Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most popular service calls. That means our repairmen know exactly how to troubleshoot the problem and repair it. Call Morris Appliance Repair today! The #1 CITY refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your home seems to be a little louder than normal there are a couple of easy place that you can check while attempting to find the cause. There are many fans on a home refrigerator that often create loud noises. The appliance could also not be level too. Or you might have a compressor wearing out. If your refrigerator is a lot louder when the ice maker is operating, the noises could be a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of basic components that need to be checked. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that is too will often cause glass jars and other foods and liquids to clink together. This will create a lot of unpleasant sounds inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is running and thereby producing a minor vibration.

If you own a model of refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water line connected, be sure you shut off the dispenser and the ice maker. There is typically a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to shut off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you need to pull up the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed right by a wall, it could cause the standard running sound to seem a lot louder. This is because of the echoing of the sound of the machine. Slide the refrigerator out a little from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps or not. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches from the back wall to reduce the noise.

If it’s not any of these basic and common 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 can get clogged and dirty. Sometimes the fan motors do too. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan gets a coating of dust on it and should be cleaned on a regular basis. If the dust builds up and gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside of the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will want a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. As soon as it’s off you’ll notice a fan behind it. If it is covered in dust and dirt, take a cloth and gently clean it off. While you are in there check the coils too. These are usually near there and covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils will only take a couple of minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a very common problem that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do the blades spin freely? If they do not the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is typically a unit that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before trying this, be sure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t usually the problem, as this fan is concealed by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the area to look.

If you think it might be the compressor, the big, usually gray or black object under the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Morris Appliance Repair. That isn’t 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