The Halloween season can make the normal seem paranormal. Sounds and sights that typically seem ordinary can seem extra spooky. If you hear creaks, shrieks, and bumps in the night, perhaps you’re part of the 13% of Americans who believe their house is haunted, according to a Realtor.com survey. Read on for the signs that possibly indicate your house is haunted.
Electronics going on and off
Maybe your house is haunted if…your TV mysteriously turns on and off, the lights flicker, the coffee maker turns on in the middle of the night, or Alexa turns on and off.
Solution: Contact an electrician to see if there is faulty wiring in the home.
Temperature changes
Maybe your house is haunted if…you notice significant temperature changes when you walk through the house. This may be if you walk through a freezing air pocket in the hallway or if there is a corner of a room that can never warm up, despite the temperature of the rest of the house.
Solution: Contact an HVAC professional to determine if you have heating or air conditioning issues.
Missing items
Maybe your house is haunted if…items in your home seem to vanish mysteriously. Is a spirit to blame if you’re confident you’ve placed items in particular locations and they never stay there?
Solution: Clear out the clutter to help lessen the chance of losing items throughout the house. Once the clutter is cleared, create an easy-to-adhere-to organization system.
Mysterious noises
Maybe your house is haunted if…you can’t seem to figure out where scratching, rattling, screeching, whispering, or talking sounds are coming from in your house.
Solution: Depending on the type of noise, contact an electrician, pest control, or plumber to see if the noises are from a structural issue.
You feel like you’re being watched
Maybe your house is haunted if…you feel like you’re never alone or you’re being watched, even though you’re certain no one is in the house with you.
Solution: Rearrange the furniture layout in different rooms to create a space with complete sight lines into all the areas, so you’re not caught off guard when someone sits down.
You see glimpses of movements or shadows
Maybe your house is haunted if…you’re always catching glimpses of movements traveling down the hallways or in the different rooms, even though you know no one has walked by.
Solution: Rearrange areas of the house to reduce shadows, such as moving coat racks, book shelves, curtains, or any other objects that cause distracting shadows.
You smell different scents
Maybe your house is haunted if…you smell unexplained scents throughout the house, such as unfamiliar perfume, cigars, flowers, or cigarettes.
Solution: Conduct a deep clean, paying particular attention to the upholstery, window treatments, rugs, carpet, the sink’s garbage disposal, inside of the garbage cans, the dishwasher and any other spot that you may not clean regularly.
What to do if you suspect your house is haunted
- Contact professionals, such as electricians, plumbers, or pest control, to assess for any structural issues.
- Clear out clutter and deep clean to restore a sense of organization and cleanliness.
- Purchase sage sticks to clear out any negative energy or the energy of past homeowners. Light the sage stick to participate in a process called smudging, which clears old energy to make room for the new.