Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator noisy

Loud noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our technicians know exactly how to diagnose the problem and fix it. Call Perry Appliance Repair today! The #1 Ogden refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your home seems to be a bit louder than usual there are a few simple things that you can look at while attempting to find the cause. There are many fans on a standard refrigerator that often create strange noises. The refrigerator might also not be level too. Or you might have a compressor wearing down. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is working, the noises might be a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of obvious things that need to be checked first. Like is your refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too will often result in glass containers and other food items to clink together. This will create a lot of annoying sounds inside of the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is running and naturally creating a small 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 dispenser and ice maker. There is usually a button on the water dispenser that can be used to shut off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to pull up the bar. If the refrigerator was installed very close to a wall, it could cause the standard operating sound to seem a lot louder than it is. This is a result of the echoing of the sound of the machine. Pull it out from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps or not. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches from the back wall to limit the noise.

If it’s not any of these simple and easier 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 will often get clogged and dirty. Often times the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan in the refrigerator 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 gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside of the refrigerator 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 want to have a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. Once exposed you will notice a fan inside. If it is covered in dirt and dust, find a cloth and gently clean it off. While you’re in there you should look at the coils as well. These are typically near there and covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a couple of minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades. Do the fan blades spin easily? If they do not the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy repair, 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, be sure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t typically the issue, as this fan is concealed by being inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the area to look.

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

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES