Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator noisy

Loud noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. That means our repairmen know just how to diagnose the issue and correct it. Call Noble Norfolk Appliance Repair today! The #1 Norfolk refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your kitchen is a bit louder than it usually is there are some easy things that you can check while attempting to find a solution. There are several fans on a refrigerator that might create strange noises. The refrigerator could also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor that’s wearing down. If your refrigerator is a lot noisier when the ice maker is working, the sounds could be from a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious things that need to be checked. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that is too might result in glass jars and other food items to clink and clank together. This will create a lot of loud sounds inside the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is on and naturally producing a minor vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water hooked up, be sure you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s typically a button on the water dispenser 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 was installed right by a wall, it might cause the standard running noise to seem a lot louder than it is. This is due to the echoing of the sound of the refrigerator. Slide it out a little away from the wall and see if that helps at all. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches from the back wall of the kitchen to lower the noise.

If it is not one of these basic and common fixes, it’s time to dive on in. The majority of the time, the fans are the cause of a refrigerator that is loud. There are fan blades that sometimes get clogged and dirty. Sometimes the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then needs to be cleaned regularly. If the dust builds up and gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

The first thing to do is to unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is usually located in the back of the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need to have a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. As soon as it is exposed you’ll notice a fan inside. If it’s full of dust and dirt, take a cloth and gently clean it off. While you are in there check the coils too. These are typically right there and full of the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a few minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a common problem that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin easily? If they don’t it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is usually a component that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before trying this, ensure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer. This is not typically the issue, as this fan is concealed within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the place to look.

If it is possible it might be the refrigerator compressor, the large, typically gray or black object under the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling Noble Norfolk Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES