Attics Joists Creak And Pop

Popping is a common way to describe a variety of noises that a house makes and the causes are varied.

Attics joists creak and pop.

If your attic already has insulation it is probably useless for your intended attic remodel. In the case of 2x6 joists you can pair them up with additional 2x6 joists by nailing them together side by side. The attic is one of the most unused and under designed spaces of a home. Further the carpenter may need to add nails or reset them shim shore add joists or rafters rebrace etc any or all of these methods might indeed pull it off and get rid of the unwanted noise.

Metal roofs are major offenders but shingled roofs also can be quite noisy. Most people store clothes antiques junk photo albums and many of their long forgotten things in this rather dingy area often known as the dead load. If the attic joists are not adequate one way to strengthen the floor for live loads is to sister the old joists. In older home attics unsettling bangs are more likely to be the sounds of trusses joists rafters and sheathing expanding or contracting as the roof heats up or cools down.

All attics joists can carry a minimal dead load weight i e 10 pounds per square foot. But live loads are a different matter. How to build attic flooring on joists. If your house is giving you the creeps because of popping noises from inside the walls and up in the attic you can probably chalk it up to something other than spirits from beyond the grave.