Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator unusual noise

Loud sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most popular customer calls. That means our technicians know just how to diagnose the problem and fix it. Call Capital Appliance Repair in Madison today! The #1 refrigerator repair service in Dane County!

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your house is a little noisier than it usually is there are a few easy place that you can look at while attempting to find a solution. There are several fans on a standard refrigerator that often create strange sounds. The appliance could also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor wearing out. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is making ice, the sounds could be a broken a water valve.

There are a few obvious things that should be checked. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that is too might result in glass bottles and other food items to clink and clank together. This can create a lot of unpleasant sounds inside of the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is running and creating a minor vibration.

If you own a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water hooked up, be positive you shut off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s typically a button on the dispenser that can be used to shut off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you just need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed near a wall, it could cause the standard running sound to seem much louder than it really is. This is a result of the echo of the sound of the machine. Move the refrigerator out a bit from the kitchen wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches away from the rear wall to lower the sound.

If it’s not any of these basic and easier fixes, it is time to dive on in. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get clogged and dirty. There are times the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Often times the refrigerator condenser fan will get a coating of dust on it and then should be cleaned regularly. If the coating builds up and 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 to unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is typically located in the back of the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel. As soon as it is off you will see a fan behind it. If it’s covered in dust and dirt, grab a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you are in there you should look at the coils too. These are usually near there and will be full of 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 actually a common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the blades spin freely? If not the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is typically a part that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before trying any of this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer. This isn’t typically the problem, as this fan is protected within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the place to check.

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

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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