Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator loud noises

Strange sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. That means our technicians know exactly how to troubleshoot the problem and fix it. Call Cain Appliance Repair today! The #1 CITY refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your house seems to be a little louder than it usually is there are some easy things that you can look at while trying to find a solution. There are many fans on a standard refrigerator that often create strange noises. The appliance could also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor that’s wearing down. If your refrigerator is much louder when the ice maker is operating, the noises could be a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious components that must be be checked first. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that is too could result in glass bottles and other items to clink together. This can cause a lot of annoying noises inside of the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and producing a minor vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water line hooked up, be positive you turned off the dispenser and the ice maker. There is typically a button on the water dispenser that can be pressed to turn off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you simply need to lift the metal bar. If the refrigerator was installed very close to a wall in the kitchen, it can cause the standard running sound to seem louder. This is due to the echo of the sound of the refrigerator. Move it out a bit from the kitchen wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be around 2 inches away from the rear wall to reduce the sound.

If it isn’t one of these basic and common fixes, it’s time to dive on in. Most of the time, the fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that sometimes get clogged and dirty. Sometimes the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Often times the refrigerator condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then needs to 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

First, unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is typically located behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want to have a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel. As soon as it is off you’ll notice a fan behind it. If it is full of dust and dirt, take a rag and gently clean it off. While you’re in there look at the coils as well. These are usually right there and full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils will only take a couple of minutes and it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do they spin freely? If not it means the fan motor bearings are not working. This is an easy repair, as the fan assembly is usually a part that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before trying any of this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer. This is not usually the issue, as this fan is concealed inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that is the place to look.

If it’s possible that it could be the refrigerator compressor, the large, typically black or gray object under the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling Cain Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should proceed with.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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