Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most popular customer calls. This means our technicians know exactly how to diagnose the issue and fix it. Call Finest Appliance Repair today! The #1 Garland refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your house seems to be a bit louder than usual there are some easy things that you can look at while trying to find a solution. There are many fans on a refrigerator that might create strange sounds. The appliance could also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor that’s wearing down. If your refrigerator is a lot louder when the ice maker is making ice, the sounds could be from a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious things that need to be checked. Like is your refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too can result in glass jars and other items to clink and clank together. This will create a lot of unpleasant sounds inside of the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is on and producing a minor vibration.

If you own a model of refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water connected, be sure you turned off the dispenser and ice maker. There’s almost always a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to shut off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed near a wall, it could cause the standard operating sound to seem louder than it is. This is a result of the echoing of the noise of the refrigerator. Pull the refrigerator out away from the kitchen wall and see if that helps. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches from the back wall of the kitchen to limit the sound.

If it’s not one of these basic and common fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get clogged and dirty. Often times the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and needs to be cleaned regularly. If it builds up and gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside of the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need to have a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. As soon as it’s exposed you will see a fan inside. If it is covered in dirt and dust, find a cloth and gently clean it off. While you’re in there you should look at the coils as well. 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 help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the blades spin freely? If they don’t 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 just disconnecting it. However, before doing any of this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t typically the issue, as this fan is concealed inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the area to check.

If you think it could be the refrigerator compressor, the big, usually black or gray object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we suggest calling Finest 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