Jen came into the room saying she heard a weird rattling noise coming from the cellar. Can I go downstairs and check it out? Sure

I was walking toward the cellar stairs and it happened again. To me it sounded like it was outside. I looked through the window but didn’t see anything. Then it happened again and it sounded like it was coming from the fireplace. It was vaguely metallic. Could it have been the new fireplace grate?

I stood next to the fireplace listening, but it never came again. I went outside to look at the roof to see if there was anything out of place. Our fireplace has a little metal cap on its top. Did the wind somehow make that sound? I don’t see how.

After a few more minutes everything remained quiet. I went downstairs to see if there was anything there. The fireplace is directly above our new furnace which is right next to our new water heater. Might one of those made the noise? I turned on the heat so the furnace kicked on. Quiet as a mouse. I went upstairs and ran the hot water in the bathroom sink. I listened to the water heater and it too was quiet as a mouse.

What the hell was it? My imagination started running with it.

I have decided it was a woodpecker banging on the cap at the top of the chimney. Why not?