Why is My Fridge Making Strange Noises?
You’re enjoying a quiet evening at home when suddenly you notice your fridge making strange noises. The concern creeps in — is your fridge on its way out? Will your food be okay? Fortunately, not all strange fridge noises are bad!
Read on to learn which sounds are perfectly normal, and which ones can leave your food spoiled rotten. From popping and hissing to rattling and squealing, we cover it all.
Why Does My Fridge Make Popping Noises?
Let’s start with good news — popping or crackling noises from your refrigerator are generally normal! During normal operation, the cooling cycle of your fridge, opening and closing of its doors, and thawing/refreezing of ice can lead to the expansion and contraction of materials. With this temperature fluctuation, some low levels of popping noise can be expected.
Refrigerator Hissing Sound — Possible Culprits
If you’ve ever heard a hissing sound from your fridge, it may not be anything to worry about. Refrigerators run coolant — a substance that can transition back and forth between liquid and gaseous states — to pull heat away from the air circulating in your refrigerator. This coolant repeatedly loops through a compressor, condenser, evaporator, and various tubes to keep your refrigerator and freezer frosty. As it is pumped through these various components and transitions between liquid and gas, it can make a hissing sound.
Fridge is Making a Rattling Noise — What Could it Be?
Does it sound like a gremlin is gently shaking your fridge — or, even worse, knocking to get out of your fridge? Here are some reasons your fridge could be making a rattling or knocking noise, ranked from easiest to hardest to fix:
Unlevel Feet
Check to make sure that you can’t rock your fridge back and forth by hand. If it rocks like a wobbly barstool, ensure that the refrigerator’s feet are adjusted to make solid contact with the ground. If your refrigerator doesn’t have adjustable feet, you may be able to shim them with some cardboard to prevent your fridge from wobbling.
Items on Top of the Fridge
When the compressor kicks in to cool your fridge, the vibration it generates can rattle items stored on top of the refrigerator. Remove items one by one to see if the rattling stops.
Loose Water Lines
Often, refrigerators come with lengthy water hoses. If those hoses aren’t secured, they can tap against the back of the fridge when water courses through them. Pull your fridge away from the wall and check for loose tubing. If you find any, loop it into a large, gently curving coil and tape it to the back of your fridge. Push your fridge back in, and (hopefully) enjoy your newfound silence!
Malfunctioning Condenser Fan
Refrigerators utilize a fan to push air through a condenser coil, which helps wick heat away from your refrigerator. Over time, dirt, hair, and other grime can bind up your condenser fan and coil. When this happens, it may produce a knocking sound as it spins. So if you notice that your refrigerator is warmer than usual and produces a knocking sound, a seized or faulty condenser fan could be the culprit. If you want to replace your condenser fan, you’ll probably need to get in touch with a professional.
High Pitched Noise from Fridge — Potential Causes
In refrigerators with freezers, cold air is delivered to the freezer first. From there, freezer air is pulled through an evaporator core via a fan, which removes heat from the air and recirculates the re-cooled air through the refrigeration compartment.
Without maintenance, these evaporator fans can become clogged with ice, dust, and other debris over time — all of which may damage the bearing in the fan’s motor. One of the most common signs of a failing fan motor is a high-pitched screeching, squealing, or squeaking sound as it attempts to spin. If your refrigerator makes any of these sounds and the freezer doesn’t freeze like it used to (or even drips water into your refrigerator) it could be due to a failing or iced-up evaporator fan.
Get Peace and Quiet with Rent-A-Center
Are those strange fridge noises sounding a lot like dings to your wallet? Though an experienced professional may be able to replace crucial refrigerator parts like evaporator or condenser motors, it can be costly. And if parts like those fail, other components could be on their way out, too. When it comes to repairs like these, it may be worth it to upgrade your refrigerator rather than keep your old one on life-support.
So, if your fridge needs to be repaired or the desire for an upgrade outweighs the value of your current refrigerator, let Rent-A-Center help! With free delivery, a wide selection of refrigerators, and flexible payment options, we’ve got you covered. Shop online or at your nearest storefront today!