Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator noisy

Loud noises coming from a refrigerator is one of our most popular customer calls. That means our technicians know exactly how to diagnose the issue and fix it. Call Ideal Appliance Repair today! The #1 Boston refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your house seems to be a little louder than usual there are a couple of easy place that you can look at while attempting to find the cause. There are several fans on a standard refrigerator that could create loud sounds. The refrigerator might also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor wearing out. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is operating, the noises could be a broken a water valve.

There are a few obvious components that need to be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too will often cause glass containers and other items to clink and clank together. This will create a lot of annoying noises inside the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and naturally creating a minor vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water line hooked up, be sure you shut off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There’s typically a button on the water dispenser that can be used to shut off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to pull up the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator is installed very close to a wall, it might cause the normal operating noise to seem louder than it really is. This is a result of the echo of the sound of the refrigerator. Slide the refrigerator out away from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps at all. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches away from the back wall of the kitchen to reduce the noise.

If it’s not one of these simple and easier fixes, it is time to dive on in. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a refrigerator that is loud. There are fan blades that will often get dirty and clogged. Often times the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the condenser fan gets a coating of dust on it and should be cleaned regularly. If the coating gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside of the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off. As soon as it is off you will see a fan inside. If it’s covered in dirt and dust, grab a rag and gently clean it off. While you are in there you should check the coils too. These are typically near there and will be covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils will only take a few minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a very common problem that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin easily? If not the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is usually a component that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before you do this, be sure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t usually the issue, as this particular fan is protected by being inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the sounds are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the place to check.

If it’s possible it might be the compressor, the large, typically gray or black object under the refrigerator by the coils, we suggest calling Ideal Appliance Repair. That’s not a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES