While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
~Edgar Allan Poe
Tis the season for something a little bit spooky. Have you ever heard a rattle or a rumble somewhere in your house and wondered what it was? Maybe a faucet that only seems to drip in the dead of night, or creaks from the basement when you’re home alone?
The Plumbing Poltergeist
Was a dark and dreary night. The wind seemed to chill the house, and our family all sat huddled in the living room. The warmth of the fire didn’t seem to reach any of us, but we watched the flames dance and cuddled deeper into our blankets.
Suddenly a low moan sounded through the house. “It’s just the wind.” said my father. We all nodded in agreement. Yes, surely it was just the wind. Again, the moan sounded, this time much louder than before. My mother looked at my father with wide eyes. He sighed and unwrapped himself from his blanket. With a last look at the warmth of the fire, my father went looking for the source of the eerie sound echoing through our home.
He never came back.
I’m kidding. He came back with a shrug on his shoulders, and then he looked in my direction. “You forgot to turn off the bathroom faucet again.”
“Dad, I’m telling you. I always turn it off.”
I could tell Dad was about to start off with another lecture, but just then the moan came again – followed by a loud clank from the attic. Mum looked at Dad with a bit of alarm. We have heard the moans and clanks before, but we’ve never found the source.
“I’m telling you, Mum, we have a poltergeist.”
“That’s nothing to joke about.”
“Who says I’m joking?”
Just then, a familiar “drip drip drip” sounded. The bathroom faucet was leaking once again. “I told you it wasn’t me!” I said to my dad. My father mumbled something about the faulty plumbing and turned back to the hallway to shut off the faucet once again. The clank sounded again while Father was out of the room, and then the lights went dark. The moans started, and the clanking echoed through our halls. My father screamed and my mum and I heard him hit the floor.
We ran to the bathroom and nearly tripped over him. He was holding his throbbing head, and complaining about the wet floor. I could tell he wanted to blame it on me. “Was the floor wet when you were here a few moments ago?”
“No. No, it wasn’t.” We all looked at one another, not sure what to say. Maybe there really was a poltergeist, but how would we ever know?
“drip. drop. drip.”
So is your house haunted?
The answer to all those rattles and shakes might just be bad plumbing. You might be surprised that all those groans from the attic might just be due to your pipes. Water is not the only thing that travels in pipes; air does to. Occasionally, roaches or even mice and rats might find their way into the pipes. Close your eyes for a minute and consider what the echo of a scampering rat might sound like with a woosh of air. These sounds, carried through your vent or drain might not sound like a scampering rat, but scraping vibrations, echoes, or even the faraway sound of chains dragging through your basement.
Generally, there is an explanation for those screams or moans that surprise you in your home. Just to be safe, in the light of day, you might have a plumber go over your property. If that doesn’t work, feel free to call in the paranormal experts. Happy Halloween!
