Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud noises coming from a refrigerator is one of our most popular service calls. That means our technicians know just how to diagnose the problem and correct it. Call Integrity Augusta Appliance Repair today! The #1 Augusta refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your house seems to be a little noisier than usual there are a couple of easy things that you can check while attempting to find the answer. There are many fans on a refrigerator that might create loud sounds. The refrigerator could also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor wearing down. If your refrigerator is noisier when the ice maker is working, the noises could be a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious things that need to be checked. Like is the refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too might result in glass jars and other items to clink together. This can cause a lot of unpleasant sounds inside of the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is on and naturally creating a small vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water line connected, be positive you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s usually a button on the dispenser that can be used to turn off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to pull up the metal bar. If the refrigerator is installed really close to a wall in the kitchen, it could cause the normal operating noise to seem a lot louder. This is because of the echoing of the noise of the refrigerator. Move it out away from the kitchen wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches from the rear wall of the kitchen to lower the noise.

If it is not any of these simple and common fixes, it’s time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a refrigerator that’s loud. There are fan blades that can get clogged and dirty. Often times the fan motors do as well. 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 should be cleaned regularly. 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

behind the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will want to have a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel. Once exposed you’ll see a fan behind it. If it’s full of dust and dirt, take a cloth and gently clean it off. While you’re in there check the coils too. The coils are typically near there and will be full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils will only take a few minutes and it will help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the blades spin freely? If they don’t the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is typically a component that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before doing this, be sure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t 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 it is possible that it could be the compressor, the large, typically gray or black object under the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling Integrity Augusta Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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