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 issue and correct it. Call Jacobs Appliance Repair today! The #1 Massachusetts refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your house seems to be a bit louder than it usually is there are some easy things that you can look at while attempting to find the cause. There are several fans on a standard refrigerator that often create strange sounds. The refrigerator might also not be balanced too. Or you might have a compressor that is wearing down. If your refrigerator is much noisier when the ice maker is making ice, the noises might be from a broken a water valve.

There are some basic things that need to be checked. Like is your refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that is too can result in glass jars and other food items to clink together. This will create a lot of annoying sounds inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is running and naturally producing a minor vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water hooked up, be positive you shut off the water dispenser and ice maker. There’s usually a button on the water dispenser that can be used to turn off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to lift the metal bar. If the refrigerator is installed very close to a wall, it can sometimes cause the normal running sound to seem a lot louder. This is because of the echo of the sound of the appliance. Pull it out from the wall and see if that helps. A refrigerator should be close to 2 inches away from the back wall to limit the noise.

If it isn’t any of these simple and easier fixes, it is time to dive on in. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the cause of a refrigerator that is loud. There are fan blades that will often get clogged and dirty. There are times the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Often times the condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and needs to be cleaned regularly. If the dust 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 to have a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel. Once off you will see a fan in there. If it is covered in dust and dirt, take a rag and gently wipe it off. While you are in there you should check the coils as well. The coils are typically right there and will be full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Cleaning the coils will only take a few minutes but it will help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is a very common problem that sometimes causes a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades in the refrigerator. Do they spin freely? If not the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy repair, as the fan assembly is typically a part that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. But, before you do this, ensure the refrigerator isn’t plugged in. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is located behind the freezer. This is not usually the problem, as this fan is concealed by being inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, if the noises are coming from the top of the refrigerator that’s the place to look.

If it is possible it could be the refrigerator compressor, the large, typically gray or black object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling Jacobs Appliance Repair. That’s not a repair a homeowner should proceed with.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES

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