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Bedroom floor vibrating and making bed lightly tremor like earthquake or distant train ?

This is my third winter of dealing with this horrible problem. Some of you will remember you your help and support has been wonderful, but it is happening again.

It wakes me up at night (every night is different and sometimes it doesn't do it for no reason) and keeps me awake and makes me ill and almost crazy.

Through hundreds of hours and keeping logs last year of temps and and other things, I know one thing for sure - it does not do it from May until October when it gets cold.

At one point a new water pressure regulator was put in as the water pressure was very high. It is not the heating system in the attic, there is no attic other fans, I am on propane, no water runs at night, I live by myself, I am on septic with no pumps, the bedroom sits high about 6-7 feet on the ground, the pipes run under the bedroom and are all plastic stuff, there are no water leaks, the house is 2 years old, there is a big ugly telephone electric pole on that side of the house, an electrician and PGE said oh no it couldn't be that, the vibration seems to come from the floors up thru the metal bed frame and I feel it and hear it thru my pillow and the mattress, I have empty fields on each side of me, I have neighbors across street on community water, the water district said there are no pumps for water or sewer under the street, the propane company said it couldn't be that even though the big tank is under the bedroom window, by hot water heater is propan only, I leave my heater off at night. It happens mostly in the early morning like from 4:30 to 7:30, but that varies too. Last night it did it from when I laid down at 8:00 until about 1:00 and then completely stopped and then started again at 6:00 or until about 7:30 am.

The morning before it only did it at 6:15 am until 7:45.

I'm going nuts and last year the builder said I was nuts and wouldn't help me and now my warranty is up.

As solutions I've thought of something under the bed to buffer it, moving the bed, more support under the house (though that would be expensive), a new type of bed frame, or just burning the stupid house down!

Sometimes there are related humming or a big cat purring motor type sound or like wind rushing thru the attic, or a big fan running lopsided somewhere but there is nothing and it stops completely in the warm months.

I have lots more info in my notes that I'm probably forgetting.

Thank you for your help. PS I live in No Calif. this doesn't seem to start until temps go into the mid 40s at night. It probably does it too in day, but I'm not laying down. I don't seem to feel it in other rooms although I did feel it on the sofa before they changed the water pressure regulator.

7 Answers

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  • W. C.
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    OK, I'm going to take a stab at this. If you have a digital camera, put it on your bedside table, or near it, along with a flashlight.

    Get a saucer of water, probably a dark saucer, but you might need to try several different colored saucers, put some water in it & set it on the floor on the bedside other than the one you normally use & lay a clock next to it.

    What you're going to try and do is capture the vibration via ripples in the saucer of water & the clock will give you the time it occurred.

    I tend to agree with the electrician, however, if that pole is carrying high voltage and a heavy load is kicking in during these times, there very well could be vibration being generated.

    Do you know of any underground pipelines running near your property? This also could be a vibration source.

    What about train tracks or medium to heavy industry nearby (up to a mile away) that could be running heavy motored machinery?

    When shooting your pics, it may come out better if you shoot from an angle...you'll have to play with the angles & different colored saucers to get the best contrasted shot.

    Once you've been able to produce some photos of the phenomenon it will lend credence to your complaint. If it still falls on deaf ears, does a local TV station have a consumer advocate reporter...take your case to them. Adverse publicity or the suggestion thereof sure does have a way getting people's attention.

    Best I can offer.

    Good luck...

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    It is a shot in the dark without being able to investigate, but from the information it sounds like pipe vibration. Are there any big water users are gas users near you? Since it got better when the water regulator was changed, I would go with it first. Is there an outside valve were you can shut the water off? Water surges in the main line can cause pressure surges in your house even if you are not using water. How are the water pipes under your bedroom supported? The old way off handling pressure surges was to put a tank in the line that trapped some air. The air acts as a shock absorber. I hope this helps. Good Luck.

    Source(s): Worked forty years as a problem solver in manufacturing.
  • 7 years ago

    So in the last couple years (by the way I changed the dynamics - moved bed, added thick memory foam) also, it has not rained in No. Calif as we are in a drought. This was happening to me in the rainy cold months and completely stopped when it got warm and stopped raining. However, I still worry about it - someone told me that "grow lights" near your house can cause this as they require too much electricity when they come off and on,, but I have an empty field on each side of me. also they said if some one else's water pressure regulator is broken, you might feel it clearn down the street. but why would it be so consistent??? I am hoping mine doesn't start up again when it finally starts raining. thank you all for your continuing suggestions.

  • 7 years ago

    Having the SAME problem, but on other side of USA. Miserable! Mattress & matching "box" is directly on carpeted floor (not up on a bed-frame); under carpet is concrete foundation/floor. Vibration is mostly steady, sometimes stronger, sometimes weaker, & sometimes like a pulsating-vibration. There's also a very very low hum. Can also feel it in other rooms while standing or sitting & even in garage/concrete floor/no-carpet. It began 3+ months ago w/it only stopping/becoming 100%-still/quiet/calm a very few inconsistent times/days since. Not a house but a complex/concrete/asphalt. No trains/planes, but yes biz's nearby. I think it must be machinery (but why would it stay ON mostly non-stop?) I've also thought: Dredging somewhere? or SmartMeters/Elec-Water-Sewer/EMR/RF? or "Smart Refrigerators"/Neighbors? or Military Sneakiness? or I dunno! What will best buffer vibrations between floor/bed? Bricks? Concrete Blocks? 2x4's-Wood? Giant Rubber Mat? Any ideas appreciated! Thank You!

  • 7 years ago

    Been having the exact same problem for a long time myself; living in Texas in the middle of nowhere. After reading all the answers I will definitely check on the water pressure, though I find it strange that this would suddenly start after living here for years with no problems beforehand and had no work done on anything. Occasionally it even sound and feels like a tank rolling by off in the distance. After hearing of buildings being sucked up by gigantic sinkholes this really has gotten me spooked.

  • 1 decade ago

    andi, your last paragraph leads me to think you may still have a problem with your water pressure. a regulator is supposed to be preset at the factory. i found out the hard way they are not always accurate. before you spend any money. you might want to try turning on your garden hose faucet just a little for the night. this re leaves the pressure in your lines. if you don't have the shaking for a couple of nights your pressure is probably still to high. checking the pressure is not hard. a plumbing supply house and sometimes home depot carry hose faucet pressure gages. it just screws onto your garden hose faucet. you will need to check the pressure your regulator is supposed to be at (its in a tag on the regulator). just turn your hose faucet on and read the pressure. if it is high adjusting the regulator is not to difficult.

    Source(s): HVAC tech, 12 yrs maintenance
  • Molly
    Lv 4
    5 years ago

    Jim P. is right! It was just a small tremor - it happens once in while here in my neck of the woods. Rest assured there is nothing supernatural about it :)

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