Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud noises coming from a refrigerator is one of our most popular customer calls. This means our technicians know just how to troubleshoot the problem and correct it. Call Express Irvine Appliance Repair today! The #1 Irvine refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your home seems to be a bit louder than it usually is there are some easy things that you can look at while trying to find the cause. There are several fans on a standard refrigerator that might create loud noises. The refrigerator could also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor that is wearing out. If your refrigerator is a lot noisier when the ice maker is operating, the sounds might be a broken a water valve.

There are some basic things that should be checked first. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too might result in glass bottles and other food items to clink and clank together. This will create a lot of unpleasant sounds inside of the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and naturally producing a small vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water connected, be positive you shut off the dispenser and the ice maker. There is usually a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be pressed to turn off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you just need to pull up the bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed near a wall in the kitchen, it will cause the standard operating noise to seem a lot louder. This is because of the echo of the noise of the machine. Pull it out a bit from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be around 2 inches from the back wall of the kitchen to reduce the noise.

If it is not any of these basic and easy fixes, it is time to dive on in. The majority of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that sometimes get dirty and clogged. Sometimes the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Often times the condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and needs to be cleaned regularly. If the coating gets too heavy it might 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 rear of the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel. Once off you’ll see a fan inside. If it’s full of dirt and dust, grab a rag and gently clean it off. While you’re in there look at the coils too. These are usually near there and will be covered in 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 actually a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the blades spin freely? If they don’t 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. But, before you do any of this, be sure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t usually the problem, as this particular fan is concealed within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that is the area to look.

If it is possible it could be the refrigerator compressor, the large, typically gray or black object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Express Irvine Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should proceed with.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

• How Does a Refrigerator Work?
• Ice Maker Not Working
• Water Dispenser Not Working
• Refrigerator Not Cooling