Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator loud noises

Strange sounds coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our technicians know exactly how to diagnose the issue and correct it. Call Choice Hawthorne Appliance Repair today! The #1 Hawthorne refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is very annoying. If the refrigerator in your home is a little noisier than it usually is there are some simple place that you can check while trying to find a solution. There are a lot of fans on a refrigerator that often create loud noises. The appliance might also not be level too. Or you might have a compressor that is wearing out. If your refrigerator is louder when the ice maker is operating, the sounds could be a broken a water valve.

There are some obvious components that should be checked. Like is your refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that is too might cause glass jars and other food items to clink and clank together. This can create a lot of unpleasant noises inside of the refrigerator that’s not ideal because the refrigerator is on and creating a minor vibration.

If you have a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water hooked up, 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 turn off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to pull up the metal bar. If the refrigerator was installed right by a wall in the kitchen, it might cause the standard operating sound to seem a lot louder than it is. This is due to the echoing of the sound of the refrigerator. Slide the refrigerator out away from the wall and see if that helps. A refrigerator needs to be about 2 inches from the rear wall of the kitchen to lower the noise.

If it’s not one of these basic and common fixes, it’s time to dive on in. Most 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. Often times the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan and an evaporator on refrigerators too. Often times the refrigerator condenser fan will get a coating of dust or fuzz on it and needs to 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

behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will need to have a screwdriver or wrench to get the back panel off from the refrigerator. Once exposed you will notice a fan behind it. If it’s covered in dust and dirt, grab a rag and gently wipe it off. While you are in there you should check the coils as well. The coils are usually near there and will be full of the same grime and dust that the fan is. Wiping down the coils will only take a few minutes but it will certainly help the refrigerator run more efficiently. This is a common problem that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Spin the fan blades. Do the blades spin easily? If not it means the fan motor bearings are not working. This is a simple fix, as the fan assembly is usually a component that can be purchased online and can be replaced by just disconnecting it. But, before you do this, ensure the refrigerator is not plugged in. Do the same process for the evaporator fan, which is located behind the freezer. This isn’t usually the problem, as this particular fan is protected inside the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that’s the area to look.

If you think it could be the refrigerator compressor, the big, typically gray or black object under the refrigerator by the coils, we advise calling Choice Hawthorne Appliance Repair. That isn’t a repair a homeowner should try.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES