The first step in determining whether your house is haunted is trying to debunk what’s happening. Older homes, failing appliances, and living pests are sometimes to blame for odd occurrences. Start by looking into the most common home issues that are mistaken for hauntings.
Easy to debunk
Doors slamming shut
Check for drafts. Try opening and closing a few doors and windows to see whether they create a breeze or pressure that can open your doors. You should also grab a level to check whether your home is off a few degrees. It’s possible gravity is pulling your doors shut. For windows, check to make sure they’re being held open securely.
Knocking on walls
A lot of older homes have plumbing or heating elements that make noise. Pay attention to when the knocking begins – is it right after a toilet is flushed or the heater kicks on? You can also contact an exterminator to look for mice, raccoons, or other animal infestations. They might be responsible for noises as they walk through your home or get stuck in your walls.
Strange smells
If you smell something odd in your house, stop and take a moment to figure out where it’s coming from. As a human, you’ve got a better sense of smell then you likely realize. You can recognize thousands of smells, even when they’re practically imperceivable. Dead rodents, old food, outdoor smell, even scents left by previous homeowners can make their way into your nose. If you smell something odd, pause, breathe deep, and try to follow the scent to its source.
Objects falling from shelves or walls
Like doors slamming shut, this might be due to a breeze. Check for open windows and try closing and opening doors in the room where the object was location to see if it creates airflow that might knock the object down. Vibrations could also be to blame. Do large trucks regularly pass by your house? Sometimes even heavy footsteps can be enough to jolt an object.
Harder to debunk
Dark shadow forms
This one is a little harder to blame on common household problems. If you see an odd shadow, remain calm and investigate where you saw the shape. Perhaps there’s an old water stain on the wall or shadow being cast by a car’s headlights outside.
A weird feeling
Check for carbon monoxide in your home. It’s a colorless and odorless gas produced through burning wood, propane, and other fuels. Being poisoned by it often has symptoms we’d associate with a classic haunted house: headaches, paranoia, a sense of dread, weakness, confusion, and more. Make sure to check your carbon monoxide detectors are working or ask a professional to check for leaks.
Learn more about carbon monoxide and its impact on you: cpsc.gov//carbon-monoxide/carbon-monoxide-fact-sheet
A house in disarray
If you come home or wake up to a house that’s been ransacked – cabinets opened, contents spilled, chairs upturned, install a camera. Your pet or an animal intruder may be causing the mess, but it’s more likely a human doing it. Sleepwalkers or intruders may be to blame and catching them on camera is your best way to know for sure. Set up a camera to see whether you can catch the disruptor.
Next steps
If your house needs improvements more than it needs a ghost hunter, Mann Mortgage may be able to help. Your local loan officer can go over your options for a cash-out refinance or other way to get funds to make needed repairs.
Find your local Mann Mortgage loan officer: mannmortgage.com/find-a-loan-officer/
If you can’t debunk the weird things happening in your home, share your experiences with your roommates or family members. A Newsweek poll shows 45% of Americans believe in ghosts, so you’ve got a good chance they will take your experiences seriously.