Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. This means our technicians know exactly how to diagnose the issue and fix it. Call Sterling Appliance Repair today! The #1 refrigerator repair.

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your home seems to be a bit louder than it usually is there are some easy place that you can look at while trying to find a solution. There are several fans on a home refrigerator that often create strange noises. The appliance could also not be level too. Or you might have a compressor that is wearing down. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is working, the sounds could be from a broken a water valve.

There are a few obvious things that need to be checked first. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too will often result in glass containers and other food items to clink together. This can create a lot of annoying noises inside of the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is running and creating a minor vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water line connected, be positive you turned off the dispenser and ice maker. There is typically a button on the dispenser that can be pressed to shut off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you just need to lift the metal bar. If the refrigerator was installed near a wall, it could cause the normal operating noise to seem louder than it is. This is due to the echoing of the sound of the machine. Pull the refrigerator out from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches from the back wall of the kitchen to reduce the sound.

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

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want to have a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. As soon as it’s off you will see a fan behind it. If it is covered in dirt and dust, get a cloth and gently clean it off. While you are in there check the coils too. These are typically near there and will be covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a couple of minutes but it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is actually a very common problem that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do the fan blades spin easily? If they do not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is typically a unit that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before doing this, be sure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t usually the problem, as this particular fan is protected within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the place to look.

If you think it might be the compressor, the big, typically black or gray object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we suggest calling Sterling 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