Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud noises coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. This means our repairmen know just how to troubleshoot the issue and correct it. Call Horizon Appliance Repair today! The #1 refrigerator repair.

A loud refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your home is a bit louder than usual there are a couple of simple place that you can check while trying to find a solution. There are several fans on a refrigerator that often create strange sounds. The appliance might also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor that’s wearing down. If your refrigerator is noisier when the ice maker is operating, the noises might be a broken a water valve.

There are a few obvious components that must be be checked first. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too might cause glass containers and other food items to clink together. This will create a lot of loud sounds inside of the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is on and producing a minor vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water line hooked up, be positive you shut off the water dispenser and ice maker. There is typically a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be pressed to shut off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you just need to pull up the metal bar. If the refrigerator was installed right by a wall, it can sometimes cause the normal running noise to seem louder than it really is. This is due to the echo of the noise of the refrigerator. Slide the refrigerator out from the kitchen wall and see if that helps or not. A refrigerator needs to be close to 2 inches away from the rear wall to limit the noise.

If it isn’t any of these basic and easy fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. The majority of the time, the refrigerator 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 is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the condenser fan will get a coating of dust on it and then needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. If it builds up and gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. Once off you’ll see a fan behind it. If it’s full of dirt and dust, grab a cloth and gently clean it off. While you’re in there look at the coils as well. The coils are typically near there and will be full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a couple of minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a common problem that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades. Do they spin easily? If not the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is usually a unit that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before doing any of this, be sure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t usually the issue, as this fan is protected by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the sounds are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the area to check.

If you think it might be the refrigerator compressor, the big, typically black or gray object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we suggest calling Horizon 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