Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most popular service calls. That means our repairmen know just how to troubleshoot the problem and repair it. Call Hub City Appliance Repair today! The #1 CITY refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your home is a bit louder than normal there are some simple things that you can check while trying to find the cause. There are many fans on a standard refrigerator that might create strange noises. The appliance might also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor wearing out. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is working, the sounds might be from a broken a water valve.

There are one or two basic things that need to be checked. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that is too could cause glass jars and other foods and liquids to clink and clank together. This can create a lot of unpleasant noises inside of the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is running and naturally producing a small vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water line hooked up, be sure you shut off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There is typically a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to turn off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you simply need to pull up the bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed near a wall, it could cause the standard running noise to seem a lot louder. This is due to the echo of the noise of the machine. Pull the refrigerator out away from the wall and see if that helps. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches from the rear wall of the kitchen to limit the sound.

If it is not any of these basic and easy fixes, it is time to dive on in. The majority of the time, the fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that sometimes get dirty and clogged. Sometimes the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Many times the condenser fan gets a coating of dust on it and should be cleaned on a regular basis. If the coating builds up and gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is typically located in the rear of the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want to have a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. Once off you’ll notice a fan behind it. If it is covered in dust and dirt, find a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you are in there look at the coils as well. These are typically right there and full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils will only take a few minutes but it will help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a very common problem that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

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

If you think it could be the compressor, the large, typically black or gray object under the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling Hub City Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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