Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our technicians know just how to troubleshoot the issue and fix it. Call Action Mansfield Appliance Repair today! The #1 Mansfield refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your kitchen seems to be a bit noisier than it usually is there are some easy place that you can look at while trying to find the cause. There are a lot of fans on a standard refrigerator that could create loud noises. The refrigerator might also not be level too. Or you may have a compressor that’s wearing down. If your refrigerator is a lot louder when the ice maker is operating, the noises might be from a broken a water valve.

There are some basic things that must be be checked first. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that is too could cause glass jars and other foods and liquids to clink together. This will create a lot of unpleasant noises inside of the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and creating a small vibration.

If you own a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water line hooked up, be sure you shut off the dispenser and ice maker. There’s usually a button on the water dispenser that can be used to turn off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you just need to lift the metal bar. If the refrigerator is installed really close to a wall in the kitchen, it might cause the standard operating noise to seem a lot louder than it really is. This is due to the echo of the noise of the appliance. Slide it out a bit away from the kitchen wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches from the rear wall of the kitchen to lower the noise.

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

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

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

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin easily? If they don’t the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is typically a unit that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before doing any of this, be sure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer unit. This is not usually the issue, 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 look.

If you think it could be the refrigerator compressor, the big, typically black or gray object under the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling Action Mansfield Appliance Repair. That is not 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