Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator loud noises

Strange sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. That means our technicians know just how to troubleshoot the issue and correct it. Call Tru Appliance Repair today! The #1 Newton refrigerator repair service.

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

There are one or two basic things that must be be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too could result in glass jars and other foods and liquids to clink together. This can cause a lot of loud noises inside of the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is on and producing a small vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but do not have the water line connected, be sure you turned off the water dispenser and the ice maker. There is typically a button on the water dispenser on the refrigerator that can be pressed to shut off the water dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to lift the bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed right by a wall, it might cause the standard running noise to seem much louder than it really is. This is because of the echoing of the sound of the appliance. Pull it out away from the kitchen wall and see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches from the rear wall of the kitchen to limit the noise.

If it is not any of these basic and common fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. The majority of the time, the fans are the reason for a loud refrigerator. There are fan blades that sometimes get clogged and dirty. Sometimes the fan motors do as well. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then should be cleaned on a regular basis. If the dust gets too heavy it can wear out the bearings inside of the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

The first thing to do is unplug the refrigerator. The condenser fan is usually located in the rear of the refrigerator. A lot of the time you will need to have a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off. As soon as it is off you will see a fan in there. If it is covered in dust and dirt, find a rag and gently wipe it off. While you are in there you should check the coils too. The coils are typically near there and will be covered in the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a couple of minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is actually a very common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do the blades spin freely? If not the fan motor bearings are not working. This is an easy fix, as the fan assembly is typically a unit that can be purchased online and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. But, before you do any of this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this same process for the evaporator fan, which is typically located behind the freezer unit. This is not typically the issue, as this particular fan is concealed by being within the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that is the area to check.

If it’s possible that it might be the compressor, the large, typically black or gray object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we suggest calling Tru Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES