In the cold winter months, the rare and natural phenomenon of frost quakes may occur. (Teena Monteleone/paNOW Staff)

By Teena Monteleone

Frost Quake

Things that go bump in the night could be a ‘Frost Quake’

Jan 25, 2021 | 4:30 PM

Catherine Smith thought someone was hitting her house with a ball or bat. The loud bangs outside of her Prince Albert home started just a few days ago, right when the temperatures took a dramatic dive.

“It sounded like wood cracking,” Smith said. “I was worried it might be the ice that may have formed on the roof with our warm weather and then the refreezing. I’ve heard the noises other years but not that loud. Some of them sounded like just outside the wall or deck.”

Smith isn’t the only one experiencing the strange phenomenon known as ‘frost quakes.’ About 70 other people commented on her Facebook post in a neighbourhood watch group saying they too ‘thought someone was banging on the roof’ or ‘figured fireworks were going off.’

Terri Lang, a meteorologist with Environment Canada said it all has to do with what’s going on underneath the house.

“We’ve had a very mild period with melting. So perhaps, not all of that water under the house has frozen,” Lang said. “So now that we’ve had this cold air move in all the water freezes and there will be a big expansion and that’s what people are hearing is these booms or big cracks – it’s the water freezing and then expanding very rapidly.”

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The frost quakes are more common in Central Canada, but the long run of mild weather in Saskatchewan followed by this spell of really cold air makes conditions ideal for houses to find relief the same way we do when we crack our own knuckles.

While booms and cracks in and around your house can be alarming, they’re not a cause for concern according to local contractor Dan Yungwirth with Miller Contracting.

“It’s the structural components of your house moving slightly because of the temperature differential between the inside and outside,” Yungwirth said. “What you’re getting is maybe a fastener or nail letting go a little bit or the wood moving against another piece of wood and that’s what you hear. You don’t need to worry about it. Houses are designed to withstand things like that.”

Yungwirth said homeowners may even experience truss uplift where the top floor ceilings literally lift off the interior walls in the winter. Structurally, that’s not an issue either since they tend to drop back down when the temperature warms.

“If you start to see significant cracking or shifting in your walls… well that’s another issue, but that’s extremely rare,” Yungwirth said.

Smith is still wrapping her head around the naturally-occurring phenomena.

“I’m still not sure if the noise was the ground cracking or the house shifting as well as the ground moving,” she said.

Her concern now is just trying to get a good night’s rest.

“I didn’t get much sleep last night. It went to 38 below and each time I was falling asleep, I would hear another [bang],” she noted.

At least there is an explanation for those ominous sounds.

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Teena.Monteleone@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @MonteleoneTeena