I finally figured out the weird buzzing in my kitchen ceiling

Last Thursday, I was making coffee and heard this low, steady buzz coming from above the light fixture. It wasn't the light itself, and it wasn't the fridge. It was just this odd, quiet hum that would start and stop at random times, mostly in the evening. I got a step stool, took down the fixture cover, and shined a light up there. Nothing. No bugs, no loose wires. The next night, it started again right at 7:15 PM. I stood there listening, and then I heard my neighbor's garage door opener grind to a close down the street. The buzz stopped a second later. Turns out, the metal junction box in my ceiling was acting like a speaker, picking up the vibration from his old motor through the shared wall framing. I wrapped the box in some foam tape I had for pipes, and the noise is gone. Has anyone else had their house pick up sounds from something next door?

2 comments

2 Comments

viola_cooper621mo ago

Could it be the neighbor's door opener?

lindaw291mo ago

Lol my house picks up my neighbor's phone calls sometimes, no joke. Good call by @viola_cooper62 on the opener, and nice fix with the foam tape. My solution was way less smart, I just started talking back to the ceiling buzz.