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PINPOINTING THE SOURCE OF THE SQUEEK:
To determine exactly where a squeek is coming from, go to any place that sells automotive tools and buy a "mechanic's stethoscope" for anywhere from $10 to $200, depending on quality. I have a cheapie $15 mechanic's stethoscope, and it works well enough for DIY homeowner use.
Basically, a mechanic's stethoscope looks much like a doctor's sthethoscope, but it has a thin metal proble on the end. Since squeeks (and sound in general) are caused by vibrations, touching that thin metal probe to anything which is vibrating will cause the probe to also vibrate in unison, and a metal diaphragm in the mechanic's stethoscope will amplify those vibrations so that the noise you're hearing will be loudest when the probe is touched closest to the source of the noise.
In this way, a mechanic can accurately pinpoint the source of a squeel in a car engine where every thing is moving and making noise. And, we DIY'ers can use that same trick to determine the source of noises in our homes.
To determine exactly where a squeek is coming from, go to any place that sells automotive tools and buy a "mechanic's stethoscope" for anywhere from $10 to $200, depending on quality. I have a cheapie $15 mechanic's stethoscope, and it works well enough for DIY homeowner use.
Basically, a mechanic's stethoscope looks much like a doctor's sthethoscope, but it has a thin metal proble on the end. Since squeeks (and sound in general) are caused by vibrations, touching that thin metal probe to anything which is vibrating will cause the probe to also vibrate in unison, and a metal diaphragm in the mechanic's stethoscope will amplify those vibrations so that the noise you're hearing will be loudest when the probe is touched closest to the source of the noise.
In this way, a mechanic can accurately pinpoint the source of a squeel in a car engine where every thing is moving and making noise. And, we DIY'ers can use that same trick to determine the source of noises in our homes.
We have had new neighbours move in downstairs, who are, ahem, a little noisy. I'm being kept awake every night by their love-making (to put it nicely).
