Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our repairmen know just how to troubleshoot the issue and correct it. Call Pace Appliance Repair today! The #1 CITY refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your home is a bit noisier than it usually is there are a couple of simple things that you can check while trying to find the cause. There are many fans on a standard refrigerator that often create loud noises. The appliance could also not be level too. Or you could have a compressor that’s wearing down. If your refrigerator is noisier when the ice maker is operating, the noises could be from a broken a water valve.

There are a few obvious components that must be be checked. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that is too will often result in glass containers and other food items to clink together. This will cause a lot of annoying sounds inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is running and thereby creating a small vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water hooked up, be sure you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s almost always a button on the water dispenser that can be pressed to shut off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you just need to lift the metal bar. If the refrigerator was installed very close to a wall in the kitchen, it could cause the normal running noise to seem louder than it is. This is a result of the echo of the sound of the refrigerator. Slide the refrigerator out from the wall and then see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches away from the rear wall to reduce the noise.

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

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is usually located behind the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need to have a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. As soon as it is off you will see a fan in there. If it is full of dirt and dust, grab a rag and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there check the coils too. These are typically right there and will be covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils will only take a couple of minutes and it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a very common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the blades spin easily? If not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is usually a part that can be purchased online and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. But, before you do this, be sure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer. This is not typically the problem, as this particular fan is concealed by being inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the sounds are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the area to check.

If it’s possible it might be the compressor, the large, usually gray or black object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling Pace Appliance Repair. That is 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