Having a mysterious noise in your flat can be frustrating and may indicate other problems within your building, so it’s worth taking the time to investigate where it could be coming from. There are a few things you can do to try and solve the issue.

First, check with the other owners or tenants living in your building to see if they are also affected by the noise. This will help to determine if the problem is just within your flat or if it is a wider problem affecting the rest of the building. Additionally, where possible, speak with your solicitor to see if the previous flat owner experienced the same issue.

It may be that the noise is coming from the service pipes in your building. Service ducts are often only boxed in with plasterboard or ply panels and lack additional noise insulation. Noise in service pipes may also be caused by the phenomenon of ‘water hammer’.

Water hammer is a high-pressure shockwave that occurs in water pipes when a tap or valve suddenly stops the water flow. This sudden stop can cause the pipes to shudder and make a banging noise. The shockwave can damage pipework, so it’s important to ensure that the pipework is well-secured and supported, and that the valves are in good condition.

Consider arranging for a tradesperson or plumber to have a look around your flat and building to see if they can locate the source of the noise. This will hopefully provide a clearer picture of the problem and what can be done to resolve it.

If the issue is to do with a lack of insulation around service pipes, there are two main options for adding noise insulation:

• Cover the existing duct with mineral wool batt and apply a second boxing of two layers of plasterboard.
• Remove the existing duct covering, wrap the pipes with 50mm of mineral wool, then rebuild the duct with two layers of high-density plasterboard.

If the work involved to stop the noise is a common or mutual repair, involving parts of the building outwith the four walls of your flat, such as a common pipe, make sure you inform the relevant owners in your building and follow proper procedures.

For more information on dealing with noise, such as knowing when noise is anti-social, the types of noise, and physical solutions, check out this article.