Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. This means our technicians know exactly how to diagnose the issue and repair it. Call J&L Thousand Oaks Appliance Repair today! The #1 Thousand Oaks refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your home is a little louder than it usually is there are a couple of easy place that you can check while trying to find the cause. There are several fans on a refrigerator that often create loud sounds. The refrigerator could also not be level too. Or you might have a compressor that is wearing down. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is working, the noises might be from a broken a water valve.

There are some obvious components that need to be checked. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too might result in glass jars and other items to clink and clank together. This will create a lot of loud sounds inside of the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is running and naturally creating a small vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a 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 typically a button on the dispenser that can be pressed to shut off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to pull up the bar. If the refrigerator is installed near a wall, it might cause the standard operating noise to seem louder than it is. This is due to the echo of the sound of the machine. Slide the refrigerator out away from the kitchen wall and see if that helps at all. A refrigerator should be about 2 inches from the back wall of the kitchen to limit the noise.

If it isn’t one of these basic and easy fixes, it is time to dive on in. Most of the time, the fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get dirty and clogged. Often times the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Often times the refrigerator condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then needs to be cleaned regularly. If the dust gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside of 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 need a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel. As soon as it is off you will notice a fan behind it. If it is covered in dirt and dust, grab a rag and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there check the coils too. These are typically near there and will be covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Cleaning the coils will only take a couple of minutes but it will help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a very common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin easily? If not it means the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is usually a component that can be purchased online and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before doing any of this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer. This isn’t typically the issue, as this fan is protected inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that is the area to check.

If it’s possible it might be the compressor, the large, typically black or gray object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling J&L Thousand Oaks 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