Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator loud noises

Loud noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. That means our repairmen know exactly how to diagnose the problem and fix it. Call Best Boca Raton Appliance Repair today! The #1 Boca Raton refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your house is a bit noisier than it usually is there are a couple of easy place that you can check while trying to find the cause. There are many fans on a standard refrigerator that might create strange noises. The refrigerator could also not be level too. Or you could have a compressor that’s wearing out. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is working, the sounds might be from a broken a water valve.

There are some basic things that need to be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too can sometimes cause glass containers and other items to clink together. This can cause a lot of unpleasant noises inside of the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is on and naturally creating a small vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water line hooked up, be sure you shut off the dispenser and the ice maker. There’s typically a button on the water dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to turn off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you just need to pull up the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed near a wall, it could cause the normal operating noise to seem much louder. This is because of the echo of the sound of the machine. Pull it out from the kitchen wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches away from the back wall of the kitchen to reduce the sound.

If it is not one of these simple and common fixes, it’s time to explore the issue further. The majority of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that sometimes get dirty and clogged. Often times the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Often times the condenser fan gets a coating of dust on it and then needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. If the dust gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside of the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want to have a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel. Once off you will see a fan behind it. If it’s covered in dust and dirt, find a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there check the coils as well. The coils are usually right there and will be full of the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils will only take a few minutes but it will help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades. Do the fan blades spin freely? If not the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy 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 this, be sure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer. This isn’t typically the problem, as this particular fan is concealed by being inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the area to look.

If it’s possible that it might be the refrigerator compressor, the large, usually black or gray object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we recommend calling Best Boca Raton Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES