Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. This means we know just how to diagnose the issue and correct it. Call Price Appliance Repair today! The #1 Alabama refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your house is a bit noisier than normal there are a couple of easy things that you can look at while trying to find a solution. There are many fans on a standard refrigerator that often create strange sounds. The refrigerator might also not be balanced too. Or you could have a compressor wearing down. If your refrigerator is a lot noisier when the ice maker is working, the noises might be a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious things that should be checked first. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too might cause glass jars and other items to clink and clank together. This will cause a lot of unpleasant sounds inside the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and producing a minor vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water line hooked up, be positive you shut off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s almost always a button on the water dispenser on the refrigerator that can be pressed to turn off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you simply need to pull up the bar. If the refrigerator was installed very close to a wall in the kitchen, it could cause the normal operating noise to seem a lot louder than it is. This is a result of the echoing of the sound of the machine. Slide it out from the kitchen wall and see if that helps. A refrigerator needs to be close to 2 inches from the back wall 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 fans are the reason for a refrigerator that’s loud. There are fan blades that can get dirty and clogged. Sometimes the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Often times the refrigerator condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then needs to 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

behind the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off. Once off you’ll notice a fan behind it. If it’s full of dust and dirt, find a rag and gently clean it off. While you are in there you should look at the coils as well. The coils are typically right there and will be covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a few minutes but it will help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do they spin easily? If not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is usually a component that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before attempting this, be sure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer. This is not typically the issue, as this fan is protected inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that is the area to look.

If you think it could be the compressor, the big, typically black or gray object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling BRAND. That is 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