Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our repairmen know just how to diagnose the problem and repair it. Call Premiere Appliance Repair today! The #1 Chula Vista refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your house is a little louder than it usually is there are a couple of simple things that you can check while attempting to find the cause. There are several fans on a standard refrigerator that might create loud noises. The refrigerator might also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor that is wearing out. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is making ice, the noises could be from a broken a water valve.

There are one or two basic things that must be be checked. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too might result in glass jars and other items to clink together. This can cause a lot of loud sounds inside the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is on and naturally creating a small vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water connected, be positive you turned off the dispenser and ice maker. There’s almost always a button on the water dispenser that can be used to turn off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to lift the metal bar inside of it.

If the refrigerator was installed near a wall in the kitchen, it can sometimes cause the standard running noise to seem louder than it really is. This is a result of the echo of the sound of the appliance. Pull the refrigerator out from the wall and then see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches from the back wall of the kitchen to limit the sound.

If it isn’t one of these simple and easier fixes, it is time to dive on in. Most of the time, the fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that sometimes get dirty and clogged. There are times the fan motors do too. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Often times the condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then needs to be cleaned often. If the dust gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel. As soon as it’s exposed you will notice a fan behind it. If it’s covered in dust and dirt, take a rag and gently clean it off. While you are in there you should look at the coils too. These are typically near there and will be covered in the same grime and dust 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 common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the blades spin easily? If not the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is typically a part that can be purchased online and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. But, before trying any of this, be sure the refrigerator is not plugged in.

Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer unit. This is not usually the issue, as this fan is concealed by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that is the place to look.

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