Does your refrigerator keep you awake at night with its various moans and groans? When you need immediate relief from your noisy refrigerator, there are a few steps you can take. Follow these helpful tips from your local appliance repair shop:

• Locate the source of the noise: Is the noise coming from inside the freezer or from the rear outside of the refrigerator? Determining which area the noise is coming from will help you reduce the possible components that could be causing the sound.
• Solve problems – There are only a handful of parts in a refrigerator that generally cause noise. Once you have narrowed down the general location of the sound, you can begin troubleshooting various components to try and resolve the problem. While some problems can be easily fixed with minimal effort, others will require you to call in a trained refrigeration repair professional.

Noise inside Freeza

Noise originating inside the freezer can generally be attributed to the evaporator fan, which runs as long as the unit is actively cooled. If you notice a squeak, screech, or whine that comes and goes (instead of being constant), it may be a problem with the fan motor. To be safe, open the freezer door and press and hold the light / fan switch if there is one. If the sound increases with the door open, you can be pretty sure the fan is the cause. Unfortunately, there is no way to repair the evaporator fan motor; You must replace the part to solve the problem.

Noise from the back of the refrigerator

Most of the noises you will notice are coming from the back of the refrigerator, where most of the moving parts are located. If you have a self-defrost unit, the first place you’ll want to check is the condenser fan. The condenser fan is located at the back of the refrigerator, often behind a thin panel. Occasionally, the fan can collect a buildup of lint and other debris, causing a hum or clicking noise. You can try to solve the problem by removing the thin cover to access the fan, and then cleaning the fan of any debris with a soft bristle brush (old toothbrushes are great for this!). Once the fan is free of dust or other materials, replace the lid and plug the refrigerator back in. If you still have noise coming from the condenser fan after cleaning it, you may need to replace the part with the help of an appliance repair company.

If your refrigerator is thumping or purring from the back, it may indicate a problem with your compressor. The compressor is located in a box the size of a soccer ball in the back of the refrigerator, near the bottom of the unit, and usually contains black or copper tubing with a variety of colored wires. The compressor is typically a sealed unit, so it cannot be replaced by a do-it-yourself. If you can isolate the problem from the compressor, you will need to contact a refrigerator repair technician to complete the job.

Noise from the bottom of the refrigerator

If you have noise emanating from the bottom of your refrigerator, it is likely coming from one of two places. The first, and the easiest to solve, is the rattle of a loose drain pan. To fix this, simply tape the tray in place to stop the noise. If that doesn’t work, you may have a problem with the defrost timer. The defrost timer is located on the front of the unit, behind the kick plate. This part is actually a heating element located in the evaporator coil and cannot be repaired. If you are having trouble with the defrost timer, you may also notice a build-up of frost in your refrigerator or freezer. To replace this component, you should contact an experienced professional to install the refrigerator repair part.

When to contact professionals

If you complete the above steps and still cannot determine where the problem is coming from, or if you need to replace a complicated part, such as the compressor or defrost timer, you should contact your

Local appliance repair service. In addition to providing you with complete troubleshooting and safe, reliable repairs, most refrigerator repair technicians also offer routine maintenance, which can help you avoid problems in the future. With their help, you will be able to sleep soundly without being interrupted by strange noises in the kitchen in the future.