Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator loud noises

Strange sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our repairmen know just how to troubleshoot the problem and correct it. Call Achieve Appliance Repair today! The #1 Arlington refrigerator repair service.

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

There are some basic things that should be checked first. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too could cause glass jars and other items to clink together. This will create a lot of loud sounds inside of the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and creating a small vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water hooked up, be sure you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s 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 simply need to pull up the metal bar. If the refrigerator was installed near a wall, it will cause the normal running sound to seem much louder. This is a result of the echo of the noise of the appliance. Slide it out away from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps or not. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches from the rear wall to lower the noise.

If it’s not one of these simple and easy fixes, it’s time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the fans are the cause of a refrigerator that’s loud. There are fan blades that will often get clogged and dirty. Often times the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the condenser fan will get a coating of dust on it and then needs to be cleaned regularly. If the dust builds up and gets too heavy it can 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 screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. As soon as it’s exposed you’ll notice a fan behind it. If it is full of dirt and dust, take a rag and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there check the coils too. These are usually right there and full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a couple of minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a very common problem that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do the blades spin freely? If they don’t the fan motor bearings are not working. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is usually a unit that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before attempting this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t usually the issue, as this fan is protected by being inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the area to check.

If you think it could be the refrigerator compressor, the big, usually gray or black object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Achieve Appliance Repair. That is not a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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