#Fridge compressor noise fix install

Using at least a 2′ level as your guide for level and plumb, adjust the feet, or rollers, as required, if possible. You could also use laminate or hardwood floor–just for the section under the refrigerator. If the floor is a tad wavy, you could put down a piece of 3/4″ Good One Side (G1S) plywood to at least give yourself a solid base. This in not going to be the case if your floor happens to have a dip where one of the feet is going to sit. Our refrigerator has rollers instead of feet. (Note: Depending on the what style of attachments you have, you may need longer bolts.)

#Fridge compressor noise fix install

It does not take much effort to modify them, if necessary, and install them under the compressor feet. A pack of Rubber Spacer Standoff Washers contains 12 washers–four each of three different thicknesses. If the rubber feet, or spacers or your compressor seem worn, compressed, or do not exist (because the manufacturer did not use them) you might want to get some. Check, and tighten, screws and clamps holding the cooling grid onto the back of the cabinet. The compressor is attached to the refrigerator base so you will need to make sure the screws holding the base onto the cabinet are tight. The 4 compressor legs sit on rubber silencers with a metal piece secured with Cotter ‘R’ Clips. Our compressor (and I suspect most newer refrigerators) does not have bolts or nuts securing it to the base. They just need to be snug to keep things from moving and causing noise, or more wear and tear. If they move, or the part they are securing seems loose, tighten them up.

Try to turn any, and all, bolts, screws, nuts you see. Pull the refrigerator away from the wall, or out of the alcove. Any more than it does not take much of a loose bolt to cause a vibration or rattle. A little maintenance on the back of your refrigerator does not take much effort. The compressor has turned on and off numerous times a day–probably for years. (It is a 15 cubic foot Frigidaire with the freezer on top. The following pictures show our refrigerator. They will make a high-pitched bad guitar-tuning noise. Note: When putting the refrigerator back in place, make sure the cooling fins do not touch the wall, or anything else. (Note: Wiping the fins with lemon Pledge Furniture Polish after they dry will reduce the static somewhat. (Note: Unplug the unit while working on it, and keep any water away from electrical wires and connections.)ĭoesn’t hurt to clean the floor and walls also, because the cooling fins create static electricity that attracts dust and dirt that may have accumulated under the fridge or on the walls. And vacuum it, dust it, wash it down with a 50/50 vinegar/water mix, and do a little maintenance on it. Whatever it takes–just get it away from the wall at least once a year. And, if you are more than 3 decades old, you have tried those loudly advertised appliance moving gadgets like adjustable roller things, slider things, sliding mat things, other things. Not a lot of fun rocking those old units away from the wall while tearing or scratching the flooring. At least part of the reason for this will be weight and no wheels. I would be willing to bet that a large number of people have never cleaned the compressor, compressor compartment, or the cooling fins on the rear of the refrigerator. One, or some, of the following suggestions could help solve your problem, or at least, quieten things down some. It is a good idea to invest in an inexpensive decibel meter to help you understand how much noise you are dealing with.Ī decibel level of: 30 is equivalent to a whisper.Īn older refrigerator is quite likely louder. Any reading below 40 decibels is considered ‘silent’. A new refrigerator produces between 27 and 45 decibels of sound–most of it from the compressor. 8 Ways to Quiet a Refrigerator Compressorīefore diving into this, you may want to spend a little time diagnosing where the noise is coming from. But, as we detail ways to quiet compressor noise, you will notice that some of the suggestions deal with other components and issues that serve to amplify sounds, rather than create them. The noise coming from your refrigerator is almost always produced by the compressor–given that it is one of the few moving parts.