Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most popular service calls. That means our repairmen know just how to diagnose the problem and fix it. Call CRT Appliance Repair today! The #1 refrigerator repair.

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your house seems to be a bit louder than usual there are a few easy place that you can check while trying to find the cause. There are many fans on a standard refrigerator that could create loud noises. The appliance could also not be level too. Or you could have a compressor that is wearing down. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is working, the sounds might be a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of basic things that need to be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too can result in glass jars and other items to clink together. This can create a lot of annoying sounds inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is running and creating a minor vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water line hooked up, be sure you shut 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 water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you need to lift the bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed near a wall in the kitchen, it might cause the normal operating sound to seem much louder. This is a result of the echo of the noise of the machine. Move the refrigerator out a little from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches from the back wall of the kitchen to limit the sound.

If it is not one of these basic and easy fixes, it is time to dive on in. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that will often get dirty and clogged. Sometimes the fan motors do too. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then should be cleaned often. If the dust gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

The first thing to do is 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 screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. As soon as it’s off you’ll see a fan inside. If it is covered in dust and dirt, find a rag and gently clean it off. While you’re in there look at the coils too. The coils are typically right there and covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils will only take a few minutes and it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a common issue that sometimes causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they 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. However, before trying this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t typically the problem, as this fan is protected by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the place to check.

If you think it might be the compressor, the big, typically gray or black object under the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling CRT Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES