Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our technicians know just how to diagnose the issue and repair it. Call HOF Highland Appliance Repair today! The #1 Highland refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your house seems to be a little louder than it usually is there are some simple place that you can look at while trying to find the answer. There are several fans on a home refrigerator that could create strange noises. The appliance might also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor that’s wearing down. If your refrigerator is noisier when the ice maker is operating, the noises might be a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious things that should be checked first. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too could result in glass containers and other food items to clink and clank together. This can create a lot of unpleasant sounds inside of the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and naturally creating a minor vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water line hooked up, be sure you shut off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s typically a button on the water dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to shut off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to pull up the bar. If the refrigerator is installed really close to a wall in the kitchen, it could cause the standard operating noise to seem louder than it really is. This is due to the echoing of the sound of the appliance. Slide it out a little from the kitchen wall and see if that helps or not. A refrigerator should be about 2 inches from the rear wall of the kitchen to lower the sound.

If it’s not any of these basic and common fixes, it’s time to dive on in. The majority of the time, the fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. 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 refrigerators too. Often times the refrigerator condenser fan will get a coating of dust on it and then should be cleaned regularly. If the coating 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 typically located in the back of the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need to have a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel. As soon as it is off you will see a fan inside. If it is full of dust and dirt, grab a rag and gently wipe it off. While you are in there you should look at the coils as well. These are typically near there and will be full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils will only take a few minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a very common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the blades spin easily? If they do not the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is typically a unit that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before you do any of this, ensure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer. This is not typically the issue, as this fan is protected inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the place to look.

If it is possible it might be the compressor, the large, typically gray or black object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we recommend calling HOF Highland Appliance Repair. That’s not a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

• How Does a Refrigerator Work?
• Ice Maker Not Working
• Water Dispenser Not Working
• Refrigerator Not Cooling