Knocking in my loft early morning

Jimbo · 1 Apr 2020

Hi folks, this one has me stumped.

Every morning, from about sunrise, there's an irregular knocking noise in my loft. There's also sometimes a scraping noise, as if the tiles are being dragged against one another.

The knocking noise is quite deep, as if someone was hitting a rafter with a light hammer. In other words, definitely a knocking rather than a slight tapping.

I assume this is some kind of animal, but I can't work out what. There are no flapping or cheeping sounds that you might get with birds; no scratching or scampering sounds that you'd get with mice or rats.

I had a quick look up there with a torch the other day and couldn't see anything.

Any clues?

Keithmac · 1 Apr 2020

Could be the tiles and timbers expanding with the morning heat?.

Our windows make a noise due to this.

Only other possibility is pipe knock (central heating?).

JohnD · 1 Apr 2020

if it is due to expansion from the sun's heat, it will change as sunrise gets earlier, and you will hear it on sunny mornings, but not on cloudy ones.

if it is something on a timer, e.g. boiler or central heating, it will start at same time every day

if it is human activity, it might start later at weekends.

scbk · 1 Apr 2020

Could it be birds building a nest in a chimney?

mattylad · 2 Apr 2020

birds under the soffits? got in through a hole.
My mother in law had this, annoyed the heck out of her

Alec_t · 2 Apr 2020

Illegal immigrants?

Tigercubrider · 2 Apr 2020

Squirrels move around as if they're deaf.
If you hear it again - use a broom handle to tap on the ceiling.
They may suddenly stop, but eventually after a short while, will head off at speed and you'll hear them

Diyisfun · 2 Apr 2020

I had starlings few years back, took a while before I realised.

Jimbo · 2 Apr 2020

I think I know what it is. I was out in the garden earlier and I saw several jackdaws larking around in the space between the roof and the solar panels. Seems they like to nest in that sort of space.

So I guess their morning cacophony is the jackdaw equivalent of my early-morning flatulence

diynot

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.

Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

Knocking in my loft early morning

Similar threads