Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most popular customer calls. This means we know exactly how to troubleshoot the issue and correct it. Call Evans Appliance Repair today! The #1 refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your home is a little louder than it usually is there are some simple place that you can check while trying to find the cause. There are a lot of fans on a refrigerator that often create loud noises. The appliance might also not be level too. Or you may have a compressor that is wearing out. If your refrigerator is noisier when the ice maker is operating, the sounds could be from a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious components that need to be checked. Like is your refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too might result in glass bottles and other food items to clink together. This will cause a lot of loud noises inside the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is on and naturally producing a small vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water line connected, be positive you shut off the dispenser and ice maker. There’s usually a button on the water dispenser that can be used to shut off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to pull up the metal bar. If the refrigerator is installed really close to a wall, it might cause the normal running sound to seem louder. This is a result of the echo of the noise of the machine. Pull the refrigerator out away from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps or not. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches away from the rear wall to reduce the noise.

If it is not any of these simple and common fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a refrigerator that is loud. There are fan blades that can get dirty and clogged. Often times the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and should be cleaned often. If the coating gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside of the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

The first thing to do is to unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is typically located in the back of the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off. Once exposed you will see a fan inside. If it’s covered in dust and dirt, grab a rag and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there you should look at the coils too. These are usually right there and full of the same grime and dust that the fan is. Cleaning the coils will only take a couple of minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is actually a very common issue that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades. Do they spin freely? If not the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is usually a part that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. But, before attempting this, be sure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t usually the issue, as this particular fan is concealed inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the place to check.

If it is possible it might be the refrigerator compressor, the large, typically gray or black object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling Evans Appliance Repair. That’s not a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

• How Does a Refrigerator Work?
• Ice Maker Not Working
• Water Dispenser Not Working
• Refrigerator Not Cooling