7 Signs of a Haunted House (And What Actually Causes Them)
10/30/2019
Is your house the home of an angry ghost? Are you visited by phantoms at night? Or do you just have a faulty ventilation system? Find out what classic signs of a haunted house are actually caused by ventilation problems, and how you can fix them.
- Cold Spots
A cold spot in your home is a sure sign of a ghost—or is it? If a room or area in your house is noticeably colder than the rest of the space, it’s more likely that your air ducts are leaking. This means cold air can be leaked into one area of the house, or not make it through the ducts to reach another area.
- EMF Readings
Ghost hunters will look for EMF spikes as a sign of a ghost. EMF stands for Electric or Magnetic Field, and these fields can be caused by a wide variety of reasons. An EMF reader can detect a spike near any electrical appliance, such as a microwave or television. This is not harmful and not proof of a ghost—it just means your appliances are working.
- Doors Slamming Shut
A door suddenly slamming shut can startle you, but it doesn’t mean there’s a spirit in your home. It’s more likely caused by a draft that leaky ventilation can lead to.
- Unknown Smells
If you can’t pinpoint where a smell in your home is coming from, it could be something in your vents rather than a malevolent presence. Are your vents open to wildlife that can get stuck inside?
- Hearing Moaning Sounds
Unknown sounds that may seem like ghostly groans are more likely caused by air in water pipes. This may not be a problem, but a simple issue of improper water pressure. Contact a plumber to fix this.
- Unexplained Animals
Some say that wildlife such as raccoons or squirrels appearing in your home means that you are being haunted. However, it’s far more likely that there’s a hole in the exterior allowing them inside. Your house is a safe place from the outside weather for you, so animals will want to take advantage of that.
- Feeling of Dread
One supposed sign of a ghost that’s hard to pin down is an unexplained feeling of dread. People who experience this describe it as feeling like you’re being watched or breaking into a cold sweat. Surprisingly, there is a scientific explanation for this—infrasound. This is a sound that is below what humans can hear, but still within the range humans can feel the vibrations of the sound. Mechanical equipment in your home, such as a water heater or HVAC unit, are capable of producing the sound and giving you this feeling.
Upgrade your home’s ventilation system today and stop feeling haunted by your old and broken system. Contact Zehnder America to get started.