Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator loud noises

Strange sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most popular customer calls. That means our repairmen know just how to troubleshoot the problem and repair it. Call United Appliance Repair today! The #1 Fullerton refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your home is a bit louder than usual there are a couple of simple things that you can look at while attempting to find the answer. There are a lot of fans on a home refrigerator that might create loud sounds. The appliance could also not be balanced too. Or you could have a compressor that’s wearing out. If your refrigerator is a lot louder when the ice maker is making ice, the noises might be a broken a water valve.

There are a few obvious components that need to be checked first. Like is your refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that is too might cause glass bottles and other food items to clink together. This will create a lot of unpleasant sounds inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is on and naturally producing a small vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water hooked up, be sure you turned off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There is typically a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be pressed to shut off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to lift the bar. If the refrigerator was installed really close to a wall in the kitchen, it will sometimes cause the normal operating sound to seem louder. This is because of the echo of the noise of the machine. Slide the refrigerator out away from the wall and see if that helps or not. A refrigerator should be about 2 inches from the rear wall to limit the noise.

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

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need to have a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel. Once exposed you’ll see a fan in there. If it’s full of dust and dirt, take a rag and gently clean it off. While you’re in there you should look at the coils too. The coils are usually right there and covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils will only take a couple of minutes and it will certainly 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 in the refrigerator. Do they spin freely? If they do not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is typically a component that can be purchased online and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before attempting this, ensure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This is not usually the issue, as this particular fan is protected by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the sounds are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the area to check.

If you think it could be the refrigerator compressor, the large, usually gray or black object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling United Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should proceed with.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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