Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our technicians know just how to diagnose the problem and correct it. Call Noble Alexandria Appliance Repair today! The #1 Alexandria refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your kitchen is a bit noisier than normal there are some simple place that you can check while attempting to find the answer. There are many fans on a refrigerator that often create strange sounds. The appliance could also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor that is wearing out. If your refrigerator is a lot louder when the ice maker is working, the sounds might be a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of basic things that need to be checked first. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too will often cause glass jars and other foods and liquids to clink and clank together. This can create a lot of loud noises inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is on and producing a minor vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water hooked up, be sure you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There is typically a button on the water dispenser on the refrigerator that can be pressed to turn off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to pull up the bar. If the refrigerator was installed right by a wall, it could cause the standard running sound to seem much louder than it is. This is because of the echo of the noise of the refrigerator. Slide it out from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps or not. A refrigerator should be about 2 inches away from the back wall of the kitchen to reduce the noise.

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

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will want to have a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. Once off you will see a fan in there. If it is full of dust and dirt, grab a cloth and gently clean it off. While you’re in there you should check the coils too. These are typically near there and will be full of the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils will only take a couple of minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a common issue that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin easily? If not it means the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is usually a component that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before doing any of this, ensure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer. This is not typically the problem, as this fan is protected within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that is the place to look.

If it is possible that it might be the compressor, the large, typically black or gray object under the refrigerator near the coils, we suggest calling Noble Alexandria Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should proceed with.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

• How Does a Refrigerator Work?
• Ice Maker Not Working
• Water Dispenser Not Working
• Refrigerator Not Cooling