Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator loud noises

Loud noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. This means our repairmen know just how to diagnose the problem and repair it. Call Santa Maria Appliance Repair today! The #1 Santa Maria refrigerator repair service.

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

There are one or two basic components that must be be checked first. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too could cause glass jars and other food items to clink and clank together. This can cause a lot of loud noises inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and creating a small vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water hooked up, be positive you shut off the dispenser and the ice maker. There’s almost always a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to turn off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator is installed really close to a wall in the kitchen, it could cause the standard running noise to seem louder than it is. This is because of the echo of the noise of the machine. Move it out away from the kitchen wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator needs to be close to 2 inches away from the back wall of the kitchen to limit the sound.

If it’s not one of these basic and easier fixes, it’s time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that will often get dirty and clogged. Often times the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. If the coating gets too heavy it can wear out the bearings inside the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need to have a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off. As soon as it’s off you will notice a fan inside. If it’s full of dust and dirt, grab a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there look at the coils as well. The coils are usually near there and full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a few minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a common problem that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin freely? If not the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is typically a part that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before doing this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t typically the issue, as this particular fan is protected within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the sounds are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the area to look.

If you think it could be the refrigerator compressor, the large, typically gray or black object under the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Santa Maria Appliance Repair. That’s not a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES