running continuously
When you hear water running without any tap being turned on, it's almost certain that there's a leak.
When you hear this kind of sound, you should check whether there is water accumulating in areas susceptible to leaks, such as the kitchen or bathroom.
Plumber Kelly Ireland explained to Huffpost that if a cold pipe has hot water running through it, it makes "a tapping sound, which mimics the sound of a drip", for example.
Whenever you suspect a leak, you should check the water meter:
"If the meter is spinning, that's the first sign that there's an active water leak," says Ireland.
Buzzing in light bulbs, sockets or switches
Properly installed lights do not emit sounds. When you hear a sound coming from your sockets or switches, don't hesitate to call an electrician.
"Although many LED lights and dimmers produce a slight hum or noise, they should not. Correct installation, compatibility of the power supply and dimmer will not produce any noise in your luminaires," explained expert Katie Whitaker.
"Whistling" near gas appliances
Courtney Klosterman, a home insurance specialist, explains that hissing near gas appliances is also one of the most common noises - and can result in explosions or fires.
Hissing sounds in areas where there are gas appliances can be "very serious indicators of a potential danger in your home that could lead to a fire," she says.
The characteristic sound of a gas leak (when it's large) is similar to that of a whistle. kelly Ireland compares this sound to the noise you hear when you're driving and the rear window of your car is half-open.
In these cases, you should leave the house immediately, making sure not to touch anything electrical, such as light switches.
In any case, the smell is still the first indicator of a gas leak.
Dripping taps
A dripping tap won't be an immediate emergency, but it will become more costly the longer you ignore it.
This problem usually occurs when the tap cartridge - which controls the flow of water - is broken.
Dripping toilet
Dripping noises coming from the toilet can be a sign of poor ventilation or a blockage.
"A lack of ventilation means that the water is passing through with difficulty, because you need airflow [to flush the toilet]," explains Kelly Ireland. In the event of a blockage, "the situation will only get worse and the toilet will end up overflowing".
Even if the cistern continues to work, experts warn that ignoring this type of problem will always be more expensive in the future.
