Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. That means our technicians know just how to troubleshoot the problem and fix it. Call Prime Henderson Appliance Repair today! The #1 Henderson refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your home seems to be a little louder than normal there are some simple place that you can look at while trying to find the cause. There are many fans on a standard refrigerator that could create loud noises. The appliance could also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor that is wearing down. If your refrigerator is a lot noisier when the ice maker is working, the sounds could be from a broken a water valve.

There are one or two basic components that need to be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too can sometimes result in glass jars and other foods and liquids to clink and clank together. This will create a lot of annoying noises inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is running and producing a minor vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water hooked up, be positive you shut 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 bar. If the refrigerator is installed really close to a wall, it might cause the standard running noise to seem louder than it really is. This is due to the echoing of the sound of the machine. Pull it out away from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps or not. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches away from the back wall to limit the sound.

If it is not one of these basic and easy fixes, it’s time to dive on in. The majority of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get clogged and dirty. There are times the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then should be cleaned on a regular basis. If the coating gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need to have a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off. Once off you’ll see a fan behind it. If it is full of dirt and dust, grab a rag and gently wipe it off. While you are in there you should look at the coils as well. The coils are usually near there and covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a couple of minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a very common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades. Do the fan blades spin easily? If not 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 simply disconnecting it. But, before attempting this, be sure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t typically the issue, as this fan is concealed by being 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’s possible it might be the compressor, the big, typically black or gray object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling Prime Henderson Appliance Repair. That’s not a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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