If you’re hearing noise on your roof—banging, creaking, popping, rattling—it could indicate a problem with your roof (but not all roof noises are bad). A professional roofer can find out exactly what’s making noise on your roof. In the meantime, check this list of common roof noises to see which ones need immediate attention.
Common Roof Noises
Cracking & Popping Sounds
Cracking and popping are very common roof noises. They happen most often on metal roofs as temperatures change. Metal expands when it’s hot and contracts as it cools, and these small movements can make noises that get amplified throughout the house.
They can also put tension on areas that connect the metal sheets to your roofing structure, causing a creaking sound as well. But professional roofers know this and plan for it as they install metal roofs so it doesn’t cause damage.
Hearing cracking and popping on metal roofs is normal and not a cause for concern. Pay attention to when these noises happen; it will likely be as temperatures change, like when the sun heats your home after a cool night or when ice melts during the day. It often happens near bathroom fans as condensation affects the metal as well.
A normal roof noise
Not an immediate concern
Talk to your roofer if the noise continues to bother you
Rattling Sounds
A rattling sound on your roof is one of the more annoying roof noises, but it can also indicate a bigger problem. While it may sound like there’s an animal loose up there, the noise generally comes from wind combined with loose roofing materials.
There are many parts of a roof that can become loose: fascia (the board that runs along the edge of your roof like trim), soffit (which covers the underside of your roof’s overhang), eavestroughs (which disperse rain water away from the home), or shingles.
If the screws or nails holding these items become loose, they can rattle or vibrate in the wind and keep you up at night. Knowing the cause of the sound can bring comfort, but the area should be fixed immediately.
If you get it fixed now, it may just be a matter of replacing screws. If you wait, the sound could worsen and the loose item could rip off in the wind—then you’re looking at a more costly repair (like replacing the soffit).
Also consider the damage that can occur from loose shingles; shingles protect the home from water damage so make sure you get them fixed as soon as you can to prevent more damage.
Not a normal roof noise
Can be an immediate concern
Call a professional roofer to determine the cause of the noise and commence the repair
Squeaking Sounds
While squeaking noises can sound like rodents in your attic, you should check with your roofer before calling pest control. The sound may be coming from a loose whirlybird (also known as a wind turbine vent).
A wind-damaged whirlybird can create an annoying squeaking sound, but the good news is it’s an easy fix for professional roofers. Having said this, the sound may also be coming from other loose materials that we mentioned before, like soffit or eavestroughs swinging in the wind. The sooner you get this sound addressed, the better chance your roof has of preventing further damage.
Not a normal roof noise
Can be an immediate concern
Call a professional roofer to determine the cause of the noise and commence the repair
Banging Sounds
One of the more alarming roof noises is banging. It can certainly wake you up at night (and even creep into your dreams) so for this reason alone, we recommend getting the noise addressed immediately.
But more than this, a banging noise on your roof can indicate that a material is so loose it’s about to fall off. As we mentioned before, it’s less expensive to replace a few screws than it is to replace soffit.
Having said this, we’ve investigated banging sounds that end up not coming from the roof after all; sometimes loose vinyl siding can bang against the house in the wind.
Not a normal roof noise
Can be an immediate concern
Call a professional roofer to determine the cause of the noise and commence the repair
Common roof noises like creaking, popping, squeaking, and banging can drag the imagination in all sorts of directions. Before you make any assumptions, call your roofer. While it may be tempting to investigate the issue yourself, we don’t recommend that homeowners get on their roofs themselves.
Our professionals will safely inspect your roof to determine what’s causing the noise and repair the issue if necessary.
