Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means we know just how to troubleshoot the problem and correct it. Call Lee Appliance Repair today! The #1 Sioux City refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your house is a bit noisier than usual there are a few easy place that you can check while attempting to find a solution. 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 might have a compressor that is wearing out. If your refrigerator is much louder when the ice maker is making ice, the noises could be from a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious things that need to be checked first. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too can result in glass containers and other items to clink together. This can cause a lot of annoying sounds inside the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is running and producing a minor vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water hooked up, be positive you shut off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There is typically a button on the water 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. If the refrigerator was installed right by a wall in the kitchen, it could cause the standard operating noise to seem much louder than it is. This is due to the echo of the sound of the appliance. Pull the refrigerator out from the kitchen wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be around 2 inches away from the rear wall of the kitchen to limit the noise.

If it isn’t one of these simple and easier 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 too. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then should be cleaned regularly. If the dust builds up and gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off. Once exposed you will see a fan inside. If it is full of dirt and dust, find a cloth and gently clean it off. While you are 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. Cleaning the coils only takes a few minutes but it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the fan blades spin freely? If they don’t the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is usually a part that can be purchased online and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. But, before doing any of this, be sure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t typically the problem, as this particular fan is protected within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the sounds are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the area to check.

If you think it might be the refrigerator compressor, the large, usually black or gray object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Lee 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