Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud noises coming from a refrigerator is one of our most popular customer calls. This means our repairmen know exactly how to diagnose the issue and correct it. Call Durham Appliance Repair today! The #1 Durham refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your kitchen is a little louder than usual there are a couple of simple things that you can check while attempting to find the cause. There are several fans on a standard refrigerator that might create strange sounds. The refrigerator might also not be balanced too. Or you could have a compressor that’s wearing out. If your refrigerator is a lot louder when the ice maker is making ice, the noises could be a broken a water valve.

There are some basic components that should be checked first. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too could result in glass jars and other foods and liquids to clink and clank together. This can create a lot of unpleasant sounds inside the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and naturally creating a minor vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water line connected, be positive you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There is typically a button on the water dispenser that can be used to shut off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to pull up the bar. If the refrigerator is installed near a wall in the kitchen, it could cause the normal running sound to seem louder than it really is. This is because of the echoing of the sound of the machine. Pull it out away from the wall and see if that helps. A refrigerator should be around 2 inches from the rear wall of the kitchen to limit the sound.

If it isn’t one of these basic and common fixes, it’s time to dive on in. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get clogged and dirty. Sometimes the fan motors do too. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the condenser fan will get a coating of dust on it and then should be cleaned often. If the coating 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 need to have a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off. Once off you will notice a fan behind it. If it is full of dirt and dust, find a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there look at the coils as well. These are typically near there and full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a couple of minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a very 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 not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is usually a unit that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before doing this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer unit. This is not typically the issue, as this fan is protected by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the sounds are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the place to look.

If it is possible it might be the refrigerator compressor, the large, typically black or gray object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Durham 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