Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator noisy

Strange noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. This means our technicians know just how to diagnose the problem and fix it. Call Tru Trenton Appliance Repair today! The #1 Trenton refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your house is a little noisier than normal there are some simple things that you can check while trying to find the answer. There are a lot of fans on a home refrigerator that often create strange sounds. The appliance could also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor that is wearing out. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is making ice, the noises might be from a broken a water valve.

There are one or two basic things that must be be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too will often cause glass jars and other foods and liquids to clink together. This can create a lot of unpleasant sounds inside of the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is on and naturally creating a small vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water hooked up, be sure you turned off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There is usually a button on the water dispenser that can be used to turn off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to pull up the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator is installed really close to a wall in the kitchen, it might cause the standard operating sound to seem louder than it is. This is a result of the echo of the sound of the appliance. Move the refrigerator out from the kitchen wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be around 2 inches away from the rear wall to lower the sound.

If it’s not any of these simple and easier fixes, it’s time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get dirty and clogged. There are times the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan will get a coating of dust on it and should be cleaned regularly. If the dust builds up and gets too heavy it can wear out the bearings inside of the refrigerator 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. A lot of the time you will want to have a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. Once exposed you will see a fan in there. If it’s covered in dust and dirt, find a rag and gently wipe it off. While you are in there check the coils too. These are typically right there and full of the same grime and dust that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a couple of minutes and it will help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades. Do they spin freely? If they do not the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is usually a part that can be purchased online and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. But, before trying any of this, be sure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This is not usually the problem, as this fan is protected inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the sounds are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the place to check.

If you think it could be the refrigerator compressor, the large, usually gray or black object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Tru Trenton Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES