Sometimes things that appear to be ghostly might not be paranormal in origin at all. Remember, all “normal” possibilities must be completely ruled out, this is the only way to determine if what you are experiencing might be a haunting.
Things to consider:
Changes in temperature may cause a house to shift and creak. Sometimes these natural sounds are mistaken for moans and/or other ghostly sounds. This is true of new houses as much as older homes.
Another possibility when hearing “moans” in your house might just be the wind. I know that almost seems too obvious, but it isn't always.
If your house is fairly new, the foundation may just be settling. This could produce thuds, groans, snaps, and other odd sounds. If the foundation was poured too quickly or at the wrong time of year, your house may produce dreadful sounds for many years.
Another cause for a house to settle could be an earthquake. After even a minor tremor the foundation could take a while to settle back into its proper place.
Drought or abnormally high rainfall causes changes to the ground around the foundation of a house. This too would cause the house to shift and/or settle.
Something most homeowners forget to consider when trying to rule out normal house settling sounds might be the addition and/or removal of a heavy piece of furniture such as a waterbed or piano. This could cause the entire house to readjust itself on the foundation.
Termites or wood ants do damage to a house's structure causing it to moan as it shifts weight on the foundation.
Squirrels or other animals in the walls or attic of a house may produce very bizarre sounds. These have been mistaken for ghostly footsteps by some homeowners.
Check your neighborhood for construction. Any recently dug basements or blasted location might contract and shift at night when the temperatures get low enough.
Also, a new roof in the neighborhood could be the cause of bizarre sounds, especially at night, as nails pop out of location.
Keep in mind that the temperature drops at night and the humidity and barometric pressure change as well. This could cause a loose shingle to pop a nail or two. If you have a chimney, the mortar may contract enough to cause the dust to echo as it falls down the chimney. This type of effect usually happens around the same time each night.
Another seemingly obvious source of strange sounds is garbage trucks. You might live far enough away from a large commercial area that you don't hear the actual trucks, but the sound produces when they lift the dumpsters to empty them into the truck can be quite shocking and loud. That noise could echo off of siding, or a cement wall, and might sound as if something is crashing against the side of your house, in another room, or on your patio. This is something to consider especially if you have your windows open at the time of the sound.
Not all sounds have these uncomplicated rationalizations, but the logical answers must always be considered first. You may never know if your sound is paranormal in origin unless you use your own common sense and critical thinking skills to rule out ANY other possible explanation.
Having said that, keep in mind that just because there might be a logical explanation, or if your sounds are something that could be faked, it doesn't mean that they are. Keep track of any other experiences, and if there is enough other data, you might have yourself a ghost!
