Woo-woo or old plumbing infrasound? Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto – Antonis Liokouras – ISO3000 Those creepy sounds in old houses that get one all worked up and believing in all sorts of mysterious stuff are likely caused by something on the rational side of the line between science and pseudoscience. For example: infrasound from old boiler apparatus and plumbing....
No actionable change — this is a general-interest science blog piece with no direct clinical implications for audiological practice.
It highlights how infrasound and its perceptual effects are still poorly understood by the public, which has broader relevance for audiologists who may encounter patients reporting unexplained auditory or physical sensations.
- 01Unexplained 'haunted house' sounds are likely caused by infrasound from aging infrastructure like boilers.
- 02Infrasound refers to sound frequencies below 20 Hz, below the threshold of normal human hearing.
- 03Infrasound can cause physical and psychological effects, including feelings of unease or dread.
- 04The article uses this phenomenon to illustrate that perception can be influenced by sound we cannot consciously hear.
Creepy unexplained sounds in old houses are attributable to infrasound produced by aging infrastructure such as boilers.
opinionpartially supported