Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. That means our technicians know exactly how to troubleshoot the issue and fix it. Call B&G Round Rock Appliance Repair today! The #1 Round Rock refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your home seems to be a little louder than normal there are a couple of simple things that you can check while trying to find the cause. There are many fans on a home refrigerator that might create loud noises. The refrigerator could also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor wearing down. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is working, the noises could be a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious things that must be be checked first. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that is too could result in glass containers and other foods and liquids to clink together. This will create a lot of annoying sounds inside of the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and thereby creating a minor vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water line connected, be positive you turned off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There is almost always a button on the water dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to turn off the dispenser. And with the ice maker, you just need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator is installed right by a wall, it could cause the standard running sound to seem much louder. This is because of the echo of the sound of the refrigerator. Slide the refrigerator out from the wall and then see if that helps or not. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches from the rear wall of the kitchen to reduce the sound.

If it’s not one of these simple and easy fixes, it’s time to dive on in. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get dirty and clogged. Often times the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Often times the condenser fan will get a coating of dust on it and should be cleaned on a regular basis. If the dust gets too heavy it might 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. Most of the time you will want to have a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel. Once off you’ll notice a fan in there. If it is full of dust and dirt, take a cloth and gently clean it off. While you’re in there you should check the coils as well. The coils are typically right there and 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 actually a common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin freely? If not the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is usually a part that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before trying this, be sure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer. This is not typically the problem, as this fan is concealed by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that is the place to check.

If you think it might be the compressor, the big, typically black or gray object under the refrigerator near the coils, we suggest calling B&G Round Rock Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should proceed with.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

• How Does a Refrigerator Work?
• Ice Maker Not Working
• Water Dispenser Not Working
• Refrigerator Not Cooling