Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

Loud noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common customer calls. That means our repairmen know just how to diagnose the problem and repair it. Call Crown Pomona Appliance Repair today! The #1 Pomona refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is the worst. If the refrigerator in your home seems to be a bit louder than usual there are some simple place that you can check while attempting to find the cause. There are several fans on a home refrigerator that could create strange noises. The refrigerator could also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor that is wearing out. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is working, the sounds might be a broken a water valve.

There are one or two obvious things that must be be checked. Like is your refrigerator filled too full? A refrigerator that’s too can sometimes result in glass bottles and other items to clink and clank together. This will cause a lot of unpleasant sounds inside of the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is running and thereby producing a minor vibration.

If you own a model of refrigerator that has a water dispenser or ice maker but don’t have the water connected, be sure you turned off the dispenser and ice maker. There is usually a button on the dispenser that can be used to shut off the water dispenser. And with the ice maker, you just need to pull up the bar. If the refrigerator was installed very close to a wall, it could cause the normal operating noise to seem much louder than it is. This is a result of the echoing of the noise of the appliance. Move it out from the wall and see if that helps or not. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches from the back wall to lower the sound.

If it is not one of these simple and common fixes, it is time to explore the issue further. Most of the time, the fans are the reason for a refrigerator that is loud. There are fan blades that will often get clogged and dirty. Often times the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Sometimes the condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then needs to be cleaned often. If the coating builds up and gets too heavy it can wear out the bearings inside 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 get the back panel off. As soon as it’s off you will notice a fan behind it. If it is covered in dirt and dust, grab a cloth and gently wipe it off. While you are in there you should check the coils too. These are usually right there and will be full of the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a few 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 easily? If not it means the fan motor bearings are broken. This is an easy repair, as the fan assembly is usually a part that can be ordered and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. However, before attempting any of this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do this same process for the evaporator fan in the refrigerator, which is typically located behind the freezer. This isn’t typically the issue, as this fan is concealed by being inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that is the place to look.

If you think it could be the compressor, the big, usually black or gray object beneath the refrigerator by the coils, we recommend calling Crown Pomona Appliance Repair. That isn’t 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