Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

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

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your kitchen seems to be a little louder than usual there are a couple of easy things that you can check while trying to find the answer. There are a lot of fans on a home refrigerator that could create loud sounds. The refrigerator could also not be balanced too. Or you could have a compressor that’s wearing out. If your refrigerator is a lot noisier when the ice maker is operating, the noises might be from a broken a water valve.

There are some basic things that must be be checked. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that is too might result in glass bottles and other items to clink and clank together. This can create a lot of unpleasant noises inside of the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is on and producing a small vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water line hooked up, be sure you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There is usually a button on the water dispenser that can be used to shut off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to pull up the bar. If the refrigerator was installed right by a wall in the kitchen, it could cause the standard operating sound to seem louder. This is because of the echo of the sound of the machine. Pull it out a little from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps. A refrigerator needs to be close to 2 inches from the back wall of the kitchen to lower the sound.

If it is not one of these simple and easier fixes, it’s time to dive on in. Most of the time, the fans are the cause of a refrigerator that’s loud. There are fan blades that sometimes get clogged and dirty. Often times the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Many times the refrigerator condenser fan will get a coating of dust on it and should be cleaned on a regular basis. If it builds up and gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside of the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will want a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel. Once exposed you’ll see a fan in there. If it’s covered in dust and dirt, get a rag and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there check the coils too. These are typically right there and covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a couple of minutes but it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a common issue that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the blades spin easily? 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 doing this, be sure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer unit. This is not usually the issue, as this particular fan is concealed by being inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that is the area to check.

If you think it might be the compressor, the large, typically black or gray object under the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling Heritage Appliance Repair. That is not 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