Gathering the family together to share a
meal is an important part of maintaining
good communication in a busy household, and
a candle-lit dinner for two might be just
the thing to rekindle a romantic spark. But
not if the lively conversation or sweet
nothings are being drowned out by the
buzzing, knocking, clicking, or squealing of
a noisy refrigerator. Why is the fridge
making such a racket?
Five reasons your refrigerator is so loud
While the origin of the noises emanating
from your normally dependable kitchen
appliance might seem mysterious, there are
some very specific reasons why a
refrigerator will become loud when running.
Here are the five most common ones:
Damaged Fan Blade – Refrigerators have two
fan blades. The first is a condenser fan
blade mounted on the condenser fan motor
which draws in air from the front of the
refrigerator, sends it past the condenser
coils (which helps to dissipate the heat in
the coils created by the condensing of the
appliance’s refrigerant in gas form into a
hot liquid), and then circulates the air
back out through the grill. The second is an
evaporator fan blade mounted on the
evaporator fan motor. This fan blade draws
air from the refrigerator compartment into
the freezer compartment and past the
evaporator coils which are chilled by the
refrigerant in liquid form being expanded
back into a gas. The cold evaporator coils
remove the heat from the air which is then
recirculated back into the refrigerator
compartment. With use, the condenser fan
blade or the evaporator fan blade can become
damaged or dislodged and begin scraping
against a panel or mounting bracket as they
rotate. The result will be a squeaking or
squealing sound whenever the fan motor is
operating.
Defective Evaporator Fan Motor –
Independent of its fan blade, the evaporator
motor itself could be defective and become
considerably noisy during operation. This is
often caused by the failure of the motor
bearings, resulting in a grinding or
clicking sound.
Malfunctioning Condenser Fan Motor – As
with the evaporator fan motor, the bearings
inside the condenser fan motor can fail as
well. Again, a malfunctioning condenser fan
motor will create a grinding or clicking
sound when the fan motor is running.
Worn Out Compressor – The compressor is the
component that pumps the refrigerant through
the evaporator and condenser coils to cool
the refrigerator and freezer compartments.
An aging compressor can become quite noisy
and will make a knocking or buzzing sound as
it nears the end of its life.
Faulty Water Inlet Valve – The water inlet
valve controls the water being supplied to
the dispenser and the refrigerator’s
icemaker. If the refrigerator is especially
noisy when the icemaker is filling, then it
’s likely the inlet valve is
malfunctioning. Over time, mineral deposits
can build-up in the valve, creating a
restriction which can cause a squeaking or
rattling sound.
Can I repair the fridge myself to quiet it
down?
Most parts which can cause a refrigerator to
become noisy or loud are easily replaceable
by a do-it-yourselfer. All it takes is a few
common household tools, such as a
screwdriver and pliers, and a little
patience.
The evaporator fan motor and its fan blade
are normally located at the back of the
freezer compartment behind one or more
panels, although some models will mount the
evaporator assembly behind a rear panel in
the refrigerator compartment. You will
usually have to remove the shelving and
drawers from the compartment (and,
potentially, the icemaker assembly) in order
to uninstall the rear panel or panels. An
evaporator fan blade can be simply pulled
off the motor shaft and a new one slid on.
The motor itself is usually secured to a
bracket with two screws and will have two
power wires attached or a wire connecter.
Unthread the screws and detach the wires to
remove the old motor; attach the wires to
the terminals on the new motor, or reconnect
the wire connecter, and rethread the
mounting screws to secure the motor to the
bracket.
The condenser fan motor and accompanying fan
blade can usually be found near the bottom
of the refrigerator behind a cardboard or
metal access panel attached to the lower
rear of the appliance. You’ll need to pull
the refrigerator away from the wall to reach
the panel. You may need to detach a water
supply line before you can uninstall the
access panel (be sure to close the water
supply valve before doing this!). As with
the evaporator fan motor, the condenser fan
motor will likely be secured to a bracket
with mounting screws and will be powered
through two separate wires or a wire
connecter.
The refrigerator’s water inlet valve is
also normally located near the bottom of the
appliance behind the lower access panel.
After detaching the incoming water supply
line, you will need to unthread the screws
securing the old component, then disconnect
the wire connecters and release the outgoing
water lines from the valve. You may have to
remove a locking clip before depressing the
retaining ring to release a line. Insert the
lines into the new inlet valve, connect the
wire connecters, then thread the screws to
mount the valve to the bracket or to the
frame of the refrigerator. Reinstall the
access panel and secure the incoming water
supply line to the valve. Be aware that you
should replace a restricted water inlet
valve with a new valve instead of attempting
to clean out an obstruction, since the
damage caused by the initial restriction
puts the part at a greater risk for failure
in the future.
What about the refrigerator’s compressor?
That repair is not recommended for a do-it-
yourselfer. You should have a licensed
technician inspect and replace the
compressor if necessary.
