Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator noisy

Loud sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most popular service calls. This means our repairmen know just how to diagnose the problem and fix it. Call Achieve Dearborn Appliance Repair today! The #1 Dearborn refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your home is a bit noisier than it usually is there are a few easy place that you can check while attempting to find the cause. There are a lot of fans on a refrigerator that could create loud noises. The appliance could also not be level too. Or you may have a compressor that is wearing out. If your refrigerator is a lot noisier when the ice maker is making ice, the sounds might be from a broken a water valve.

There are a few basic things that need to be checked. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too will often cause glass bottles and other items to clink together. This will create a lot of unpleasant noises inside the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and naturally producing a small vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water connected, be sure you turned off the dispenser and the ice maker. There is usually a button on the water dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to shut off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to lift the bar. If the refrigerator is installed near a wall in the kitchen, it can sometimes cause the normal running sound to seem much louder than it really is. This is a result of the echoing of the sound of the machine. Move the refrigerator out a little away from the wall and then see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches from the back wall of the kitchen to lower the sound.

If it isn’t any of these simple and common fixes, it’s time to dive on in. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a refrigerator that is loud. There are fan blades that sometimes get dirty and clogged. There are times the fan motors do too. There is a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Often times the 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 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 usually located in the back of the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need to have a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel. Once off you will notice a fan in there. If it’s full of dust and dirt, take a cloth and gently clean it off. While you are in there look at the coils too. These are usually right there and covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a few minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run 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 not the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is usually a part that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before attempting this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer unit. This is not typically the problem, as this particular fan is protected inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the area to check.

If you think it could be the refrigerator compressor, the large, usually black or gray object under the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling Achieve Dearborn Appliance Repair. That is not a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES