Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. This means our technicians know exactly how to diagnose the issue and fix it. Call Carter’s Appliance Repair today! The #1 Pennsylvania refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your home is a little louder than normal there are some easy things that you can check while trying to find a solution. There are many fans on a home refrigerator that often create strange noises. The refrigerator could also not be level too. Or you may have a compressor that is wearing out. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is operating, the sounds could be a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious components that need to be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too will often result in glass containers and other food items to clink and clank together. This will create a lot of annoying noises inside of the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is running and naturally producing a small vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water connected, be positive you shut off the dispenser and ice maker. There’s usually a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to turn off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to pull up the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator is installed near a wall, it could cause the standard operating sound to seem much louder than it is. This is due to the echoing of the noise of the appliance. Move the refrigerator out a little away from the wall and see if that helps or not. A refrigerator needs to be close to 2 inches away from the back wall to limit the noise.

If it isn’t one of these basic and common fixes, it’s time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a refrigerator that is loud. There are fan blades that sometimes get clogged and dirty. Often times the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Many times the condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and needs to be cleaned often. If the dust builds up and 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 need to have a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. Once off you’ll notice a fan inside. If it is covered in dirt and dust, get a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there you should check the coils too. The coils are typically near there and covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a few minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do the blades spin freely? If they don’t it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is usually a component that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. But, before trying any of this, be sure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer. This is not typically the problem, as this particular fan is protected 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 is possible that it could be the compressor, the big, usually gray or black object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we recommend calling Carter’s Appliance Repair. That isn’t 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