Who you gonna call?

I've caught an episode or two of Sci-Fi Channel's Ghost Hunters. It's pretty cool and they don't automatically assume that every little cold draft or odd reading is paranormal, which I appreciate.

But it does bring up a good question in my mind. More than one, actually. When do you call in a paranormal investigation team? And how do you pick a good one?

A very good question, and not as easy to answer as "where can I find a good plumber?" (Please pardon the thinly veiled Ben 10 reference.)

Well, I'd like to say that you should first see if they claim any affiliation with a church, but anyone can claim anything, especially on the net. Personally, I'd shy away from groups that use mediums or anyone who channels spirits. Channeling involves letting a spirit into your body and giving over some control to that spirit. The only kind of spirits I know about that are willing and able to do that sort of thing aren't the kind you want anywhere near your control circuits. If someone is willingly doing something like that then my first guess would be they're either faking or seriously deluded on the dangers they're in. Either way, I wouldn't trust them for accurate information.

A good indication that a group is worth looking into is if they recommend contacting a priest if the situation seems unmanageable. Of course, I'm Catholic, so I would find that a positive point.

As for when to start looking for a paranormal investigator, do you really think your house is haunted? There are some things you can look for yourself. Make sure you didn't just misplace your keys and that the kids aren't playing games with the furniture. Check for drafts. If the main symptom is noise in the walls make sure you don't have mice. Things like that. If you still can't find a natural explanation then you might want to call someone in to look for unnatural explanations.

And whatever you do, don't panic.