Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. This means our repairmen know just how to diagnose the problem and repair it. Call All-Tech Appliance Repair today! The #1 refrigerator repair.

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your house seems to be a little noisier than normal there are some easy place that you can look at while trying to find the cause. There are a lot of fans on a refrigerator that often create strange noises. The refrigerator might also not be level too. Or you may have a compressor wearing out. If your refrigerator is much louder when the ice maker is making ice, the noises might be from a broken a water valve.

There are some basic components that must be be checked first. Like is your refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too can sometimes result in glass jars and other items to clink and clank together. This will cause a lot of annoying noises inside the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is running and thereby creating a minor vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water line hooked up, be positive you turned off the dispenser and ice maker. There’s usually a button on the dispenser that can be pressed to shut off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you simply need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator is installed right by a wall, it could cause the normal operating sound to seem a lot louder. This is a result of the echo of the sound of the appliance. Slide the refrigerator out a bit away from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator needs to be close to 2 inches from the back wall of the kitchen to lower the sound.

If it isn’t one of these basic and common fixes, it’s time to dive on in. Most of the time, the fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get clogged and dirty. Sometimes the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Many times the refrigerator condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then should be cleaned on a regular basis. If the dust builds up and gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside of the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

The first thing to do is unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is usually located in the rear of the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off. Once exposed you’ll see a fan inside. If it’s covered in dirt and dust, find a rag and gently clean it off. While you’re in there check the coils too. The coils are typically right there and will be full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a few minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a common issue that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do they spin freely? If not it means the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is typically a unit that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before attempting this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer. This isn’t typically the issue, as this fan is protected inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the place to check.

If it is possible that it could be the compressor, the big, typically black or gray object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling All-Tech Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should proceed with.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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