Help!!  I'm at the end of my rope.  I have what appears to be a high
frequency "squeel" somewhere in my home.  It's driving me and the dog
crazy.  Thought it was the new oven because every tme I turn it on the
dog runs away but I can hear the sound when the oven is off.  I have
tried unplugging all appliances and turning off the breaker to my new
oven.  I'm now wondering if it might be one or more of my AC/DC smoke
alarms.  There are several and ceilings are high adding to the
problems.   I would like to hire a pro to use a magic box of some kind
to tell me if there is a sound and where it is coming from.  What do I
call such a person and how could I find one in the Phoenix area?

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Request for Question Clarification by tutuzdad-ga on 08 Jul 2004 16:41 PDT

Have you turned off the breaker to the entire house and listened for the sound?

tutuzdad-ga

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Clarification of Question by ray99-ga on 11 Jul 2004 10:52 PDT

I have turned off the main circuit breaker.  No difference.  I
disconnected all seven smoke alarm batteries as well as cordless
phones and central alarm batteries.  The only other battery operated
thing I own is my car.  When I take my car around the block the sound
stops so I think I've eliminated the brain tumor.  I don't really want
to build a piece of equipment.  Radio Shack's sound meter only covers
a specific range of db and I don't know if I'm in that range.  Water
pipes sounded good but I've turned off the water meter and gas meter
to no avail.  I swear I can hear this sound outside too so I'm still
convinced it may be a neighborhood problem which leads me back to
hiring a professional.  Does anybody know a pro in the Phoenix area?? 
Thanks

Do you have roof vents that are the sheet metal circular/rotating
type? These would only generate the sound when the wind blows.

Otherwise you need to turn off the breaker to your house and observe
if it is still on. If not, turn the breaker back on and begin turning
one room off at a time until you locate it.

If the noise is still on when the main breaker is off that would mean
that your source is battery operated.

You might also check and see what Radio Shack has on the shelf for noise detectors.

I have had a similar problem in my apartment.  It took me three months
to figure out.

In the end it was my refrigerator.  I hope this helps.

If that is not it I would recommend what coast2coast suggested.  Wait
until the noise starts, and turn off each breaker one by one.  Or if
you know it is in your kitchen.  Turn Unplug each appliance(if you can
reach it) until the noise stops.

Is there a particular time of day it occurs?

Hi ray99-ga,

You could actually use this to identify the source:
http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=7575&cartLogFrom=Search
Just enclose the provided microphone in a hollow tube of PU foam, to
make it directional.

Hope this helps get rid of the problem.

Regards
ldavinci-ga

I got it.  It's your water pipes or water meter.  Even the smallest
amount of water flow will cause eddies to form.  Most likely it's the
meter though.  These eddies will swirl and create strange harmonics
that are very difficult to trace.  But it's possible.  Put a screw
driver on the pipe and the handle end butted to your ear and listen. 
Move around the house till you find the source.  That's it!