Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud sounds coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our technicians know exactly how to troubleshoot the problem and fix it. Call Prime Nampa Appliance Repair today! The #1 Nampa refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your house seems to be a little louder than usual there are a couple of easy place that you can look at while attempting to find the answer. There are many fans on a home refrigerator that could create loud sounds. The refrigerator might also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor that is wearing down. If your refrigerator is a lot noisier when the ice maker is making ice, the sounds could be from a broken a water valve.

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

If you own a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water hooked up, be positive you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s typically a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to turn off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you just need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed very close to a wall, it might cause the standard running noise to seem much louder. This is a result of the echoing of the noise of the machine. Move it out from the wall and see if that helps or not. A refrigerator should be around 2 inches away from the back wall of the kitchen to reduce the sound.

If it’s not one of these basic and easier fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a refrigerator that is loud. There are fan blades that will often get dirty and clogged. There are times the fan motors do too. There is a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Often times the condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then should be cleaned often. If the coating builds up and gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside of the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

First, the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need to have a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. Once exposed you will notice a fan inside. If it’s covered in dirt and dust, grab a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there check the coils too. These are usually near there and covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a couple of minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is actually a very common problem that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin easily? If not the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is typically a unit that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before doing any of this, ensure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer. This isn’t usually the issue, as this fan is protected by being inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that is the area to check.

If it’s possible that it could be the refrigerator compressor, the large, typically black or gray object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Prime Nampa Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

• How Does a Refrigerator Work?
• Ice Maker Not Working
• Water Dispenser Not Working
• Refrigerator Not Cooling