Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange noises coming from a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. That means our repairmen know just how to troubleshoot the problem and fix it. Call P&G Baltimore Appliance Repair today! The #1 Baltimore refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your kitchen seems to be a little noisier than it usually is there are a few easy things that you can check while trying to find the answer. There are many fans on a standard refrigerator that could create loud sounds. The refrigerator could also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor that’s wearing down. If your refrigerator is a lot louder when the ice maker is operating, the sounds might be from a broken a water valve.

There are a couple of obvious components that must be be checked first. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too might cause glass bottles and other food items to clink together. This will cause a lot of annoying noises inside of the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is running and producing a small vibration.

If you own a model of refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you do not have the water hooked up, be sure you turned off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There is almost always a button on the water dispenser that can be pressed to turn off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to lift the bar. If the refrigerator is installed right by a wall, it might cause the standard running sound to seem louder. This is a result of the echo of the sound of the appliance. Slide the refrigerator out from the wall and see if that helps. A refrigerator should be around 2 inches from the back wall of the kitchen to lower the noise.

If it’s not any of these simple and easier fixes, it’s time to dive on in. The majority of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that can get clogged and dirty. Sometimes the fan motors do as well. There is 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 gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

The first thing to do is to unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is usually located in the back of the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will want to have a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. As soon as it’s exposed you will see a fan behind it. If it’s covered in dust and dirt, grab a rag and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there you should check the coils too. These are typically near there and full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils will only take a couple of minutes but it will help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a very common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the fan blades spin freely? If they don’t it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy repair, as the fan assembly is usually a unit that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. But, before trying this, ensure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t typically the problem, as this particular fan is concealed within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that is the area to look.

If it’s possible that it might be the refrigerator compressor, the big, usually gray or black object under the refrigerator by the coils, we suggest calling P&G Baltimore Appliance Repair. That is not a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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