Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator loud noises

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

A loud refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your house is a little louder than usual there are a few easy place that you can check while attempting to find the cause. There are a lot of fans on a refrigerator that might create strange noises. The appliance could also not be balanced too. Or you could have a compressor that’s wearing out. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is making ice, the noises could be a broken a water valve.

There are one or two basic components that need to be checked. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too might result in glass jars and other food items to clink together. This will create a lot of annoying noises inside the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is running and creating a small vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water connected, be positive you turned off the dispenser and the ice maker. There’s almost always a button on the dispenser that can be used to shut off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to lift the metal bar. If the refrigerator was installed right by a wall in the kitchen, it could cause the normal operating sound to seem louder than it really is. This is because of the echoing of the noise of the machine. Slide it out from the wall and then see if that helps or not. A refrigerator needs to be close to 2 inches away from the rear wall to lower the noise.

If it’s not one of these simple and easy fixes, it is time to dive on in. The majority of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a refrigerator that is loud. There are fan blades that sometimes get dirty and clogged. Often times the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Many times the condenser fan will get a coating of dust on it and then needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. If the coating builds up and 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 usually located in the back of the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need to have a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel. Once off you’ll notice a fan in there. If it is covered in dirt and dust, get a cloth and gently clean it off. While you’re in there look at the coils too. These are usually near there and will be covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a few minutes but it will help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a very common problem that sometimes causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the fan blades spin freely? If not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is typically a component that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before doing this, be sure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t usually the problem, as this particular fan is protected by being inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the area to look.

If it is possible it might be the refrigerator compressor, the large, usually gray or black object under the refrigerator near the coils, we recommend calling Bell Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES