Hearing your fridge making rattling noise when the door is closed can give you a scare. This issue doesn’t happen often, but when it does, you’ll certainly feel concerned given the prices of fridges.
Like any other appliance, fridges can develop a fault at any time. And the issue can be a minor problem you can address or a major one that needs the expertise of a trained technician.
So, what is making your fridge rattle the minute you shut its door? You’ll find out from this post and get tips on addressing the problem.
Reasons For Fridge Making Rattling Noise When Door Is Closed
The reasons for the fridge making rattling noise when the door is closed can be numerous. At the same time, it might be a normal operation.
In other words, the rattling sound doesn’t mean your fridge has developed a fault. Instead, the condenser fan or compressor could be the components producing the noise you’re hearing.
However, if the rattling noise is irritating and causing great discomfort, certain components in your fridge may have developed a fault.
Here are the possible reasons or factors responsible for the irritating and loud rattling noise emanating from your fridge when you slam the door close.
1: Faulty evaporator fan:
Are you hearing rattling noises from your fridge? If yes, the evaporator fan could be the culprit. In other words, there’s a chance that the fan is faulty.
The evaporator fan plays a vital role in the fridge. Fridge manufacturers created this particular fan to work with the condensers, and they help with temperature regulation.
How does this work? The condenser helps suck the heat out, allowing the evaporator to transport cold water.
The issue with the evaporator fans is that they may break over time. And when this happens, the fan will have a problem rotating or working quietly.
Broken evaporator fans commonly produce loud and irritating sounds while working. You can even hear the sound clearly while away from the fridge.
Besides a part of the evaporator fans breaking, they can also malfunction. A malfunctioning evaporator fan will produce unusual noises when you turn on the appliance.
2: Evaporator fan obstruction:
Is something like a grinding noise emanating from your fridge? If yes, the evaporator fan could be the culprit.
The fan might not be functioning smoothly. And the reason could be that it is rubbing against the items in the fridge.
Food caused by overloading, dust, and buildup could be among the factors obstructing your fridge’s fan.
3: Defective Compressor:
Finally, a defective compressor can also cause your fridge to make a rattling noise when the door is closed.
The compressor is simply the heart of the refrigerator, in that it’s responsible for circulating the refrigerant throughout the fridge. And when it’s not functioning properly, a rattling noise maybe one of the signs to tell it.
A defective compressor can cause a rattling noise when the fridge is running. If you suspect that the compressor is the cause of the noise, you may need to replace it.
4: Loose drain problem:
Does the noise you hear from the fridge seem like an object is colliding with something? If yes, that could be the drain.
Again, this issue isn’t serious. In other words, it’s far better than a malfunctioning fan motor, or broken components.
You’re probably hearing the faint rattling sound because the condenser is loose. So, check the condenser and fix it.
5: Temperature setting:
Check your fridge’s temperature setting when you close the door, and it makes rattling noise. There’s a chance that the temperature is low and you need to set it to an appropriate level.
Low temperature can cause your fridge to make rattling sound too.
6: Faulty condenser fan:
The condenser fan helps to cool down the condenser coils and compressor as they work. In other words, the fridge’s compressor needs the condenser fan to function when it’s working.
Your fridge’s temperature could rise, and the compressor can overheat if the condenser fan develops a fault. Besides overheating, the fridge may start to make rattling noises that can be unsettling.
7: Unbalanced Fridge:
Ensure your fridge is on level ground before you turn it on. Otherwise, it may produce a vibrating sound.
Several factors can cause an unbalanced fridge to produce a vibrating sound. For example, it could be the fridge’s tray or other shaky items in the fridge.
However, placing the fridge on a level floor can stop the vibrating sound.
8: Faulty Defrost Timer Motor:
If you’re beginning to suspect that the problem could be with the defrost system of your unit, one of the likely components causing the problem is a faulty defrost timer motor.
If you’re wondering what this component is all about, it’s part of the refrigerator’s defrost system responsible for controlling the defrost cycle and the temperature.
When this part begins to fail, you will notice all sorts of issues associated with the defrosting system, including ice build-up in the evaporator coils, which alone can cause the rattling sound.
At times, the motor will produce a rattling sound, so ensure to check where exactly the noise is coming from within the appliance.
As usual, if you lack the DIY skills to trace the problem yourself, don’t turn even a screw. Instead, bring on board a certified HVAC expert. They’ll diagnose the problem, try and solve it, and even tell you what you can do to avoid having the same problem in the future.
Fixes For Fridge Making Rattling Noise When Door Is Closed
What are the fixes for fridge making a rattling noise when the door is closed, and the noise is so loud?
The first thing is to understand what the problem is. Once you understand it, you can fix it or get a technician to do the job.
We have mentioned several possible reasons; now, let’s discuss the steps you should follow in each scenario.
1: How to fix a faulty evaporator fan:
Your fridge may make a rattling or annoying noise when its fan motor malfunctions. A damaged fan blade may also be responsible.
However, the evaporator fan’s motor is a tricky component to fix. Based on the fan’s importance, you don’t want to make mistakes when replacing it.
So, consider hiring a trained technician if you don’t believe you can do a good job.
Here are steps to follow to fix the evaporator fan motor in a top-freezer refrigerator. You can follow the steps if you trust your DIY skills.
- Turn the fridge off.
- Get the freezer shelf off.
- Take off the evaporator cover.
- The next step is to remove the evaporator fan cover.
- You can access the evaporator fan motor, so reach for it and take it off the refrigerator.
- Now install the new fan, and have the evaporator fan cover reinstalled
- The next step is to fix the freezer shelf.
- You are through replacing the evaporator fan motor in your refrigerator. Now, plug the appliance into the power supply and turn it on.
2: How to fix evaporator fan obstruction
Several things can obstruct your fridge’s evaporator fan. These include dust buildup, food particles, or even ice buildup.
Fixing this particular problem is a breeze. First, have the ice mass defrosted if the problem is ice buildup.
Decongest the fridge if food items obstruct the evaporator fan. Avoid overloading your fridge henceforth, too.
3: How to fix dirty condenser fan problem:
Firstly, understand that what’s happening to your fan is not serious. Get the dust off the condenser fan, and it will start working again.
You can prevent dust buildup on the condenser fan by scheduling routine cleanup. It is something you can do by yourself too.
4: How to fix loose drain problem:
Get the needed tools and tighten the loose drain. That’s all you have to do. But first, endeavor to place the condenser in the right position before you tighten it.
Endeavor to move it around when you finish tightening it.
5: How to set fridge temperature:
You don’t need a technician to set your fridge’s temperature. You can do it yourself.
You can also check the manufacturer’s manual for clues if you don’t know how to set your fridge’s temperature to the desired level.
Furthermore, remember that freezing temperatures may be bad for your food. It might ruin it.
So, the best approach is to set the fridge’s temperature to an ideal level for your food. There’s no need to go overboard.
6: How to fix faulty condenser fan:
If the fridge’s compressor is running, but the fan isn’t, you have to replace the fan motor.
Like the evaporator fan, fixing the condenser fan can be tricky. So if you don’t have the technical know-how, let a technician do the job for you.
However, if you trust you can handle it, follow these steps to fix the fridge condenser fan motor.
- Turn off the fridge and take the power cord off the wall outlet
- Take off the fridge’s rear compartment cover
- Now, take the condenser motor off the fridge. A bracket holds the fan. So you have to unscrew it.
- Fix a brand-new condenser fan motor. You can follow the same steps you took while dismantling the fan motor.
- The final step is to fix the rear compartment cover, plug the power cord into a wall outlet and turn on the fridge.
Conclusion
Why is my fridge making rattling noise when the door is closed? You can see from our explanation that several factors could be responsible.
The fridge may have a faulty evaporator fan, condenser fan, fan obstruction, low temperature, loose drain, dusty fan, and unbalanced fridge.
On the other hand, it could be that the fridge is functioning normally. Thus, the whirring noise you’re hearing doesn’t indicate that the fridge is faulty. In addition, brand-new fridges sometimes make noise as the components adjust to new temperatures and usage.