Why is My Refrigerator Noisy?

refrigerator unusual noise

Strange noises coming out of a refrigerator is one of our most common service calls. That means our technicians know exactly how to diagnose the problem and repair it. Call Shine Sunrise Appliance Repair today! The #1 Sunrise refrigerator repair service.

A noisy refrigerator is extremely annoying. If the refrigerator in your kitchen is a bit louder than it usually is there are a few simple things that you can check while attempting to find a solution. There are a lot of fans on a home refrigerator that often create strange noises. The refrigerator might also not be balanced too. Or you may have a compressor that’s wearing out. If your refrigerator is a lot noisier when the ice maker is making ice, the sounds could be from a broken a water valve.

There are some obvious things that must be be checked. Like is the refrigerator too full? A refrigerator that’s too can cause glass jars and other items to clink and clank together. This will create a lot of loud noises inside of the refrigerator that is not ideal because the refrigerator is on and creating a small vibration.

If you own a refrigerator that has a built-in water dispenser or ice maker but you don’t have the water connected, be sure you turned off the water dispenser and ice maker. There is usually a button on the dispenser that can be pressed to turn off the dispenser. And as far as the ice maker, you need to pull up the bar inside of it. If the refrigerator was installed really 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 machine. Move it out away from the wall and then see if that helps at all. A refrigerator needs to be around 2 inches from the rear wall to reduce the sound.

If it’s not any of these basic and easy fixes, it’s time to explore the issue further. The majority of the time, the refrigerator fans are the reason for a refrigerator that’s loud. There are fan blades that will often get dirty and clogged. There are times the fan motors do too. There’s a condenser fan in the refrigerator and an evaporator on the refrigerator too. Often times the condenser fan gets a coating of dust or fuzz on it and then needs to be cleaned often. If the dust builds up and gets too heavy it might wear out the bearings inside of the refrigerator fan’s motor.

Clean the Fan & Refrigerator Condenser Coils

behind the refrigerator. Most of the time you will want a wrench or screwdriver to get the back panel off. Once off you’ll notice a fan in there. If it’s covered in dust and dirt, get a cloth and gently clean it off. While you’re in there look at the coils too. These are typically right there and full of the same dust and grime that the fan is. Wiping down the coils only takes a couple of minutes and it will certainly help the refrigerator run efficiently. This is actually a common issue that can cause a refrigerator to run non-stop.

Turn the fan blades. Do the fan blades spin easily? If not the fan motor bearings are broken. This is a simple repair, as the fan assembly is typically a unit that can be ordered and can be replaced by simply disconnecting it. However, before trying this, ensure the refrigerator is unplugged. Do the 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 protected within the walls of the refrigerator. But, when the noises are coming from the top of the appliance that is the area to check.

If you think it might be the compressor, the large, typically gray or black object under the refrigerator near the coils, we advise calling Shine Sunrise Appliance Repair. That’s not a repair a homeowner should attempt.

ADDITIONAL REFRIGERATOR RESOURCES