Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator unusual noise

Loud noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. This means our technicians know exactly how to diagnose the problem and fix it. Call World Class Appliance Repair today! The #1 Rancho Cucamonga refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your home seems to be a bit louder than normal there are some simple place that you can check while attempting to find the cause. There are several fans on a home refrigerator that might create strange sounds. The appliance might also not be level too. Or you might have a compressor that’s wearing out. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is operating, the sounds might be a broken a water valve.

There are a few obvious components that need to be checked. Like is your refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too might result in glass bottles and other food items to clink together. This can cause a lot of loud sounds inside of the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is on and naturally creating a minor vibration.

If you own a model of refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water connected, be positive you turned off the dispenser and the ice maker. There’s usually a button on the water dispenser that can be used to turn off the dispenser. And with the ice maker, you just need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed really close to a wall, it can sometimes cause the normal operating sound to seem louder than it really is. This is because of the echoing of the noise of the appliance. Move the refrigerator out a little from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps or not. A refrigerator needs to be close to 2 inches from the rear wall of the kitchen to limit the sound.

If it isn’t one of these simple and easier fixes, it is time to dive on in. The majority of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a refrigerator that’s loud. There are fan blades that can get dirty and clogged. 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 or fuzz on it and should be cleaned on a regular basis. If it gets too heavy it can wear out the bearings inside of the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

The first thing to do is unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is usually located in the back of the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want to have a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. As soon as it is exposed you’ll see a fan behind it. If it is full of dirt and dust, take a cloth and gently clean it off. While you’re in there check the coils too. These are typically right there and covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a few minutes but 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 they spin easily? If they don’t the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is usually a unit that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before attempting any of this, ensure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t typically the issue, as this particular fan is protected inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the place to look.

If you think it could be the compressor, the big, typically gray or black object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling World Class Appliance Repair. That’s not a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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