Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most popular service calls. That means our repairmen know exactly how to troubleshoot the issue and fix it. Call Griffin Appliance Repair today! The #1 Torrance refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your home is a bit noisier than normal there are a couple of simple things that you can check while trying to find a solution. There are many fans on a home refrigerator that often create loud sounds. The refrigerator might also not be level too. Or you may have a compressor wearing down. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is operating, the sounds could be from a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of basic components that must be be checked. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too can sometimes result in glass bottles and other foods and liquids to clink and clank together. This can cause a lot of annoying sounds inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is on and naturally producing a small vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water hooked up, be sure you turned off the dispenser and the ice maker. There’s usually a button on the dispenser that can be used to turn off the dispenser. And with the ice maker, you simply need to pull up the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator is installed very close to a wall in the kitchen, it might cause the normal operating noise to seem a lot louder. This is a result of the echoing of the noise of the machine. Slide it out away from the wall and then see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches from the rear wall to lower the sound.

If it’s not one of these simple and easier fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. The majority of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a refrigerator that’s loud. There are fan blades that sometimes get clogged and dirty. There are times the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Often times the refrigerator condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then should be cleaned often. If it 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 to unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is typically located in the back of the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will want to have a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel. As soon as it’s off you’ll notice a fan in there. If it is covered in dirt and dust, find a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there look at the coils too. The coils 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 couple of minutes but it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the fan blades spin easily? If they do not it means the fan motor bearings are not working. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is typically a part that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. But, before attempting 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 isn’t usually the problem, as this fan is concealed inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that is the place to check.

If it’s possible that it could be the compressor, the big, usually gray or black object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling Griffin Appliance Repair. That’s not a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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