Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator loud noises

Strange sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most popular customer calls. That means our repairmen know exactly how to troubleshoot the problem and correct it. Call Prince Appliance Repair today! The #1 Franklin refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your kitchen is a bit louder than usual there are some easy place that you can check while attempting to find the cause. There are many fans on a home refrigerator that could create loud sounds. The refrigerator might also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor that is wearing out. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is working, the sounds could be from a broken a water valve.

There are some basic things that must be be checked first. Like is your refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too could cause glass containers and other foods and liquids to clink together. This will cause a lot of unpleasant sounds inside the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is running and naturally producing a minor vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water line connected, be positive you turned off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There is usually a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be pressed to shut off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to lift the metal bar. If the refrigerator is installed very close to a wall, it could cause the normal operating sound to seem much louder than it is. This is a result of the echoing of the sound of the refrigerator. Pull it out from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps at all. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches from the back wall of the kitchen to reduce the sound.

If it’s not any of these basic and common fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a refrigerator that’s loud. There are fan blades that will often get clogged and dirty. There are times the fan motors do too. 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 the coating gets too heavy it will sometimes 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 want a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off. As soon as it is off you will see a fan in there. 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. The coils are typically right there and will be covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils will only take a couple of minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a very common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the blades spin freely? If they do not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy repair, as the fan assembly is usually a component that can be purchased online and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before attempting this, be sure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer. This isn’t usually the problem, as this fan is protected by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the area to check.

If it is possible it might be the refrigerator compressor, the large, typically black or gray object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling Prince Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES