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 Rapid Riverside Appliance Repair today! The #1 Riverside refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your house is a bit noisier than normal there are some easy things that you can look at while attempting to find the cause. There are a lot of fans on a home refrigerator that could create loud sounds. The appliance might also not be level too. Or you could have a compressor wearing out. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is working, the noises might be from a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of obvious things that must be be checked first. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too can sometimes cause glass bottles and other foods and liquids to clink together. This can cause a lot of annoying noises inside the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is on and naturally creating a minor vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water line hooked up, be positive you shut off the water dispenser and ice maker. There is typically a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be pressed to shut off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed right by a wall in the kitchen, it can sometimes cause the normal running noise to seem much louder. This is a result of the echo of the sound of the refrigerator. Move it out a bit from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches from the back wall to lower the noise.

If it’s not any of these basic and common fixes, it’s time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get clogged and dirty. Sometimes the fan motors do too. There is a condenser fan and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then should be cleaned often. If the dust gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. As soon as it’s exposed you will notice a fan inside. If it is full of dirt and dust, get a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there look at the coils as well. These are typically near there and full of the same grime and dust that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a few minutes but it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is actually a very common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do the fan blades spin easily? If not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is typically a unit that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before you do any of this, ensure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t usually the problem, as this fan is concealed inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the area to look.

If it’s possible it might be the refrigerator compressor, the large, typically gray or black object under the refrigerator near the coils, we suggest calling Rapid Riverside Appliance Repair. That’s 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