Your refrigerator is one of the most useful and affordable household appliances you’ll ever own. It’s also one of the most brilliant, too—a fully functional ice maker, an automatic defrost system, and a digital touch-screen interface are all part of its modern-day appeal. You probably don’t even know you have it until it starts making that constant humming noise. But this quiet little space appliance can be anything but quiet and smooth when it comes to defrosting food. This is because refrigerators have two distinct states: cool or warm. In order to ensure food is safe to eat, your fridge needs to be able to go from being cool to being warm in a matter of minutes. This is why your fridge can sometimes make so much noise when it starts defrosting: The heat can make it loud and distracting for other people in the house! To learn more about why your fridge can be loud and disturbing, read on.
Why Is My Fridge So Loud?
Your refrigerator is one of the most important and affordable household appliances you’ll ever own. It’s also one of the most brilliant, too—a fully functional ice maker, an automatic defrost system, and a digital touch-screen interface are all part of its modern-day appeal. You probably don’t even know you have it until it starts making that constant humming noise. But this quiet little space appliance can be anything but quiet and smooth when it comes to defrosting food. This is because refrigerators have two distinct states: cool or warm. In order to ensure food is safe to eat, your fridge needs to be in the cool state.
Why Can Your Fridge Be Loud?
Your Refrigerator is On , but Not Too Cool
When your fridge is in the cool state, it isn’t too cold. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a refrigerator should be set to between 35 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit (2-4 degrees Celsius) so that food is safe to eat. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can use this simple rule of thumb: if your fridge feels like it’s on, but not too warm or hot, it’s in the correct temperature range. In other words: if your fridge doesn’t make that constant humming noise when it starts defrosting food, it probably isn’t too cold!
Your Refrigerator has Been Running Quietly for a While
The fact that your fridge might be making noise once or twice a year could be due to one of two things: 1) You put food in there and forgot about it for a long time. 2) You have an older model refrigerator and haven’t run it down completely yet . (You can find out which one this is by checking out our article on how long does an old refrigerator last.) If your fridge has been running quietly for weeks or months without starting up again, however, then you likely have a problem with the way you store your food—and we’ll explain why in just a minute!
Your Fridge Has Been Running Quietly for a Long Time
If your fridge has been making that constant humming noise for more than a few months and you’ve checked everything in it, there’s a good chance you have an issue with the way you store your food. For example, if your food is stored in the freezer, there might be too much ice in it! If everything is stored in the right place, however, then your refrigerator is likely running on its defrost cycle.
Your Fridge is Running on a Defrost Cycle
If your fridge has been running quietly for a while and you’ve checked everything in it, there’s a good chance you have an issue with the way you store your food. For example, if your food is stored in the freezer, there might be too much ice in it! If everything is stored in the right place, however, then your refrigerator is likely running on its defrost cycle.
Your Refrigerator Is Making that Constant Humming Noise
So now that you know why your fridge might be making noise once or twice a year—and how to fix it—let’s talk about why that constant humming sound could be happening every day!
Why Is Defrosting So Loud?
Your Refrigerator’s Fan is Running
The most common reason for a humming refrigerator is that the fan is running. The fan is there to circulate air through your fridge, and if it’s running constantly, it can draw in more air than the fridge can circulate. This leads to a buildup of cold air in the fridge and an increase in noise as the fan comes on and off. If you notice that your fridge sounds louder when you open it than when you shut it, this is also likely due to your fan turning on and off too often!
Your Refrigerator Is Running on a Defrost Cycle
If your fridge has been running quietly for a while and you’ve checked everything in it, there’s a good chance you have an issue with the way you store your food. For example, if your food is stored in the freezer, there might be too much ice in it! If everything is stored in the right place, however, then your refrigerator is likely running on its defrost cycle.
Your Fridge Has Been Running Quietly for a Long Time
If your fridge has been making that constant humming noise for more than a few months and you’ve checked everything in it, there’s a good chance you have an issue with the way you store your food. For example, if your food is stored in the freezer, there might be too much ice in it! If everything is stored in the right place, however, then your refrigerator is likely running on its defrost cycle.
Your Fridge Is Running on a Defrost Cycle
If your fridge has been running quietly for a while and you’ve checked everything in it, there’s a good chance you have an issue with the way you store your food. For example, if your food is stored in the freezer, there might be too much ice in it! If everything is stored in the right place, however, then your refrigerator is likely running on its defrost cycle.
Your Refrigerator Is Making That Constant Humming Noise
So now that you know why your fridge might be making noise once or twice a year—and how to fix it—let’s talk about why that constant humming sound could be happening every day!
What Is The Difference Between Cool And Warm?
Warming the Refrigerator
If you’re worried about whether or not your fridge is running on a defrost cycle, there are a few things you can try to check it out. First, look at your door and make sure that the light is illuminated! If your light is off and there’s no sign of ice buildup in your freezer, then you can be pretty sure that the fridge isn’t running on its defrost cycle. If you notice ice buildup in your freezer but the light is still off, then it might be time to call an appliance repair service!
Cooling Your Refrigerator
If you’re worried about whether or not your fridge is running on a defrost cycle, there are a few things you can try to check it out. First, look at your door and make sure that the light is illuminated! If your light is off and there’s no sign of ice buildup in your freezer, then you can be pretty sure that the fridge isn’t running on its defrost cycle. If you notice ice buildup in your freezer but the light is still off, then it might be time to call an appliance repair service!
Defrosting the Refrigerator
If you’re worried about whether or not your fridge is running on a defrost cycle, there are a few things you can try to check it out. First, look at your door and make sure that the light is illuminated! If your light is off and there’s no sign of ice buildup in your freezer, then you can be pretty sure that the fridge isn’t running on its defrost cycle. If you notice ice buildup in your freezer but the light is still off, then it might be time to call an appliance repair service!
Summary
The buzzing sound your fridge makes is actually a sound-deadening material being used as a shield. This is why it’s so important to keep your fridge door closed—not only will it keep out the cold air, but it will also absorb the sound and make it less disruptive to other parts of the house. If you’d like some peace of mind when it comes to managing your refrigerator, make sure you’re running the A/C at the max level in your house. If that doesn’t work for you, there are a few other things you can try instead: – Open your fridge and empty it out as soon as you’re home. This will help some with the sound problem as well as the smell. – Put your smartphone on airplane mode to reduce the sound from travelling through your phone and back to your ears. This is a trick some people use when they’re on the move and need to avoid this issue entirely.
