Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator loud noises

Strange noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our technicians know just how to troubleshoot the problem and correct it. Call Accolade Appliance Repair today! The #1 refrigerator repair.

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your house seems to be a little louder than it usually is there are a few easy things that you can look at while trying to find the cause. There are many fans on a refrigerator that could create loud noises. The appliance could 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 sounds could be from a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious things that need to be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too could result in glass jars and other foods and liquids to clink and clank together. This can cause a lot of loud noises inside of the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is running and thereby creating a minor vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water line hooked up, be positive you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s typically a button on the water dispenser that can be pressed to shut off the water dispenser. And with 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 sound to seem much louder. This is a result of the echo of the sound of the appliance. Pull it out a bit away from the kitchen wall and see if that helps. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches away from the back wall of the kitchen to lower the noise.

If it isn’t any of these basic and easier fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. The majority of the time, the fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that will often 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 needs to be cleaned regularly. If the coating builds up and gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside of the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel. Once off you will see a fan behind it. If it’s covered in dirt and dust, take a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there you should look at the coils as well. The coils 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 couple of minutes and it will help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a very common issue that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades. Do they spin easily? If not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is typically a part that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before you do this, be sure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer. This isn’t typically the problem, as this fan is protected within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the place to look.

If it is possible that it might be the compressor, the large, typically black or gray object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we suggest calling Accolade Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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