Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. This means our technicians know just how to diagnose the issue and correct it. Call Triumph Appliance Repair today! The #1 White Plains refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your house seems to be a little noisier than it usually is there are a couple of simple things that you can check while attempting to find a solution. There are a lot of fans on a standard refrigerator that often create strange sounds. The appliance might also not be balanced 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 from a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious components that should be checked first. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too could cause glass bottles and other items to clink together. This will cause a lot of loud sounds inside of the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is running and producing a small vibration.

If you own a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water connected, be sure you turned off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There’s typically a button on the water dispenser that can be used to turn off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to pull up the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed right by a wall, it will sometimes cause the standard running noise to seem a lot louder. This is due to the echoing of the sound of the refrigerator. Slide the refrigerator out a little away from the wall and see if that helps or not. A refrigerator needs to be close to 2 inches away from the rear wall of the kitchen to lower the noise.

If it isn’t any of these simple 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 will often get dirty and clogged. Sometimes the fan motors do too. There is a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and should be cleaned regularly. If the dust builds up and gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want to have a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off. As soon as it’s exposed you will notice a fan inside. If it is full of dust and dirt, get a rag and gently clean it off. While you are in there check the coils as well. The coils are usually right there and will be full of 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 actually a very common issue that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do they spin freely? If they do not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is usually a part that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before trying this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer. This isn’t usually the problem, as this particular fan is protected by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the place to look.

If you think it might be the compressor, the big, typically black or gray object under the refrigerator by the coils, we suggest calling Triumph 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