Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator noisy

Loud noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. This means our repairmen know just how to troubleshoot the issue and fix it. Call Las Cruces Appliance Repair today! The #1 Las Cruces refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your house is a bit louder than normal there are some easy place that you can look at while trying to find a solution. There are a lot of fans on a home refrigerator that could create strange noises. The appliance could also not be level too. Or you may have a compressor wearing out. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is making ice, the noises might be a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious things that should be checked first. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too will often cause glass jars and other foods and liquids to clink and clank together. This will cause a lot of loud sounds inside of the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and creating a small vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water hooked up, be sure you turned off the dispenser and ice maker. There’s usually a button on the water dispenser that can be used to shut off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to lift the bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed very close to a wall in the kitchen, it might cause the standard operating sound to seem a lot louder. This is because of the echo of the sound of the appliance. Move it out away from the wall and see if that helps. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches from the back wall to reduce the noise.

If it isn’t any of these simple and easy fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the fans are the cause of a refrigerator that is loud. There are fan blades that will often get clogged and dirty. Sometimes the fan motors do as well. There is a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Often times the condenser fan will get a coating of dust on it and then needs to be cleaned regularly. 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 rear of the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need a wrench or screwdriver to remove the back panel. Once off you’ll notice a fan in there. If it’s covered in dirt and dust, get a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there check the coils too. The coils are usually right there and will be covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a few minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a common problem that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the fan blades spin freely? If not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is usually a component that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before trying any of this, be sure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer unit. This is not typically the issue, as this particular fan is protected inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the area to look.

If you think it could be the compressor, the large, usually gray or black object under the refrigerator near the coils, we recommend calling Las Cruces Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES