Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. This means our repairmen know exactly how to diagnose the issue and repair it. Call Mayes Appliance Repair today! The #1 Texas refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your home is a bit louder than normal there are a few simple place that you can check while attempting to find the cause. There are several fans on a refrigerator that often create strange noises. The refrigerator might also not be balanced too. Or you could have a compressor that’s wearing down. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is working, the sounds could be a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of obvious things that should be checked. Like is your refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too will often result in glass containers and other foods and liquids to clink together. This will cause a lot of loud sounds inside of the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is running and naturally producing a small vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water line hooked up, be sure you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There is almost always a button on the water dispenser that can be used to shut off the dispenser. And with the ice maker, you need to lift the bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed near a wall, it could cause the standard operating noise to seem louder. This is because of the echoing of the sound of the appliance. Move it out a little from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps at all. A refrigerator should be around 2 inches away from the back wall of the kitchen to reduce the sound.

If it isn’t any of these basic and common fixes, it’s time to explore the issue further. The majority of the time, the fans are the reason for a refrigerator that’s loud. There are fan blades that can get clogged and dirty. Often times the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the condenser fan will get a coating of dust on it and then should be cleaned on a regular basis. If the coating gets too heavy it can wear out the bearings inside the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is usually located in the back of the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need to have a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. Once exposed you will see a fan behind it. If it is covered in dirt and dust, get a rag and gently wipe 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. Wiping down the coils will only take a couple of minutes but it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is actually a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do the fan blades spin freely? If not it means the fan motor bearings are not working. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is typically 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 the same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t usually the issue, as this fan is concealed within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the place to check.

If you think it might be the compressor, the large, usually black or gray object under the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling Mayes Appliance Repair. That is 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