Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means we know exactly how to troubleshoot the problem and correct it. Call Ward Appliance Repair today! The #1 Atlanta refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your kitchen seems to be a little louder than usual there are a couple of easy things that you can look at while attempting to find the answer. There are a lot of fans on a refrigerator that could create loud noises. The refrigerator might also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor wearing out. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is working, the sounds might be from a broken a water valve.

There are some basic things that need to be checked. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too could cause glass bottles and other food items to clink and clank together. This will cause a lot of unpleasant sounds inside the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is running and thereby creating a small vibration.

If you own a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water line connected, be positive you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There is usually a button on the water dispenser that can be used to shut off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you just need to pull up the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed very close to a wall in the kitchen, it might cause the standard running sound to seem a lot louder. This is due to the echoing of the noise of the machine. Slide the refrigerator out a bit away from the wall and see if that helps or not. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches from the rear wall of the kitchen to limit the noise.

If it’s not one of these simple 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 will often get dirty and clogged. Often times the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Often times the condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and should be cleaned often. If it gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

The first thing to do is unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is usually located behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want to have a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. Once off you will notice a fan behind it. If it is full of dust and dirt, get a rag and gently clean it off. While you are in there look at 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 will only take a couple of minutes but it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a very common issue that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin freely? If they do not the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy repair, as the fan assembly is typically a component that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before you do this, ensure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t usually the issue, as this particular fan is protected within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the sounds are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the place to check.

If you think it might be the refrigerator compressor, the large, usually black or gray object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling Ward 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