Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator loud noises

Loud noises coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. This means our technicians know exactly how to diagnose the issue and correct it. Call Action Appliance Repair today! The #1 Akron refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your home is a bit louder than normal there are a couple of easy things that you can look at while trying to find a solution. There are many fans on a refrigerator that often create loud sounds. The appliance might also not be level too. Or you may have a compressor that is wearing down. If your refrigerator is a lot louder when the ice maker is working, the noises could be from a broken a water valve.

There are a few basic components that must be be checked first. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too will often result in glass jars and other food items to clink and clank together. This will create a lot of annoying sounds inside the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is on and naturally creating a small vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water line hooked up, be sure you shut off the dispenser and the ice maker. There’s almost always a button on the water dispenser that can be pressed to turn off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you just need to pull up the bar. If the refrigerator is installed right by a wall in the kitchen, it could cause the standard operating sound to seem a lot louder. This is due to the echoing of the noise of the refrigerator. Slide it out from the wall and see if that helps at all. A refrigerator should be about 2 inches away from the back wall of the kitchen to lower the sound.

If it’s not one of these simple and easier fixes, it is time to dive on in. The majority of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a refrigerator that is loud. There are fan blades that sometimes get dirty and clogged. Sometimes the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the condenser fan gets a coating of dust on it and then should be cleaned often. If the coating builds up and gets too heavy it might 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 a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. As soon as it is off you’ll notice a fan in there. If it is covered in dirt and dust, find a rag and gently wipe it off. While you are in there you should look at the coils as well. These are typically near there and will be covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a couple of minutes but it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin easily? If they don’t it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is usually a component that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. But, before attempting this, be sure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t usually the problem, as this fan is concealed by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the area to check.

If it is possible that it might be the refrigerator compressor, the big, usually gray or black object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling Action Appliance Repair. That’s not a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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