Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator unusual noise

Loud sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our repairmen know just how to diagnose the issue and correct it. Call Hesperia Appliance Repair Brothers today! The #1 Hesperia refrigerator repair service.

A loud refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your kitchen seems to be a little noisier than usual there are some simple things that you can check while trying to find the answer. There are a lot of fans on a standard refrigerator that could create strange noises. The refrigerator might also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor that is wearing out. If your refrigerator is much louder when the ice maker is operating, the noises could be from a broken a water valve.

There are some obvious components that must be be checked first. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too will often cause glass jars and other food items to clink together. This can cause a lot of annoying sounds inside the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is running and thereby creating a minor vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water line connected, be positive you shut off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There is usually a button on the water dispenser on the refrigerator that can be pressed to turn off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you need to pull up the bar inside of it. If the refrigerator is installed right by a wall, it could cause the standard running sound to seem louder. This is a result of the echo of the sound of the appliance. Pull the refrigerator out from the kitchen wall and see if that helps. A refrigerator should be around 2 inches from the back wall of the kitchen to reduce the noise.

If it’s not any of these simple and easier fixes, it’s time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the fans are the cause of a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get clogged and dirty. Often times the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Often times the refrigerator condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then needs to be cleaned regularly. If it 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 wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. Once exposed you will see a fan behind it. If it’s covered in dirt and dust, get a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you are in there check the coils as well. These are usually right there and will be full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a few minutes but it will help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is actually a very common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the blades spin easily? If they do not the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple repair, 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 not 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 concealed by being inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the place to check.

If you think it might be the refrigerator compressor, the big, usually black or gray object under the refrigerator by the coils, we suggest calling Hesperia Appliance Repair Brothers. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES