Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud noises 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 Hialeah Appliance Repair today! The #1 Hialeah refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your home seems to be a bit noisier than usual there are some easy place that you can check while trying to find the answer. There are many fans on a standard refrigerator that could create loud sounds. The refrigerator could also not be level too. Or you may have a compressor that’s wearing out. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is operating, the sounds might be from a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious things that need to be checked first. Like is your refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too might result in glass bottles and other foods and liquids to clink together. This will cause a lot of unpleasant sounds inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is on and thereby producing a small vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water hooked up, be sure you shut off the dispenser and the ice maker. There’s typically 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 lift the bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed very close to a wall in the kitchen, it might cause the normal operating sound to seem a lot louder than it really is. This is because of the echo of the noise of the machine. Slide the refrigerator out a little from the kitchen wall and see if that helps. A refrigerator should be around 2 inches away from the rear wall of the kitchen to reduce the noise.

If it isn’t one of these simple and common fixes, it is time to dive on in. The majority of the time, the fans are the cause of a refrigerator that’s loud. There are fan blades that can get dirty and clogged. Sometimes the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Many times the condenser fan gets a coating of dust on it and then needs to be cleaned regularly. If the dust gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need to have a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. Once exposed you will notice a fan inside. If it’s full of dirt and dust, get a rag and gently clean it off. While you’re in there look at the coils too. These are usually right there and will be covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils will only take a couple of minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is actually a very common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the fan blades spin freely? If they do not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is typically a component that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before you do this, be sure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t typically the issue, as this particular fan is concealed within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the place to check.

If you think it might be the compressor, the big, usually black or gray object under the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Hialeah Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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