Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator unusual noise

Strange sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most popular customer calls. This means our repairmen know exactly how to diagnose the problem and correct it. Call One-Call Sugar Land Appliance Repair today! The #1 Sugar Land refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your kitchen is a little noisier than usual there are some easy place that you can look at while attempting to find the cause. There are several fans on a refrigerator that might create strange sounds. The refrigerator could also not be level too. Or you might have a compressor wearing down. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is working, the noises might be from a broken a water valve.

There are some obvious things that need to be checked first. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too could result in glass jars and other items to clink together. This will create a lot of loud sounds inside the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is running and creating a minor vibration.

If you own a model of refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water connected, be positive you shut off the dispenser and ice maker. There is almost always a button on the dispenser that can be pressed to turn off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you just need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator is installed near a wall, it can cause the standard running noise to seem louder than it is. This is due to the echo of the noise of the machine. Slide it out a bit from the kitchen wall and see if that helps. A refrigerator needs to be close to 2 inches away from the rear wall of the kitchen to reduce the sound.

If it’s not one of these basic and easy fixes, it’s time to explore the issue further. The majority of the time, the fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get dirty and clogged. Often times the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the condenser fan gets a coating of dust on it and should be cleaned regularly. If the dust builds up and gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need to have a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel. As soon as it is exposed you will notice a fan inside. If it is covered in dirt and dust, find a cloth and gently clean it off. While you are in there look at the coils too. The coils are usually near there and will be covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a couple of minutes and it will help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a very common issue that sometimes causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do the blades spin freely? If not it means the fan motor bearings are not working. This is an easy repair, as the fan assembly is typically a part that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before doing this, ensure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer. This is not usually the issue, as this particular fan is concealed within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the area to look.

If you think it could be the refrigerator compressor, the big, usually gray or black object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling One-Call Sugar Land Appliance Repair. That is not a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES