Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most popular service calls. That means we know just how to diagnose the issue and fix it. Call Shaw Appliance Repair today! The #1 CITY refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your home is a little louder than usual there are a few easy place that you can look at while trying to find a solution. There are several fans on a refrigerator that might create loud noises. The refrigerator might also not be level too. Or you might have a compressor wearing down. If your refrigerator is a lot louder when the ice maker is operating, the noises might be from a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of obvious things that must be be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too will often cause glass jars and other foods and liquids to clink together. This can create a lot of loud sounds inside of the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is running and thereby producing a small vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water hooked up, be sure you turned off the dispenser and the ice maker. There is typically a button on the water dispenser that can be used to turn off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed near a wall in the kitchen, it could cause the standard running noise to seem much louder. This is a result of the echoing of the noise of the machine. Slide the refrigerator out from the wall and see if that helps or not. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches away from the rear wall to lower the sound.

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

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

The first thing to do is to unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is usually located in the rear of the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. Once off you’ll notice a fan behind it. If it is full of dust and dirt, get a rag and gently wipe it off. While you are in there look at the coils as well. The coils are typically right there and covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a few minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a very common issue that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the fan blades spin easily? If not it means the fan motor bearings are not working. This is an easy repair, as the fan assembly is typically a part that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before trying any of this, ensure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer. This is not usually the problem, as this fan is concealed by being 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 you think it might be the compressor, the big, typically black or gray object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Shaw Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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