Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our repairmen know exactly how to troubleshoot the problem and repair it. Call Campbell Appliance Repair today! The #1 Arlington refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your home is a little noisier than it usually is there are some easy things that you can look at while trying to find a solution. There are many fans on a refrigerator that often create loud sounds. The refrigerator could also not be level too. Or you might have a compressor wearing down. If your refrigerator is noisier when the ice maker is working, the noises might be a broken a water valve.

There are some basic things that should be checked first. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too will often result in glass containers and other items to clink together. This can cause a lot of unpleasant sounds inside the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and thereby creating a minor 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 positive you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s typically a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to shut off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you need to pull up the bar inside of it. If the refrigerator is installed right by a wall in the kitchen, it might cause the normal running noise to seem much louder than it is. This is because of the echoing of the noise of the refrigerator. Slide the refrigerator out from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches from the back wall of the kitchen to reduce the noise.

If it isn’t any of these simple and common fixes, it’s time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that sometimes get dirty and clogged. There are times the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the condenser fan gets a coating of dust on it and needs to be cleaned regularly. If it builds up and gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want to have a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off. Once off you’ll see a fan inside. If it’s covered in dust and dirt, grab a rag and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there check the coils as well. The coils are typically right there and will be full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils will only take a few minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a common problem that sometimes causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the fan blades spin easily? If they do not it means the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is usually a unit that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. But, before attempting this, be sure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t usually the problem, as this particular fan is protected inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that is the area to look.

If you think it could be the refrigerator compressor, the large, usually gray or black object under the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling Campbell Appliance Repair. That is 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