Refrigerators are always making noises, but some refrigerator noises are more worrisome than others. This guide will tell you the most common types of refrigerator noise and what could cause them.

Possible refrigerator noise types can vary a lot, but these are the most common:

  • clicking noises, clanking sounds, loud banging and knocking sounds.
  • humming or buzzing.
  • running water inside the refrigerator (usually caused by a leak)

In this guide we’ll cover them all and a lot more!

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Different types of refrigerator noises and what they could mean

There are a lot of refrigerator noises and it can be difficult to tell what they mean. We’ll get into the details below.

Fridge making rattling noise

A rattling noise in the refrigerator usually means that your refrigerator is running a little too cold.

If you have an older refrigerator, this could be due to frozen water in the pipes or ice inside the refrigeration system.

This problem can usually be fixed by defrosting it and adjusting the temperature setting on your refrigerator’s thermostat.

Fridge making clanking noise

Clanking refrigerator noises can be caused by a number of things, depending on the sound.

A clanking noise may indicate that ice has built up in the freezer and is being crushed or knocked loose. Or, it could mean that something heavy was dropped inside your refrigerator (like an empty milk jug). It also might be from food being shaken in the refrigerator or freezer.

Running refrigerator water

A running noise from your refrigerator usually means that there’s a leak, so check for any signs of leaking coming from inside the appliance and fix it as soon as possible to avoid mold growth.

Refrigerator making gurgling noise

A refrigerator making gurgling noises usually indicates that there’s too much moisture in the refrigerator (usually from food), which could be causing mold to grow.

This can be fixed by cleaning out your refrigerator or freezer and letting it air dry for a few hours before restarting it.

Fridge making grinding noise

A refrigerator making a grinding noise usually means that the condenser fan is getting caught in something.

This could indicate an issue with your refrigerator’s water filter or ice maker, which can be fixed by following these steps:

  • Clean out any food particles from the area where it was catching and make sure there are no items blocking the air flow.
  • If there are no food particles, remove the refrigerator’s filter and replace it with a new one.
  • Check for any ice buildup in your refrigerator or freezer and make sure that nothing is blocking air flow from entering the refrigerator.

Fridge making clicking noise

A refrigerator making a clicking sound could be caused by vibration of metal parts or the refrigerator fan.

It could also be caused by a short in the refrigerator’s compressor. In any case, if you hear this sound and it doesn’t go away after turning off your refrigerator for awhile, then contact an appliance repair service to get them fixed.

Fridge making buzzing noise

A refrigerator making a humming or buzzing sound usually means that the refrigerator’s compressor is working too hard.

This could be due to a faulty refrigerator thermostat, so contact an appliance repair service if it doesn’t go away after you turn off your refrigerator for awhile.

Fridge making knocking noise

A refrigerator making knocking noises might mean there are loose items in the freezer or refrigerator.

Check for any food particles or other items that might be getting caught in the refrigerator’s fan blades and fix it as soon as possible to avoid a worse problem later on.

Fridge making loud banging noise

A refrigerator making a loud bang sounds like something has been dropped inside of your appliance, which could lead to damage if you don’t fix it.

When this happens, turn off your refrigerator and remove any food that might be blocking the refrigerator’s condenser coils before sealing up the appliance until you can contact an appliance repair service to get them fixed for you.

Fridge making humming noise

A refrigerator making a humming sound could be caused by a faulty refrigerator thermostat.

In any case, if you hear this sound and it doesn’t go away after turning off your refrigerator for awhile, then contact an appliance repair service to get them fixed.

Why Are Fridges So Loud?

The refrigerator is a noisy appliance, but you can look into how to make your refrigerator quieter. Fridges makes so many different noises, it can be hard to tell what the problem might be just from hearing them – and that’s before you consider all of the other things your refrigerator does! Luckily for those who don’t know much about refrigerators, this guide will help explain some common problems with refrigerators.

However, not all fridge noises mean that there’s something wrong. Sometimes refrigerator noises are just normal, like the sound of ice clinking in a glass. But if you notice any new refrigerator noise or one that sounds different than before it’s important to get it looked at by an appliance repair service right away!