Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator noisy

Loud noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most popular customer calls. This means our technicians know exactly how to troubleshoot the problem and repair it. Call Webb Appliance Repair today! The #1 Mesa refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your home seems to be a little noisier than normal there are a couple of easy things that you can check while attempting to find a solution. There are several fans on a standard refrigerator that might create strange noises. The refrigerator could also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor that’s wearing out. If your refrigerator is much louder when the ice maker is working, the sounds might be a broken a water valve.

There are a few basic components that must be be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too could cause glass bottles and other foods and liquids to clink together. This can cause a lot of loud noises inside of the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is running and naturally creating a minor vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water line connected, be positive you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There is almost always a button on the water dispenser on the refrigerator that can be pressed to shut off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you need to pull up the metal bar. If the refrigerator is installed near a wall in the kitchen, it will sometimes cause the normal running noise to seem a lot louder. This is because of the echoing of the sound of the machine. Pull it out a little away from the kitchen wall and see if that helps. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches from the back wall to limit the sound.

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

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need to have a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off. As soon as it’s off you’ll see a fan inside. If it is covered in dust and dirt, take a cloth and gently clean it off. While you’re in there check the coils as well. The coils are usually near there and will be full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a few minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a very common issue that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin freely? If they do not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is typically a unit that can be purchased online and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before attempting any of this, be sure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t usually the issue, as this fan is protected inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the place to look.

If you think it might be the refrigerator compressor, the large, usually black or gray object under the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling Webb Appliance Repair. That is not a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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