Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. This means our repairmen know just how to diagnose the problem and repair it. Call Hoboken Appliance Repair today! The #1 Hoboken refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your house is a bit louder than it usually is there are a few easy things that you can check while trying to find the answer. There are many fans on a standard refrigerator that often create strange sounds. The refrigerator might also not be level too. Or you might have a compressor that is wearing out. If your refrigerator is a lot louder when the ice maker is operating, the sounds could be a broken a water valve.

There are a few basic components that should be checked first. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too will often cause glass containers and other items to clink and clank together. This will create a lot of loud sounds inside the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and naturally producing a minor vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water line connected, be positive you shut off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s almost always a button on the dispenser that can be pressed to turn off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you need to lift the bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed very close to a wall, it can sometimes cause the standard running sound to seem a lot louder than it is. This is because of the echo of the sound of the appliance. Move it out a bit away from the kitchen wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches away from the rear wall of the kitchen to reduce the noise.

If it isn’t one of these basic and common fixes, it is time to dive on in. The majority of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get clogged and dirty. Often times the fan motors do too. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Many times the condenser fan gets a coating of dust on it and then needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. If the dust gets too heavy it can wear out the bearings inside of the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel. As soon as it is off you will see a fan behind it. If it’s covered in dirt and dust, take a cloth and gently clean it off. While you’re in there look at the coils too. The coils are usually near there and will be full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a few minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a common issue that causes 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 broken. This is an easy repair, as the fan assembly is typically a unit that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before attempting this, ensure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This is not typically the problem, as this fan is protected by being inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the sounds are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the area to check.

If it’s possible it could be the refrigerator compressor, the large, usually gray or black object under the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling Hoboken Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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