Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. That means our technicians know just how to troubleshoot the issue and correct it. Call Vaughn’s Appliance Repair today! The #1 CITY refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your home is a bit noisier than usual there are some easy place that you can look at while attempting to find a solution. There are many fans on a refrigerator that could create loud noises. The appliance might also not be level too. Or you could have a compressor wearing out. If your refrigerator is much louder when the ice maker is working, the sounds might be from a broken a water valve.

There are one or two basic components that must be be checked. Like is your refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too could cause glass containers and other foods and liquids to clink together. This will cause a lot of annoying sounds inside of the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is on and producing a minor vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water hooked up, be positive you turned off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There is almost always a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to shut off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed near a wall in the kitchen, it will sometimes cause the standard running noise to seem a lot louder than it really is. This is because of the echoing of the noise of the refrigerator. Slide it out away from the wall and then see if that helps or not. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches from the rear wall to lower the noise.

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

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want to have a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. Once exposed you will see a fan behind it. If it is full of dust and dirt, take a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there check the coils too. These are usually near there and will be covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a few minutes but it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

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

If you think it could be the compressor, the big, usually black or gray object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling Vaughn’s 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