Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

loud noises of refrigerator

Strange noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. This means our repairmen know just how to troubleshoot the problem and repair it. Call Weatherford Appliance Repair today! The #1 Weatherford refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your house is a bit louder than usual there are a couple of simple things that you can check while attempting to find a solution. There are a lot of fans on a standard refrigerator that could create loud sounds. The appliance might also not be level too. Or you could have a compressor wearing out. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is operating, the sounds might be from a broken a water valve.

There are a few basic components that must be be checked first. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too might cause glass containers and other food items to clink together. This can cause a lot of loud noises inside of the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is on and creating a small vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water hooked up, be sure you shut off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There’s almost always a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to shut off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed right by a wall, it might cause the standard running sound to seem much louder than it really is. This is a result of the echoing of the sound of the machine. Move the refrigerator out a bit from the kitchen wall and see if that helps or not. A refrigerator should be around 2 inches from the rear wall to reduce the sound.

If it isn’t 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’s loud. There are fan blades that can get clogged and dirty. There are times the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the condenser fan will get a coating of dust on it and should be cleaned often. If it builds up and gets too heavy it will sometimes 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 typically located in the back of the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need to have a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel. As soon as it is off you will notice a fan behind it. If it’s full of dirt and dust, 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 will be covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils will only take a few minutes but it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a common issue that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the blades spin easily? If they don’t the fan motor bearings are not working. This is an easy repair, as the fan assembly is usually a unit that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before you do any of this, ensure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer. This is not usually the issue, as this particular fan is protected inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the sounds are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the place to look.

If you think it could be the refrigerator compressor, the big, usually gray or black object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we recommend calling Weatherford Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should proceed with.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES