Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most popular customer calls. This means our technicians know just how to diagnose the issue and fix it. Call A&L Appliance Repair today! The #1 Escondido refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your kitchen is a little noisier than normal there are some simple things that you can check while attempting to find a solution. There are many fans on a home refrigerator that might create loud sounds. The appliance could also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor that is wearing down. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is making ice, the noises could be a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of obvious components that must be be checked. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that is too could result in glass jars and other food items to clink and clank together. This can create a lot of unpleasant sounds inside the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is running and thereby creating 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 dispenser and the ice maker. There’s almost always a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to shut off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to lift the bar inside of it. If the refrigerator is installed very close to a wall in the kitchen, it will sometimes cause the normal operating noise to seem much louder. This is because of the echoing of the sound of the appliance. Slide it out away from the wall and then see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches away from the rear wall of the kitchen to reduce the sound.

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

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. As soon as it is off you’ll see a fan inside. If it’s covered in dirt and dust, find a cloth and gently clean it off. While you’re in there check the coils too. These are usually near there and will be covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a couple of minutes and it will help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a common problem that sometimes causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do the blades spin freely? If not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is typically a part that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before you do this, be sure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t typically the problem, 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 area to look.

If you think it might be the compressor, the large, usually gray or black object under the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling A&L 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