Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our repairmen know just how to diagnose the problem and repair it. Call Reed Appliance Repair today! The #1 CITY refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your kitchen seems to be a bit louder than normal there are a couple of simple things that you can look at while attempting to find a solution. There are several fans on a home refrigerator that often create strange noises. The appliance might also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor wearing out. If your refrigerator is much louder when the ice maker is working, the noises might be from a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of obvious components that must be be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too will often result in glass containers and other items to clink together. This can create a lot of unpleasant noises inside of the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is on and thereby creating a minor vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water hooked up, be sure you turned off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There’s typically a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be pressed to turn off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you just need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed right by a wall, it can sometimes cause the normal operating sound to seem louder than it really is. This is a result of the echoing of the sound of the machine. Pull the refrigerator out a bit from the kitchen wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be around 2 inches from the rear wall of the kitchen to lower the noise.

If it is not one of these basic and easier fixes, it’s time to dive on in. Most of the time, the fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get dirty and clogged. Sometimes the fan motors do too. There is a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then needs to be cleaned regularly. If the coating builds up and gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside of the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. As soon as it’s exposed you will see a fan in there. If it is covered in dirt and dust, take a cloth and gently clean it off. While you’re in there you should look at the coils too. These are usually near there and full of the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils will only take a couple of minutes and it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a very common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin freely? If not the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is usually a part that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before doing this, ensure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t usually the problem, as this fan is concealed within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the area to check.

If it’s possible that it could be the compressor, the large, usually black or gray object under the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Reed Appliance Repair. That is not 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