Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

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

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your kitchen is a bit louder than usual there are some simple place that you can look at while attempting to find a solution. There are a lot of fans on a standard refrigerator that often create strange noises. The appliance could also not be balanced too. Or you could have a compressor that is wearing down. If your refrigerator is a lot noisier when the ice maker is operating, the sounds could be a broken a water valve.

There are a few obvious things that should be checked first. Like is your 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 unpleasant noises inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is running and thereby creating a small vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water line connected, be positive you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There is almost always a button on the dispenser that can be used to turn off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you just need to pull up the metal bar. If the refrigerator was installed right by a wall, it will sometimes cause the normal running sound to seem louder than it really is. This is a result of the echo of the noise of the refrigerator. Pull it out away from the kitchen wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator needs to be close to 2 inches from the rear wall of the kitchen to reduce the sound.

If it’s not one of these basic and easy fixes, it is time to dive on in. The majority of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that will often get clogged and dirty. There are times the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Many times the condenser fan gets a coating of dust 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 fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

The first thing to do is to unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is typically located behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need to have a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off. Once off you’ll see a fan in there. If it is covered in dirt and dust, find a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you are in there you should look at the coils too. The coils are typically near 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 certainly help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is actually a common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do the fan blades spin easily? If they don’t it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is typically a component that can be ordered 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 in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer. This isn’t usually the issue, as this particular fan is protected within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the area to look.

If you think it might be the refrigerator compressor, the big, typically gray or black object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling Calhoun Appliance Repair. That’s 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