Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator loud noises

Strange noises coming from a refrigerator is one of our most popular customer calls. This means our technicians know just how to diagnose the issue and correct it. Call Lawson’s Appliance Repair today! The #1 CITY refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your kitchen seems to be a little noisier than it usually is there are a couple of simple place that you can look at while attempting to find the cause. There are several fans on a refrigerator that often create strange noises. The refrigerator could also not be level too. Or you may have a compressor that’s wearing out. If your refrigerator is noisier when the ice maker is working, the noises might be a broken a water valve.

There are a few basic things that must be be checked. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too will often cause glass jars and other items to clink and clank together. This can create a lot of annoying noises inside the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is running and creating a small vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water hooked up, be sure you shut off the dispenser and ice maker. There’s usually a button on the water dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to shut off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you just need to lift the bar. If the refrigerator is installed very close to a wall, it can sometimes cause the standard running sound to seem louder than it is. This is because of the echo of the noise of the machine. Pull it out from the kitchen wall and see if that helps or not. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches from the rear wall to limit the noise.

If it’s not one of these basic and common fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that will often get dirty and clogged. Often times the fan motors do too. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Many times the refrigerator condenser fan will get a coating of dust on it and needs to be cleaned often. If the coating gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

The first thing to do is unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is typically located behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want to have a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off. As soon as it’s off you’ll notice a fan behind it. If it is full of dust and dirt, grab a cloth and gently clean it off. While you are in there you should look at 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 few minutes and it will help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a very common problem that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the blades spin freely? If they don’t it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is typically a part that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before you do this, be sure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t typically the issue, as this fan is protected inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that is the place to look.

If it is possible that it might be the compressor, the large, typically gray or black object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Lawson’s Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should proceed with.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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