"Be-beep" or sq-squeek"?
By Faye
@FayeHazel (40248)
United States
April 27, 2018 11:23am CST
Am I finally going completely crazy?
A few months ago, this past winter, I became aware of a really quiet, high pitched "be-beep" or "sq-squeek" chirping kind of sound in my apartment. I looked everywhere I could think of for some kind of item that might be making this noise (it sounds similar to a timer, or a low battery alarm) - but no luck. I looked at my clock, all electronic devices, and tried to pinpoint where it's coming from to no avail.
I was about ready to say something to management when, just as mysteriously as it began, it stopped.
I was thinking about this noise the other day - "remember back when there was that mysterious beeping? Yeah! I'm sure happy that stopped." well... the very next day... guess what happened? (By the way, why can't that happen in reverse, you know? With good things. "Remember when we found that $20 bill? " and then you find another. But no, it doesn't seem to happen that way. *sigh*)
That's right. The perverse beeping started up again. Every 11 seconds(I've counted) I'm greeted with a faint "be-beep".
I've wondered if it's something below me (I'm above the maintenance room) or if my neighbor above or to the side of me has something that's beeping, but most certainly they would have noticed it I should think.
I really don't want to involve management at this building. The manager, though a nice enough person, is what I perceive as hyper-active, doesn't let me finish sentences, assumes I'm going to say something different than what I'm going to say actually, so it's interesting trying to communicate at times.
But on the other hand I don't want to go crazy with this "be-beep" sound, either.
In case you were jealous here is a video of various sound sound effect beeps.
Some low battery sounds from various mobile phones in Synthesia.
16 people like this
15 responses
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Apr 18
Hmmm...could you talk to the maintenance guys directly and not involve management and see if they can pinpoint the beeping? It is possible that it's something coming from their maintenance room below you.
I could tell you, if that happened to me it would drive me absolutely crazy trying to figure out what it was!
I'm going to test out your theory about these things happening in reverse! "Remember that time I found that $20 in a parking lot?" Well....I'm going grocery shopping today, so I am going to be on the lookout for that $20 bill.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Apr 18
@FayeHazel You'll get a good laugh out of this...I actually walked around the parking lot with my eyes glued to the ground looking for that $20 bill. I kept saying to myself, "I'm going to find it, I'm going to find it." I almost got run over by a car, but no luck on finding a $20 on the ground. I was pretty bummed.
But here's the really cool part...I went to grab my checkbook when I got home so I could deduct what I spent on my debit card, and there was a $20 bill sitting inside the checkbook! I forgot I stuck it in there a couple of weeks ago in case my daughter needed it for her trip to Universal Studios.
So, it didn't go directly as planned, but I think today proved that your theory works!
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
30 Apr 18
@moffittjc No way, seriously? FInding money (even if it's your own money that you forgot about) is pretty cool. And to think, it was $20 - too - the amount we were talking about.
I bought a scratch off game yesterday, but alas , no luck.
I will try thinking about positive things (instead of annoying beeping) and see what happens.
Cool experiment. :-)
Hope daughter has fun
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Apr 18
Oh good thought there! We actually got a new maintenance guy here -- I hope I spot him around so I can ask him, directly. So far, I did determine that it's coming from that maintenance room below me. Put my ear to the door and I can hear whatever it is echoing in there. GR
I hope you found that $20! Does my theory work?
1 person likes this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
27 Apr 18
Well someone in your apartment is being playful. hehehe
I literally thought they are mice. 
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Apr 18
Lol! Ah, someone playing a game. That would be mean. I figured out it's coming from the mechanical room below me so far
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
30 Apr 18
@mlgen1037 Hm, not sure... I don't think anyone else has heard it - but then I'm directly on top of where it's coming from. Gr.
1 person likes this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
30 Apr 18
@FayeHazel hihi. Well, that could be possible too. Do your neighbors hear it too?
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Apr 18
I've figured that it is coming from the maintenance room...might be some sort of detector down there. It's making me nuts!
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246720)
• United States
29 Apr 18
@FayeHazel I hope it can be made more quiet!!!
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
30 Apr 18
@DianneN Me too! I see maintenance is here today so hopefully this can get addressed
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (66921)
• United States
27 Apr 18
Id mention it just because it would drive me nuts.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (66921)
• United States
29 Apr 18
@FayeHazel well least you know where its coming from.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
30 Apr 18
@Courtlynn Mystery solved, finally. I haven't talked to the manager yet, but maintainance is here today, going in and out of that room, so hopefully they will fix it with no need for me to talk to manager. That's my hope
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Apr 18
I'm going nuts ... figured out that it is coming from the mechanical room below me
1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20261)
•
29 Apr 18
That happened at my place in the past, for a fair time. Someone pointed out that our remote control for the heater was the culprit, the battery began to be weaker. I didn't believe them of course, (since I had no clue how to change the battery for that unit). Then someone changed the battery for us and all the noise stopped. (That remote control was right outside our bedroom, that was why it annoyed me!)
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Apr 18
Oh no! I'm happy that you finally got someone to replace the battery, thank goodness! It is maddening!
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
30 Apr 18
@YrNemo lol, I think I would too, but at least you know where it would be
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Apr 18
Thanks! So far I determined that it is coming from the mechanical room below me
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
1 May 18
@porwest lol, yeah, it's working on my sanity, too. I will have to try and catch the manager while she's in.... that's a trick all in itself.
1 person likes this
@porwest (78761)
• United States
1 May 18
@FayeHazel Hmmm. Well, hopefully there will be a remedy? Like I said, that would drive me nuts.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
27 Apr 18
I know what you mean. I recently moved into an apartment; I haven't lived in an apartment since the late 80s! It's weird, all the sounds that are around from other people. Just this morning I heard a soft buzzing like a busy signal, not as fast as one, but it went on for about 15 minutes. It was in the living room of my upstairs neighbors. She is home all day, he works, I've never met them but have a lot of questions! Why is the rhythmic tapping on the floor, rather like light hammering, around 3PM every day? Why do I hear their patio door open nearly every hour and why do I hear her washing machine at least twice a day when there is only 2 of them?!
And that's just the people above me. I share a wall with a downstairs neighbor, too, but whoever it is is very quiet, just like me.
If you're on good terms with your neighbor, I would ask about the sound. It'd be nice to know what it is!
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
30 Apr 18
@FayeHazel Oh my gosh, THAT'S THEM!!! I've never met them but I've heard most of those noises. Thanks for the laugh!! 
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Apr 18
Ah, and the smells are interesting at times, too. lol.
That is a real mystery about your upstairs neighbor. A lot of laundry for only 2 people.
Ah, think I got it solved - it seems to be coming from the maintenance room downstairs, so ask the manager, I will.
Here is a hilarious video, it reminds me of your upstairs neighbor.
If you have an upstairs neighbor, you understand. If you don’t, you’re either a part of the few lucky ones or you ARE one. Noisy neighbors are a nuisance, an...
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (6108)
• United Kingdom
30 Apr 18
Unlike my fellow responders I am not going to focus on the strange noise (as you've sussed that), but on your strange building manager.
I am going to give a link to right pair of British comedians, which came immediately to mind. Hope you enjoy.
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (6108)
• United Kingdom
30 Apr 18
Another classic sketch from the comedy legends.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
30 Apr 18
lol! Yes! That's her exactly! Thanks for sharing. I love British comedy
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Apr 18
Thanks! SO far I figured it is in the mechanical room below me
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
28 Apr 18
It sounds like one of those smoke alarms that starts beeping when it needs a new battery. I have been fooled before.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Apr 18
lol! I think it's some kind of alarm in the mechanical room below me. It's really irritating
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Apr 18
So far I figured out that it is from the mechanical room below me. Argh. It can stop any time now.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Apr 18
lol! I know, right? Why cant it work that way with other stuff? Like thinking about finding money
1 person likes this
@Gita17112016 (3611)
• Trinidad And Tobago
29 Apr 18
Well now that you mentioned it, everytime I go to our kitchen which is next to the bar, I hear high pitch noise. I always though it was a cricket. But i am going back to to check if it is electronic. Hope you get to the bottom of your mystery soon.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Apr 18
Oh no! I hope you figure out your mystery noise too.
So far I figured out that it's coming from the mechanical room below me
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
2 May 18
@Gita17112016 Thank goodness, I thought I had lost my mind there for a minute lol
1 person likes this
@Gita17112016 (3611)
• Trinidad And Tobago
2 May 18
@FayeHazel Oh? Well that's good to know. Now you know! Mystery solved.
1 person likes this
@ConVolines (1449)
•
28 Apr 18
Sounds like the smoke detector in your apartment. Find it, then wait and watch. If it beeps, and will probably flash, you need to change the batteries.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Apr 18
Good thought, it is a lot like that sound, I figured out that it's coming from the maintenance room downstairs.... maybe its the smoke detector in that room
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
27 Apr 18
A smoke alarm maybe? They will make noises that will drive a person MAD! that is what it sounds like to me the way you described it. Maybe its in the next apartment, beside, above or below, especially if there is an empty one.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
29 Apr 18
Ah good thought! It is coming from the maintainence room downstairs -- so I will have to talk to the manager.... you're right those things are so IRRITATING. ARGH
