Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. This means our technicians know just how to troubleshoot the issue and correct it. Call Owens Appliance Repair today! The #1 refrigerator repair.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your kitchen seems to be a bit noisier than usual there are some simple things that you can look at while trying to find the cause. There are many fans on a refrigerator that might create loud sounds. The refrigerator might also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor wearing out. If your refrigerator is much louder when the ice maker is operating, the sounds might be a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of basic components that need to be checked first. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too can cause glass bottles and other food items to clink and clank together. This will cause a lot of annoying sounds inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and naturally creating a small vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water line connected, be positive you shut off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s almost always a button on the dispenser that can be used to turn off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to lift the bar. If the refrigerator was installed near a wall, it might cause the standard running noise to seem louder than it really is. This is due to the echo of the sound of the appliance. Move the refrigerator out a little away from the wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches from the rear wall to lower the sound.

If it isn’t any of these basic and easy fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. The majority of the time, the fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that sometimes get dirty and clogged. Often times the fan motors do too. There is a condenser fan and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Often times the refrigerator condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and needs to be cleaned often. If the dust 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

The first thing to do is to unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is usually located in the rear of the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel. Once exposed you will see a fan in there. If it is full of dirt and dust, find a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there look at the coils too. These are usually right there and covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a few minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a very common problem that sometimes causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin freely? If they do not it means 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. However, before doing this, be sure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t usually the issue, as this particular fan is protected by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that is the area to check.

If it is possible that it could be the refrigerator compressor, the big, usually black or gray object under the refrigerator near the coils, we suggest calling Owens 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