Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange noises coming from a refrigerator is one of our most popular customer calls. That means our technicians know just how to troubleshoot the issue and correct it. Call H&H Denton Appliance Repair today! The #1 Denton refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your home seems to be a little noisier than it usually is there are some simple place that you can look at while trying to find a solution. There are several fans on a home refrigerator that often create loud noises. The appliance could also not be level too. Or you may have a compressor wearing out. If your refrigerator is much louder when the ice maker is making ice, the noises might be from a broken a water valve.

There are some obvious things that must be be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too will often result in glass bottles and other items to clink together. This can cause a lot of loud sounds inside the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is running and thereby producing a minor vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water line connected, be sure you turned 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 need to lift the metal bar. If the refrigerator was installed very close to a wall, it could cause the normal operating noise to seem much louder. This is because of the echo of the sound of the machine. Pull it out from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches from the rear wall of the kitchen to lower the sound.

If it isn’t any 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 can get clogged and dirty. Often times the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan gets a coating of dust on it and needs to be cleaned often. If the dust gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside of the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need to have a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. Once off you will notice a fan inside. If it’s full of dirt and dust, get a rag and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there check the coils too. The coils are typically near there and covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a couple of minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a very common problem that sometimes causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades. Do they spin easily? If not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is typically a component that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before doing any of this, ensure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This is not typically the issue, as this particular fan is concealed inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the place to look.

If you think it might be the compressor, the big, typically gray or black object under the refrigerator near the coils, we suggest calling H&H Denton 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