Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange noises coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. That means our technicians know just how to diagnose the issue and fix it. Call Palmer Appliance Repair today! The #1 refrigerator repair.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your home seems to be a bit louder than it usually is there are some simple things that you can check while trying to find a solution. There are many fans on a standard refrigerator that could create loud noises. The refrigerator could also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor that’s wearing down. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is operating, the noises might be a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of basic things that must be be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too can cause glass bottles and other food items to clink and clank together. This can cause a lot of loud sounds inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is running and naturally producing a minor vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water line hooked up, be sure you turned off the dispenser and ice maker. There’s typically a button on the water dispenser that can be pressed to turn off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you simply need to pull up the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator is installed near a wall in the kitchen, it might cause the standard operating noise to seem louder than it is. This is because of the echo of the noise of the machine. Pull the refrigerator out from the wall and see if that helps. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches from the rear wall of the kitchen to lower the noise.

If it is not any of these simple and easy fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. The majority of the time, the 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 refrigerators too. Many times the condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and should be cleaned on a regular basis. If the dust builds up and gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. Once exposed you’ll notice a fan behind it. If it is full of dirt and dust, take a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there check the coils too. These are typically near there and covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils will only take a couple of minutes and it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a very common problem that sometimes causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin easily? If they do not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is usually a component that can be purchased online and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before doing any of this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This is not typically the problem, as this particular fan is concealed within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that is the place to check.

If you think it could be the compressor, the big, typically gray or black object under the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling Palmer Appliance Repair. That’s 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