Why Is My Freezer Making Noise?

Your freezer should be making some noise if it's on and working. But excess noise, sudden noises, grinding sounds, and loud bangs are not what you want to hear coming from your freezer. Even if your freezer has an ice maker, you shouldn't be hearing an excess of noise unless something is wrong with the mechanics of the unit. A humming or buzzing while the compressor is running and clicking sounds from the defrost timer are all normal, however other sounds are not so normal.

Take a listen to the noises your freezer is making. Usually, they're ambient or at least the ones that are not are few and far between. But if you're hearing a lot of working going on in there, it's a sign that something's gone wrong inside the freezer. Unfortunately, most odd noises from a freezer require a bit of professional expertise to properly diagnose and repair.

If the sound you're hearing is a constant vibration or gurgling that won't seem to quit, it's usually a sign that the freezer is not sitting level. This could cause the appliance to work harder than necessary and for longer to make sure it keeps functioning. This excess of vibration also means that the feet or screws at the bottom of the appliance get overworked and may become damaged or loose. You can easily inspect the appliance's level yourself and should be able to adjust accordingly with leveling feet at the bottom of the appliance.

One of the most common odd sounds you can hear from your freezer is a grinding or squealing sound. If you're hearing this, take a look at the back of the freezer where the evaporator fan is and remove the panel. See if your evaporator fan has any frost build-up on it or seems to not be running smoothly for any reason. This component is susceptible to frost build-up that can grind on the fan's movements and eventually damage the motor or other components if not handled. It may also be damaged for other reasons but no matter what, if the sound is coming from the evaporator fan, then it should be obvious once you look at it.

The condenser coils help to keep the freezer cool. But they can become dirty and even clogged which disrupts the cool airflow and prevents the evaporator fan from properly doing its job. This all means the appliance has to work that much harder to keep the air cool and you may start to notice excessive noise because of it. You should clean your condenser coils every few months as a preventive measure but if it's already too late, clean them out as soon as you hear noise or replace them if they're damaged.