Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator noisy

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

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your kitchen seems to be a bit louder than it usually is there are some easy place that you can look at while attempting to find a solution. There are several fans on a refrigerator that might create loud sounds. The appliance might also not be level too. Or you may have a compressor wearing out. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is making ice, the sounds could be from a broken a water valve.

There are a few obvious things that need to be checked. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too can cause glass jars and other food items to clink and clank together. This can cause a lot of loud noises inside of the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is cooling and naturally creating a minor vibration.

If you have a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water hooked up, be sure you turned off the dispenser and ice maker. There’s almost always 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 bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed very close to a wall, it will sometimes cause the normal running sound to seem louder. This is because of the echoing of the sound of the appliance. Pull the refrigerator out from the wall and then see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator should be around 2 inches away from the back wall to limit the sound.

If it isn’t any of these basic and easy fixes, it’s time to dive on in. The majority of the time, the fans are the cause of a refrigerator that is loud. There are fan blades that can get dirty and clogged. Sometimes the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Sometimes the refrigerator condenser fan gets a coating of dust on it and should be cleaned regularly. If it gets too heavy it will sometimes 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 a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. Once exposed you’ll notice a fan inside. If it is covered in dirt and dust, find a rag and gently wipe it off. While you are in there look at the coils as well. The coils are typically right there and will be covered in the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils only takes a couple of minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a very common problem that causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do the blades spin freely? If not the fan motor bearings are not working. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is usually a component that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before doing this, ensure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This isn’t usually the issue, as this fan is concealed by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the sounds are coming from the top of the appliance that is the place to check.

If you think it could be the compressor, the large, typically black or gray object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we suggest calling Nashua Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should proceed with.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES