Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud noises coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our repairmen know just how to diagnose the problem and correct it. Call Henry’s Appliance Repair today! The #1 The Villages refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your house seems to be a bit louder than usual there are a couple of easy place that you can check while attempting to find the answer. There are several fans on a refrigerator that could create strange noises. The appliance might also not be level too. Or you might have a compressor that’s wearing out. If your refrigerator is a lot noisier when the ice maker is making ice, the noises might be from a broken a water valve.

There are one or two basic components that need to be checked first. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too can result in glass containers and other foods and liquids to clink and clank together. This will cause a lot of loud sounds inside the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and naturally creating a small vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water line hooked up, be sure you shut off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There is usually a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to shut off the dispenser. And with the ice maker, you need to lift the metal bar. If the refrigerator is installed near a wall in the kitchen, it might cause the standard operating noise to seem much louder. This is because of the echoing of the sound of the refrigerator. Pull the refrigerator out away from the wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches away from the rear wall to lower the noise.

If it is not one of these basic and easy fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. The majority of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get clogged and dirty. Sometimes the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Often times the condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then should be cleaned regularly. If the coating gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is typically located behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. Once exposed you’ll notice a fan in there. If it is full of dust and dirt, find a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you are in there you should check the coils too. The coils are typically right there and full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a couple of minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the fan blades spin freely? If not it means the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is typically a unit that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before attempting this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this 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 protected within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the place to look.

If you think it might be the compressor, the large, typically gray or black object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Henry’s Appliance Repair. That is 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