Livonia, Michigan Appliance Repair Company Provides Tips To Help Homeowners Reduce Refrigerator Noise
Refrigerator noise reduction tips offered for free from Harrison Appliance.
Online, December 9, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Between screaming kids, screaming adults, clattering dishes, and blaring televisions, a proper home is never silent. However, the refrigerator does not need to contribute to a home's noise level. If a refrigerator is making noise, there are possible reasons, some very common, which one should review.
The first three possible noise makers are the freezer fan, the condenser fan, or the compressor. To check the freezer, simply open the door and note if the noise gets louder upon opening the freezer door. If it does, replace the evaporator fan, a simple procedure. There should be a panel on the back of the machine that leads to the evaporator fan. Unscrew the fittings, replace the old fan with the new one and put the panel back in place.
If the noise did not get louder upon opening the freezer, it's possible that the motor on the condenser fan is causing it. Unplug the fridge, store the food, and safely pull the machine away from the wall. Near the bottom locate a removable plate to reveal the condenser and its fan. It should be easy to determine if the sound is coming from the compressor itself or if its source is the fan. If it's the fan, simply replace the motor. If it's the compressor, buying a new fridge will be necessary.
To replace the motor on the condenser's fan, get a screwdriver and remove the mounting screws and bracket for the entire fan. Keep all the screws and the other little pieces on a piece of labeled paper so nothing is lost. After that, remove the burnt out motor and replace it with a new one. Replace all the screws exactly as they were and double check that all the fittings are secure.
If the fridge is working too hard to keep things cool the compressor will start to overheat from the strain. When that happens it's accompanied by a louder than usual buzz. If the compressor is at fault for the noise, it might still be alright as some compressors grow noisier over time as part of the natural wear and tear. Big warning signs are a sharp increase in noise or a new screeching or keening sound. If the sound is new and ominous enough not to be ignored, have a technician come check things out.
There are some less common troublemakers also worth exploring. A noisy fridge could be caused by a faulty defrost timer, especially if the sound is coming from the front of the machine. This is a small piece of machinery that is easily replaced. Just unplug the machine, store food elsewhere, and remove the cover for the light/timer. From there it should be easy to access the mounting screws for the defrost timer. Unscrew them, remove the old timer, and replace it with the new one.
If the noise is coming from the bottom of the refrigerator, the drain pan, a flat piece of hardware meant to collect runoff water that will eventually evaporate, may have been moved out of its proper position. When this happens it can rattle and shake and cause excess noise. Locate the drain pan by removing the grille just below the refrigerator door. Slowly and carefully pull the pan forward. If the drain pan has been knocked out of place, it might not slide out smoothly. Struggling to force it out could end up cracking the pan, which will cause leaking later. Make sure it's properly aligned and secure it with duct tape.
Still confused about the noise? A noisy fridge is not a problem to tackle alone. Harrison Appliance, an appliance repair company based in Wayne, Michigan, can help homeowners in Livonia and other Southeastern Michigan communities to diagnose refrigerator noise problems and get their units up & running quickly. Their technicians have over 75 years of combined appliance repair experience and have serviced over 20,000 customers in the past 5 years.
For more appliance repair tips or to learn more about Harrison Appliance, visit http://www.harrisonappliance.com.