Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator noisy

Loud sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most popular customer calls. This means our technicians know just how to troubleshoot the problem and repair it. Call Ready Appliance Repair today! The #1 Annandale refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your home is a little noisier than usual there are a couple of easy things that you can look at while attempting to find the answer. There are many fans on a home refrigerator that often create strange sounds. The appliance might also not be balanced too. Or you could have a compressor that is wearing down. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is making ice, the noises could be a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of obvious things that need to be checked first. Like is your refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that is too can sometimes result in glass bottles and other food items to clink together. This will create a lot of loud sounds inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and thereby producing a minor vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water line connected, be positive you shut off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There is almost always a button on the water dispenser that can be used to turn off the dispenser. And with the ice maker, you just need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator is installed right by a wall, it could cause the standard operating noise to seem louder. This is because of the echo of the sound of the machine. Slide the refrigerator out from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps or not. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches from the back wall to reduce the sound.

If it’s not any of these simple and easy 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 will often get clogged and dirty. Sometimes the fan motors do too. There is a condenser fan and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan gets a coating of dust on it and should be cleaned on a regular basis. 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

The first thing to do is unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is usually located in the rear of the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off. As soon as it is off you will see a fan behind it. If it is covered in dirt and dust, grab a cloth and gently clean it off. While you are in there check the coils as well. These are typically right there and covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils will only take a few minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is actually a very common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin easily? If they do not it means the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is usually a part that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before you do this, be sure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This is not usually the problem, as this fan is concealed inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the place to check.

If it is possible that it might be the compressor, the large, usually black or gray object under the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling Ready Appliance Repair. That’s not a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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