Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator noisy

Loud noises coming from a refrigerator is one of our most popular service calls. This means our technicians know exactly how to diagnose the problem and fix it. Call Boulder Appliance Repair today! The #1 Boulder refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your house seems to be a bit louder than it usually is there are some simple place that you can check while trying to find the cause. There are a lot of fans on a home refrigerator that could create loud noises. The appliance could also not be level too. Or you could have a compressor that’s wearing down. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is making ice, the noises could be from a broken a water valve.

There are some obvious things that must be be checked first. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too will often cause glass bottles and other foods and liquids to clink and clank together. This can cause a lot of loud sounds inside the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is on and naturally producing a small vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water hooked up, be sure you shut off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s typically a button on the dispenser that can be pressed to shut off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you just need to pull up the bar. If the refrigerator is installed really close to a wall, it might cause the standard operating noise to seem a lot louder. This is due to the echoing of the sound of the machine. Move the refrigerator out away from the kitchen wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator needs to be close to 2 inches away from the back wall of the kitchen to lower the noise.

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 loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that sometimes get dirty and clogged. Often times the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan will get a coating of dust on it and then needs to be cleaned regularly. If it builds up and gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need to have a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. As soon as it is exposed you will notice a fan in there. If it’s full of dirt and dust, get a rag and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there you should look at the coils as well. These are usually right there and will be full of the same grime and dust that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a few minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a very common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the fan blades spin easily? If not the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is typically a unit that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before trying any of this, be sure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer. This isn’t typically the problem, as this particular fan is concealed 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 look.

If you think it might be the refrigerator compressor, the large, usually black or gray object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we suggest calling Boulder Appliance Repair. That is not a repair a homeowner should proceed with.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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