Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator loud noises

Strange sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. This means our repairmen know exactly how to troubleshoot the problem and repair it. Call Sims Appliance Repair today! The #1 CITY refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your home seems to be a bit noisier than normal there are a few easy things that you can look at while trying to find the cause. There are several fans on a standard refrigerator that often create loud sounds. The appliance might also not be level too. Or you might have a compressor that’s wearing down. If your refrigerator is noisier when the ice maker is operating, the noises might be a broken a water valve.

There are some obvious components that must be be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too might result in glass containers and other foods and liquids to clink together. This will create a lot of loud sounds inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and thereby producing a minor vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water line hooked up, be sure you shut off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s typically a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be pressed to turn off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to lift the bar. If the refrigerator is installed near a wall, it will sometimes cause the normal running sound to seem louder than it really is. This is due to the echoing of the noise of the machine. Pull the refrigerator out a little from the wall and then see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be about 2 inches away from the back wall of the kitchen to reduce the noise.

If it’s not any of these simple and common fixes, it’s time to explore the issue further. The majority of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that sometimes get clogged and dirty. Often times the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then should be cleaned often. If it builds up and gets too heavy it can wear out the bearings inside of the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is typically located in the back of the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need to have a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. Once off you’ll notice a fan behind it. If it’s covered in dust and dirt, get a rag and gently wipe it off. While you are in there you should look at the coils as well. The coils are typically near there and covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a few minutes and 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 the fan blades spin freely? If not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is usually a unit that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before trying any of this, ensure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer. This isn’t usually the problem, as this fan is concealed by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the sounds are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the place to check.

If it is possible it might be the refrigerator compressor, the big, usually gray or black object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling Sims Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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