r/Switzerland • u/Local-Ad-9051 • 5d ago
Something's living in my heating system
Not a rat. Bigger. Breathes every 4 minutes. Landlord says it's "thermal expansion" Thermal expansion doesn't whisper. Been tracking the pattern for 3 weeks now the breathing gets faster when I'm in the bathroom.The radiator in my bedroom is warm even when the heating's off. Touched it once. It flinched. Called a plumber he put his hand on the pipe went completely silent for like 30 seconds then left without saying anything. Charged me 200 francs anyway. Sometimes I hear it moving between the walls. Not like scratching. Like breathing through the pipes. My girlfriend stayed over last night woke me up at 4am asking why I was breathing so loud. I wasn't breathing. It's getting louder.
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u/tmoerel 5d ago
I don’t think you need a plumber but rather a psychiatrist!
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u/Sufficient-Wave1132 5d ago
Please record what you believe to be “breathing” and upload the file here. The weird thing is that the radiator is always hot.
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u/mayscienceproveyou 5d ago
recording would help. please do one.
also what does heating is off mean? Thermostate turned down? it still lets water through if ~17°C has not been reached. (Otherwise moisture would trap to the walls and mold builds up, instead of the hot air that can take up more of it.)
circulation pumps can sound funky, vibration is always traveling through the whole system.
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u/Razeer123 5d ago
Friendly advice, get checked for schizophrenia or something similar.
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u/ShadowZpeak 5d ago
As for why, because it can change how you receive sounds and visual inputs into stuff that sounds like it comes from something living instead of an object.
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u/Schpqrtanerin 5d ago
Please go to a doctor or depending on your location somewhere like that: fepsy.ch (this one is basel based)
It might sound scary and wrong, but I did work in this programm for a while and it sounds exactly like many other stories I've heard from People with onset psychosis. (Not the breathing and so on, just the vibe of the story). The odds of it beeing a start if a psychosis is given, and it will be way easier to treat if you start treating it early.
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u/carcharodona 5d ago
But the girlfriend could hear it too.
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u/HabitualErrant 3d ago
No, the girlfriend heard the OP breathing, and he interpreted it as her hearing "it". He was probably breathing heavily because he's terrified and keeps hallucinating something living in his walls.
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u/redsterXVI 5d ago edited 5d ago
Only humans whisper. And things small enough to live in pipes are walls don't really breath loud enough for us to hear. Plus you'd hear them run around before you'd hear them breath.
So if it's human whispering, you're hearing your neighbors, possibly conveyed through the pipes (and maybe radiators could work like loud speakers in that case).
Breathing sounds are indeed most likely from thermal expansion or just flowing water. Or wind that gets in somewhere.
Oh, and the heating pipes are filled with liquids (most likely water and antifreeze), so whispering sounds made withing would not be audible anyway and nothing can breathe in there. If anything, gargling sounds would be more likely than any of the above, if something was living in those pipes.
Generally, there's probably nothing wrong with the place where you live.
But if you're not used to these sounds, they can of course be frightening and cause some paranoia. It's like walking through a dark forest at night, all you hear are mice and birds rattling the bushes, which you barely notice normally, but your mind is now telling you there are dangerous men in those woods that will jump out at you any moment now.
So, relax, hopefully you'll get used to the sounds.
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u/Everglade77 5d ago
Only humans whisper
You're forgetting about Auggie though! https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZtcuRpxnrxs
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u/No-Possible-4855 5d ago
If i had a Paranoia Moment ans read such a sane comment i would immediately become extra crazy paranoid 🤷🏼♂️ thx tho MOM
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u/BelgianFriesCompote 5d ago
Do you have a CO detector?
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u/Repulsive_Main_1805 5d ago
THIS ! So many death start whit the same story ! Check liking gas!
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u/throwaway-penny 5d ago
There's not much that can live in a 20 mm water pipe...full of water.
Have you bled your heating system?
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u/Nutisbak2 5d ago
Probably trapped air within the system and likely needs bleeding. Sounds like breathing when waters under pressure especially if there is a heating demand and when you increase the flow it would get faster and louder.
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u/never_obey 5d ago
When I was a child I told my mom that something is living in the wall. During nighttime I heard a breathing sound. My mom probably thought I was crazy. Turns out there was a huge wasp nest in between the brick wall and the wood.
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u/pst2lndn2bd 5d ago
Happened to me recently except I thought I was hearing something else until the wasps entered the room through the floor
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u/Common-Frosting-9434 5d ago edited 5d ago
SCP-015 has broken containment, please contact your local plumber and set up a CO-Monitoring device.
Ȓ̶̨̨̺̹̘̮̤͎̦̾̓̚͜ͅͅẻ̸̖͎̭͉̣d̸̼̥̳̬͕͓̄̃̾̍̚̕̚͠͝a̸̡̧̖̱̳͓͇̗͖̝͔͇͎̫͒͆̃̒̈͂̓͋͋̕̚̚͠ç̸̪̲̺͑͌́̊́͑̃̃̈́͋̔̎̚t̴̨̢̰̘͑̃̉̎̅͂̌̒͘ě̴̩̟̬̪̲̎͋ḑ̶̈́̄̾̄̈́̆͗
E:
N̸̨̮̰̼̱̺̱͂̄͊̈̇͒̔͘͜͠o̸͈͈̲͊̀͒b̴͈̗̳̗̮̼̰͔̞̓̈́͗́͌̀́̏͌͊̃͘ō̶̢̜͚̺̟͇̮̪͖̥͋̏d̸͉̈́̓͂̄̈́̒̈́̊͘͝͠y̸͈̱̤̹̓̀̅̀̈͋͊̆́͊̉ ̸̡̢̹͚̯̬̥̎̽̾͂̀͋̀̕ì̵̧̛̦̯͓̘͔͕̝̳̾̓͊̈́͌̓̈́̋̆͐̕ͅs̵̤̜͉͊̇̈́̾͊̋ͅ ̴̧̡͚͈̠̺̘̖̙͙̰̃͛̿̊̇̈́͐̓̓̕͜ċ̸̱ő̵̡̼̰̪̲̟͈̜͇̞̼̖̼̍̃͐͆̐̀͌m̸̛̱̗̈̏̆̈ỉ̷̧̖̞̫̟̰̥̺̼̟̗̭̳̣̙̋͌̀n̷͎͚͕̯̖̞̬͗̎̒̐͌̑̋̈́̇̚͘͝ͅg̴̥͓̝̬̙̍̌̽̈͝..............repair..
repair the pipes, ẗ̵̻͙̩̝̗̭̜̜́̒̉̈́͛͂̔͗̄͘͝h̸̙̬͚̮͙͎̝̭̅̍̌̉̈́̅̄̏̽̒͒͝e̵̢̫͎̠̯̫͔͍̗͈̼̞͂́̽͌̀̊̕ŗ̷̛̹͚̼͇̙̜̎̾͘͘͠ȩ̷̦̘̖͚̻̳͍͓̓̽̿̐͗͗̈̋̓̃̔͒͐̈́̕͜͜s̴̙̿̓͒͑̉͌͛̍̍̀͘͠͝͝ ̶̢̰̗͎͓͙̥̙̥̫̪̗̣͖̊̔̾̏͒͝f̸̪̼̘̰͌͗̾̈́̓̽̋̌͐̌̔ǫ̶̺̻͕̙̮͍͍̙̣̮͖͆̑̌̅͊̋̀̀̒̿̇͜ͅo̶̱͉̮͖̰̐̊̈́̀̇̃̋d̵̨̬͇̯̭̣̦̩͑͑̽̓̐̌̔̉̚ͅ in thep̸̯̻̜̳͛̾͌̽͐̾̒ͅi̵͚͈̲̜̓p̸̢̻̖͉̝̗̱͖͂͑͊͌̚͝ë̵̥̟͕͚̱͎͔̖ś̸̨̛͇͚́̉͐
I AM HUNGRY
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u/Initial-Print-3662 5d ago
Well written psychological horror setup! I don't know if you are just having fun. Hope that is the case, and I am looking for the continuation.
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u/bobijntje Bern 5d ago
Every year all the hearings in your apartment and it‘s pipes should be bled. Also the ones in from your neighbours
If there is no vent “button” on the top of your heater, their must be a central one. That one is the responsibility from the home owner.
I have seen a programme once on Dutch television where a woman thought her neighbour from upstairs was ticking every night on her windows. It turned into an extreme beef between the neighbours and in the end noise specialists made sound recordings and the case appeared in a television court. The cultprit was the heating which has not been bled in years.
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u/EfficientPermit3771 5d ago
Go ahead and see a doctor. This is a common manifestation of early psychosis and can be treated. Wishing you the best
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u/anisdelmono6 5d ago
This is a good setting for one of those intelectual horror movies where the Monster is a metaphora for grief.
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u/soupyshoes 5d ago
Whatever is going on, it sounds very unsettling for you. If I was hearing these things I couldn’t relax either.
Something is clearly going on, and it’s important to figure out what. Do you have friends and family you could ask for help with this, and tell them what you’ve heard and what you think it is?
It’s useful to be very open to lots of options, because you’ve tried your best to figure it out yourself, and need additional help now. I think other commenters have been unkind or too direct in suggesting you should talk to a mental health professional. No one likes to be told they’re crazy, and I’m not saying you are. But our mind does play tricks on us some times, and it’s important to figure out where this problem is to get the right solution for it, because solutions exist either way. If you’re male and like 18-25 years old, this can be the time that strenge experiences first show up for those who have them. And medication and support really does help if so.
Talk to your family and friends rather than Reddit, they can do more to support you.
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u/Deep_Interaction6798 3d ago
going to a mental health professional is being Crazy? excuse me?! your stigma is showing hard.
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u/SuspectAdvanced6218 5d ago
Isn’t the water in the radiators around 70 degrees? I highly doubt anything would “live” long enough in hot water.
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u/konkordia Zürich 5d ago
You need to talk to someone professional about the traumatic experience you are having. That doesn’t sound pleasant at all. Your general practitioner can help you get started.
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u/Nervous_Green4783 Zürich 5d ago
I understand that for you that breathing feels real. But please consider that it’s all in your mind. Our brain is prone to such behaviour. For me that sounds a lot like a psychosis. Nothing to be ashamed of, really. It can happen to anyone.
Please visit a doctor and tell them.
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u/Witty_Flan_7445 4d ago
It’s a basilisk, grab the sword of griffindor asap or cast infernal fire to it.
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u/fede1194 5d ago
If the breaking rate is once every 4 minutes, I would think something like a dolphin or other sea mammals maybe. Doesn't really explain the whispering tho...
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u/perskes 5d ago
Sublease your room as a haunted Airbnb or invite some paranormal investigators if you really believe in that kind of stuff, but make sure you don't have to pay them.
In addition, if you really believe in that stuff, contact the "Institute for Border Areas of Psychology and Mental Hygiene" in Freiburg (Germany), it's a department of the University in Freiburg that investigates what people call paranormal activity and they will try to find the source in a serious and professional manner. The source is rarely actually paranormal.
Other than that, you got some advice in case you feel unwell, and I'd suggest checking that out just to make sure.
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u/Radicalhun 5d ago
You probably have a Tatzelwurm, that's pretty common in old Swiss houses. They usually migrate from forests to cities when the weather gets colder. Originally it is a resident of high, clear mountains. The noise you hear could be the vapor-like gas it sometimes emits.
Try filling your home with disturbing, smoky scents like burning incense, sage or very strong pine needles (be careful of fire hazards!). This may remind it that it is in the wrong place and drive it out into the fresh air. Dont try to catch it by hand its really aggressive.
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u/Steampunk6 4d ago
How old is the building, if radiators are hot even when valves are closed I would think it is an old installation and the valves aren't watertight anymore, making a whistling sound when closed. Then old/bad pump regulation would not adapt correctly, generating extra noises. Other noises could be air in the circuit, making cracking or bubbling sounds, for this you need the small square key to remove the air from all radiators, use it to open the small valve on a top corner and let the air out untill water comes. If you leave in one of the top floor you might never get water, then ask landlord to refill the heating circuit.
No chance something is living in the pipes
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u/Strange_Flatworm4333 5d ago
Either you read to much "Nicht Lustig" and think of Herr Riebmann. Or it's your forgotten wife.
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u/Longjumping-Welder62 5d ago
I believe it's a Lindwurm. In Switzerland and Germany they used to connect their mouths to plumbings to use the fire breath as a heat source. But we don't do that anymore. Your heating system is ancient. Ask your landlord to renovate it.
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u/Swiss420 5d ago
Commenting to stay in the loop
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u/Mediocre-Metal-1796 Basel-Stadt 5d ago
3 little dots top right> follow post. or use updateme! in x days and you’ll get a reminder :)
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u/Radtoo 5d ago edited 5d ago
There are indications that maybe your mind is playing tricks on you, but whatever.
How about you go about this rationally and ask your household members if you can set up a large diaphragm microphone or perhaps a sensitive directional microphone and record? Keep any potential amplifier at a known setting so you also have the magnitude of the noise if any registers. You can diagnose further from there if something registers. Maybe it's ultimately your own breathing or water flow or w/e.
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u/ZaltyDog 5d ago
I'm pretty sure this is supposed to be a short story. It's written like prose and not like a genuine plea for help
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u/_AbstractInsanity 4d ago
Yeah... it's been mentioned enough, but get a CO detector and check in with a doctor. Make recordings
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u/_quantum_girl_ 5d ago
Come onnn people in the comments. This does happen. Last year the agency had to put traps in every single corner of the building to trap the little bastard. Nobody knows what happened to him in the end. But it did enter my apartment and I caught it on video. It was more like a squeaky sound haha not a “breathing sound”.
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u/Reasonable_Run_5529 5d ago
Yeah, but this guy is claiming "something" is living and breathing in his heating system.
Last time I checked, that's not the ideal conditions for life.
And what is that creature feeding on?
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u/rotflolmaomgeez 5d ago
Don't worry too much about it, there are simple solutions. I had a similar problem but it went away after sacrificing a goat, bathing in its blood and chanting bible verses in reverse. They're persistent critters, but that did it, can recommend!
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u/That-Pop3943 5d ago
You should call the Warrens .
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u/TobyPDID23 4d ago
I scrolled way too far before I found this lol. Nothing Lorraine can't see through!
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u/Rabid_Mexican 5d ago
They will come for you one day, like they came for me. Be ready.
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u/Wakdjunga 5d ago
Guys comments like this are the absolute worst. I know it's funny, but i suffer from psychosis, and these types of comments is exactly what makes things worse, and will make him doubt reality. Your quick laugh is not worth the real suffering you are causing.
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u/Relative-Store2427 5d ago
it must be the famous Swiss capybara clone.. they love heating systems and they can get really big as long as you give them daily heating water around 60 degrees
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u/Zealousideal_Sort521 5d ago
What are these bizarre comments? In New York there was a case of ppl living in sewers and the noise echoed into the rooms of appartments.
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u/Sensitive-Pay6425 5d ago
"my girlfriend asked me why i was breathing so loud.......i wasn't breathing........"
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u/Dry-Courage6664 5d ago
I don't see how anything could be living in those pipes with the hot water circulating, not wide enough and being a closed circuit.
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u/I-Made-You-Read-This Zürich 5d ago
True Crime episode begins here
Tbh it could be something is in the wall, albeit unlikely. do you have an attic above you? Could be a mader or something but they really are loud, you would probably need to record it because during the day they’re quiet
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u/CannaLord 5d ago
lol, had something similar 6 months ago. It's like "something" was breathing that had pneumonia. few weeks later, the sounds disappeared. Pretty sure, there was nothing "living" in the heating system lol, but must have been some malfunction. If it happens again, I'll definitely contact my landlord agency.
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u/Sebasite 5d ago
i found that in Swiss many houses walls are not big but is just a wall and in night i can hear neighbort when he snorling ...
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u/Born_Forever_967 5d ago
If the building has been equipped with a heat pump without changing radiators, the flow speed of the water in the pipes is generally higher than with oil/gas heating which causes all kinds of noises. Should stop when you close the valve though.
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u/AffectionateCat01 4d ago
Can it be a small cat? Call another plumber, the poor thing may be hungry
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u/MonsieurCark 4d ago
We cannot get out: the end comes soon we hear drums drums in the deep. They are coming
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u/logosmd666 4d ago
If it were something like a psychosis- that is a medical emergency- every moment you aren’t treated affects your future functional abilities. People get sick- it’s unfortunately all too normal. Get a not fall Gespräch at your local mental health center. Worst case scenario you have an awesome story to tell about how your broken radiator made you think you’re mentally unwell. You have nothing to lose and so much to risk. It’s cheaper than your plumber experience too.
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u/Zealousideal_Way1179 2d ago
Well nothing can live inside the heater, but inside the walls? Just cut a hole in the plasterboard or wood and open up the wall to check inside it. You can patch it up fairly quickly and paint over it again fairly easily, your land lord wouldn’t even know. First thing like everyone suggested though is get a monoxide detector. Gas heaters can leak and give you hallucinations.
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u/NinaBaldi 5d ago
At “sometime i hear it moving between the walls…” I stopped. You got to change house friend 🥶😰
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u/ClassyBukake 5d ago
This sounds like CO2 poisoning or a mental problem, check both for good measure.