Fridge Troubles: 7 Possible Causes of Noisy Refrigerators
Regular refrigerator operation generates some noise. In some newer models, you may only hear these noises when the door is open since they have been manufactured to stay discreet. However, a noisy refrigerator can be caused by several internal and external issues.
If your fridge is making peculiar noises, it’s time to consult a professional. Here are some of the factors that contribute to a noisy refrigerator:
1. The Refrigerator Has Gone Out of Level
Your refrigerator may be out of level if it’s making an unusually loud buzzing noise. This can be due to internal parts wearing out or your floors giving in to the fridge’s weight.
Thankfully, legs on the fridge can be adjusted. Sometimes, even the tiniest movement is enough to move the refrigerator whenever this occurs. You can use a leveller to see whether your refrigerator is back in level.
2. An Item Has Touched the Refrigerator Walls
You may hear a jangling noise in your fridge that is just being caused by something touching the fridge walls, like glass bottles, perhaps.
Rearranging your fridge to see whether this is the problem should be your first step before hiring a repairman. Remove all heavy objects from the vicinity of the walls or even the door racks.
3. Fan Blade Blockage
If you attentively listen to your fridge, you should be able to locate the source of the noise. If it’s near the freezer or fresh food vent, it’s either a fan or motor issue. Unfortunately, the only way to verify a problem is to check it physically. To achieve this, you will need to dismantle your refrigerator and check the fan.
It’s not always an object stuck to your fan making the noise. Over time, the fan may get bent or dusty. In this case, the fan blade must be changed. If the blade is undamaged, the noise is most likely coming from the motor.
4. Problems with the Motor
Many separate motors are used in your refrigerator, rather than just one. If these motors fail, they may not all go out gently. They can make noises that are out of the ordinary, so you need to figure out which engine is out of order before fixing it.
Inspect both the condenser and evaporator fan motors. Motors, fan blades, and bearings should all be checked for signs of wear and tear. If you’re not too sure to do it yourself, contact a professional to do so.
5. Issues with Water Inlet Valve
You may want to check the water input if your refrigerator makes a lot of noise at particular times of the day. The noise is likely irregular because the water intake isn’t always open.
It’s most probable that your refrigerator’s water dispenser or ice maker is the source of the noise. A buildup of mineral wealth that restricts water flow or just makes noise may cause the problem if you have hard water.
6. Condenser Coil Tubes Contact Each Other
Condenser coil tubes are metal tubes located on the rear of your refrigerator that assist in refrigerant circulation to cool the fridge and disperse heat. If you’ve recently relocated your fridge or have done it several times, the condenser coils may have been bent.
7. Worn Out Damper
The damper is a flap that separates your freezer from the fresh food section of the refrigerator. The fresh food compartment in the refrigerator doesn’t truly produce the cold air it needs.
That’s why it doesn’t use a compressor to chill the fresh food portion but instead uses a damper to draw cool air from the freezer. Since it’s a moving element, it’s likely to get dusty or worn down over time.
When the damper opens and shuts often, it might make a groaning, creaking, or screaming sound. Any rusty, grimy, or otherwise off-putting damper is a good indicator that you’ve identified the source of the problem.
Conclusion
Too many sounds from your fridge nearly generally imply something is broken. Knowing when or how to investigate, as well as how to troubleshoot, may frequently spare you a service call. Nevertheless, if the noise relates to issues you can’t confidently handle with your existing skills, don’t hesitate to hire a repair specialist, so the work is done correctly.
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