Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Strange sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. This means our repairmen know just how to diagnose the issue and correct it. Call Crown Citrus Heights Appliance Repair today! The #1 Citrus Heights refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your home seems to be a little noisier than usual there are a couple of simple place that you can look at while trying to find the cause. There are several fans on a standard refrigerator that might create strange sounds. The appliance might also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor wearing down. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is working, the sounds could be a broken a water valve.

There are one or two basic components that must be be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too will often result in glass jars and other food items to clink together. This will cause a lot of loud noises inside the refrigerator that isn’t ideal because the refrigerator is running and naturally creating a minor vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water line connected, be positive you turned off the dispenser and ice maker. There is almost always a button on the dispenser that can be pressed to shut off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you need to lift the metal bar. If the refrigerator was installed near a wall, it can cause the standard operating noise to seem a lot louder than it really is. This is because of the echoing of the noise of the appliance. Slide the refrigerator out a little away from the kitchen wall and then see if that helps at all. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches away from the back wall to reduce the noise.

If it is not any of these basic and easy fixes, it is time to dive on in. The majority of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a refrigerator that’s loud. There are fan blades that sometimes get dirty and clogged. Sometimes the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the condenser fan gets a coating of dust on it and then needs to be cleaned regularly. If the coating gets too heavy it can wear out the bearings inside of the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

The first thing to do is unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is typically located in the rear of the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will want a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. Once exposed you’ll notice a fan in there. If it’s covered in dirt and dust, take a cloth and gently clean it off. While you are in there look at the coils as well. These are typically near there and covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Cleaning the coils will only take a few minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a very common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do the blades spin freely? If not it means 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. However, before trying this, be sure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer unit. This is not usually the problem, 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 area to check.

If you think it could be the compressor, the large, usually gray or black object under the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Crown Citrus Heights 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