Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator loud noises

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

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your home is a little louder than normal there are some simple things that you can look at while attempting to find the cause. There are several fans on a home refrigerator that might create loud sounds. The refrigerator might also not be level too. Or you might have a compressor that is wearing down. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is working, the sounds might be from a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious things that should be checked. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too might cause glass containers and other food items to clink and clank together. This can cause a lot of loud sounds inside the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and creating a small vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water connected, be positive you turned off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There is almost always a button on the water dispenser on the refrigerator that can be pressed to turn off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to pull up the metal bar. If the refrigerator is installed near a wall, it will sometimes cause the standard running sound to seem much louder than it is. This is because of the echo of the noise of the appliance. Pull the refrigerator out from the wall and then see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches from the back wall to limit the sound.

If it is not one of these basic and easier fixes, it is time to dive on in. Most of the time, the fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that will often get clogged and dirty. Often times the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then needs to be cleaned often. If the coating gets too heavy it can wear out the bearings inside of the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

The first thing to do is unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is typically located behind the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will want to have a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. As soon as it is off you’ll see a fan behind it. If it is full of dust and dirt, get a rag and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there you should check the coils too. The coils are usually near there and full of the same grime and dust that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a couple of minutes and it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is actually a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades. Do they spin freely? If they do not the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is typically a part that can be purchased online and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before attempting any of this, ensure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer. This is not typically the problem, as this fan is protected by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the sounds are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the place to check.

If it is possible that it could be the refrigerator compressor, the large, usually black or gray object under the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling Lane Appliance Repair. That is not a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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