Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our repairmen know just how to troubleshoot the issue and repair it. Call A+ Aurora Appliance Repair today! The #1 Aurora refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your kitchen seems to be a little louder than usual there are a few simple place that you can look at while attempting to find the answer. There are a lot of fans on a refrigerator that could create strange sounds. The appliance might also not be level too. Or you may have a compressor that is wearing down. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is making ice, the sounds might be a broken a water valve.

There are a few basic things that should be checked first. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too might result in glass bottles and other foods and liquids to clink and clank together. This will cause a lot of annoying noises inside the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is running and naturally creating 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 connected, be sure you turned off the dispenser and the ice maker. There is typically a button on the dispenser on the refrigerator that can be used to shut off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you simply need to lift the metal bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed really close to a wall, it might cause the standard operating sound to seem louder. This is because of the echoing of the noise of the machine. Slide it out a little from the wall and then see if that helps at all or not. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches from the rear wall to limit the noise.

If it is not any of these simple and easy fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a refrigerator that is loud. There are fan blades that sometimes get dirty and clogged. There are times the fan motors do too. 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 often. If the coating gets too heavy it will sometimes wear out the bearings inside the fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need a screwdriver or wrench to remove the back panel from the refrigerator. As soon as it is off you will notice a fan behind it. If it’s covered in dirt and dust, grab a rag and gently wipe it off. While you’re in there look at the coils too. These 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 a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

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

If it is possible that it might be the compressor, the big, usually gray or black object beneath the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling A+ Aurora 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