Why Fridges and Freezers are Making More Noise than Usual
Today’s home fridges and freezers aren’t just bigger than ever before – they’re also far more efficient. And that means they’re working harder; more working components sometimes means more fridge freezers making noise. So, what are those noises and should you really be concerned? Well, read on. Spoiler alert – a certain amount of hissing, popping and even cracking is normal for modern fridges and freezers.
Your fridge ‘pops’
This isn’t unusual – although it may seem that way if you’ve never had an auto defrost fridge before. The reason a fridge pops is because the plastic interior of the fridge is contracting and expanding. It does this when the fridge tries to cool itself down. It then reverts to its normal temperature to ensure there’s no ice on the evaporator coil. It’s this exercise that causes the plastic to move.
Your fridge vibrates
If your fridge has a powerful compressor motor and items inside your fridge are piled up on each other or set beside each other in plates or bowls then the vibrations may make these move, causing ‘tinny’ noises. The vibrations may sound extra loud if you’re fridge isn’t level. That means, if all four legs aren’t securely on the ground then the fridge will move slightly and rattle against the floor.
Your fridge hums / Your fridge freezer making loud buzzing noise
Older fridges were far worse for humming than their newer counterparts. However, that’s not to say a contemporary fridge doesn’t still make that familiar humming noise – albeit, at a lower, and more discreet, level. You’ll notice you probably only hear this humming at night. The reason for that is there’s so many other noises around during the day that they drown out the humming so that it becomes just normal background ‘white’ noise.
Your fridge is ‘grinding’
You’re always going to get a noise with the ice machine in your fridge when it makes ice. If it seems noisier than usual though it may be that the parts are clogged up. It’s a good idea then to grease these parts to help them operate more smoothly. At the same time, empty the ice bin, mix vinegar and water together (at a 50/50 consistency) and use this to scrub the empty bin. Check there’s no pieces of ice jammed in the fridge too.
Your fridge ‘whirrs’ / Your fridge freezing making weird noise
This type of noise is down to the fans. The older your fridge, the louder the whirring. Unless, that is, you can put your fridge into an alcove or some other area specially built for it and which can act as ‘soundproofing.’ Otherwise, it might be possible to cover the wall behind the fridge with some sort of soundproofing material so that it absorbs the noise of the fans. You can also install sound proofing panels around the fridge itself, provided you leave at least three inches of space between the panel and fridge.
Of course, it could be the reason your fridge is so noisy is simply because it’s old – and so are the parts – and you need to update it. Here at Cookology we have a wide range of (quiet) and contemporary freestanding fridge freezers to choose from. Why not take a look today?
