Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means we know just how to troubleshoot the problem and correct it. Call Miller Appliance Repair today! The #1 CITY refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your house seems to be a bit noisier than normal there are some easy things that you can look at while attempting to find the cause. There are a lot of fans on a refrigerator that could create loud noises. The appliance could also not be level too. Or you might have a compressor that is wearing out. If your refrigerator is a lot noisier when the ice maker is working, the sounds could be a broken a water valve.

There are one or two basic things that should be checked. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too will often cause glass containers and other food items to clink together. This will cause a lot of annoying sounds inside of the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is on and naturally creating a small vibration.

If you own a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water connected, be positive you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s almost always a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to shut off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to pull up the metal bar. If the refrigerator was installed really close to a wall in the kitchen, it will sometimes cause the standard operating noise to seem a lot louder than it really is. This is a result of the echo of the sound of the machine. Slide the refrigerator out away from the wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches away from the back wall of the kitchen to lower the sound.

If it’s not one of these simple 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. Often times the fan motors do too. There is a condenser fan and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Often times the condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then should be cleaned on a regular basis. If the dust gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside of the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off. As soon as it’s off you will see a fan behind it. If it’s covered in dust and dirt, take a rag and gently wipe it off. While you are in there you should check the coils too. The coils are usually near there and will be full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils will only take a couple of minutes but it will help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the fan blades spin freely? If they don’t it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is usually a unit that can be purchased online and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before doing this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This is not typically the issue, as this particular fan is concealed within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the place to check.

If it is possible that it might be the refrigerator compressor, the big, usually black or gray object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling Miller Appliance Repair. That’s not 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