Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. This means our technicians know exactly how to diagnose the issue and repair it. Call ASAP Appliance Repair today! The #1 Greenwood refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your house is a bit noisier than usual there are a couple of easy things that you can look at while attempting to find a solution. There are several fans on a home refrigerator that often create loud noises. The appliance might also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor wearing down. If your refrigerator is a lot louder when the ice maker is making ice, the sounds might be a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of obvious components that should be checked first. Like is your refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too will often cause glass containers and other items to clink together. This will cause a lot of loud sounds inside of the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is running and producing a small vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water connected, be sure you shut off the dispenser and the ice maker. There’s almost always a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to turn off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to lift the bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed near a wall, it might cause the standard operating sound to seem louder than it is. This is a result of the echo of the noise of the machine. Slide the refrigerator out a bit from the kitchen wall and see if that helps or not. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches from the back wall to reduce the noise.

If it is not any of these simple and easy fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a refrigerator that is loud. There are fan blades that can get clogged and dirty. Often times the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. If it 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

First, the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off. As soon as it’s exposed you will see a fan behind it. If it is full of dust and dirt, get a rag and gently clean it off. While you are in there check the coils as well. These are usually near there and full of the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a couple of minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a common problem that sometimes causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades. Do they spin easily? If not the fan motor bearings are not working. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is usually a part that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before you do any of this, ensure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This is not typically the issue, as this fan is protected by being inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that is the place to look.

If it’s possible it might be the refrigerator compressor, the large, usually gray or black object under the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling ASAP 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