A mysterious hum

[Nick]

For the last couple of days my ears have been ringing slightly. I assumed it was a side effect of medication or another sign of approaching dotage. But then Mrs Nick and The Boy enquired about this strange noise which permeates the entire house at about the threshold of a ticking clock. What the devil can it be? It is the same volume in every room and has no obvious source.

ANy suggestions?

[Uncle Mort]

Most of the odd noises in my house seem to emanate from the hot water and central heating systems but they don't usually persist. 

[Nick]

I have turned all the heating off. The hum remains!

[Snoopy]

Switch off your electricity at the mains. If that stops the noise you have something to work with. Switch the leccy back on and visit each individual appliance and switch it off until you find the culprit. It may in fact be your meter itself. They do sometimes make a noise and need to be replaced.

We tracked our "noise" down to a freezer that was vibrating against a wall.

When a similar noise was detected some twentyfour months later I repeated the exercise and found that the stereo unit was on standby (because that is its default mode and to switch it off completely means crawling behind a bookcase to switch it off at the wall socket) and that one of the speakers was giving out a permanent hum of "feedback", presumably picking up the small amount of power being used whilst on standby. Moved the speaker and the problem ceased.

[Uncle Mort]

That was my next suggestion!

Comes to something when the dog is the pub's "font of all knowlege"
 

[Nick]

I just turned off all the power at your suggestion. The hum remained!!

And I can't be arsed to go around checking every appliance. After all if the power is off and the humming continues it ain't the power. Is it??

[Snoopy]

Shouldn't be .... It's prolly next door's leccy then.

[Nick]

Good point. I must ask them if they can hear it (when they get back at 6.00 )

[Miss Demeanour]

Nick,

have you checked all of the boys toys, something is bound to be telling you it needs the batteries replaced??????

[Nick]

Good idea, but no. Even the remote controlled dinosaur is in fine fettle!

[Snoopy]

Lap-top on standby?
Windfarm noise being carried to you by the SW wind today?
Has a neighbour got themselves a "Cameron" windmill on their property?
Telephone company been spoken to? ... it could be their cables.
Leccy Company ditto.

[Miss Demeanour]

Then you are being bugged and should start talking in code at all times.

Promise we will try and notice the difference  

[Nick]

Lap-top on standby?
Windfarm noise being carried to you by the SW wind today?
Has a neighbour got themmselves a "Cameron" windmill on their property?
Telephone company been spoken to? ... it could be their cables.
Leccy Company ditto.

So many possibilities, so little time. Wind farm idea is a poss, actually.

And Miss D, I could be being bugged . I will talk in gibberish from now on.

[Snoopy]

And I will shut up and do some work.

[Nick]

Ah yes. The W word!!