--- title: "Loud or New Noise From the Freezer: Causes and Fixes" description: "A freezer loud noise is rarely silence broken by a single sound: more often a grinding, a rattle, a knocking at start or a high whine, and it matters where in…" url: "https://freezerrepair.center/problems/freezer-loud-noise/" --- # Loud or New Noise From the Freezer A freezer loud noise is rarely silence broken by a single sound: more often a grinding, a rattle, a knocking at start or a high whine, and it matters where in the cabinet it lives. ## What it usually means. Every freezer makes sounds: the hum of the compressor, the soft rush of a fan, the tick of the cabinet flexing as it cools, the sizzle of melt water hitting a warm heater during defrost. A new sound, or an old one grown loud, usually comes from something that spins or something that vibrates. The fan inside the cabinet grinds when frost reaches its blade. The fan at the base squeals when its bearings wear. The compressor knocks when it starts or stops if a mount has softened, and rattles when a tube touches the cabinet. A freezer that sits off level on a garage slab turns every hum into a buzz. Placing the sound, inside or outside, top or bottom, during the run or at the start, cuts the diagnostic in half. The 5 causes, cheapest first Answer these first 01 Is the noise inside the cabinet, at the base or at the back? 02 Does it change or stop when you open the door? 03 Does it happen at the start of a cycle, throughout the run, or when it shuts off? 04 Is it grinding, clicking, rattling, buzzing or a high whine? 05 Is the freezer still holding 0°F? ## Check these before you book. Freezer loud noise: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything. 01 Open the door or lid while the noise is happening and note whether it stops, changes or continues. 02 Place a level on top of the cabinet and adjust the front feet so it sits firm without rocking. 03 Pull the freezer an inch from the wall and see whether a rattle ends. ### Also worth checking - Record the sound on a phone for a minute; it helps us bring the right part. - Keep a thermometer in the cabinet; if it rises above 10°F, move food to a working freezer or a cooler with ice. ### How soon does it need a visit? A new sound is not urgent while the cabinet stays cold. A grinding fan or a clicking compressor usually gets worse and ends in a warm freezer, so book within days, and sooner if the thermometer starts to climb. ## The causes, cheapest first. 5 things loud or new noise from the freezer turns out to be, from cabinet off level or touching the wall to compressor clicking without starting. [The cost guide](https://freezerrepair.center/cost/) 1. 01 no repair ### Cabinet off level or touching the wall A freezer rocking on an uneven floor, or with its back tubing against the wall, buzzes and rattles. Adjusting the feet or moving it an inch often ends it. No repair: check it yourself 2. 02 low to moderate ### Evaporator fan hitting frost A grinding or ticking inside the cabinet that stops when you open the door is the fan behind the rear panel catching on ice. The ice usually means a defrost problem too. [Fixed by freezer evaporator and condenser fan repair](https://freezerrepair.center/services/evaporator-and-condenser-fan-repair/) [See heavy frost buildup in the freezer](https://freezerrepair.center/problems/freezer-frost-buildup/) 3. 03 low to moderate ### Condenser fan bearing worn A squeal or a whine from the base that runs with the compressor comes from the fan that cools it. [Fixed by freezer evaporator and condenser fan repair](https://freezerrepair.center/services/evaporator-and-condenser-fan-repair/) [On an upright freezer](https://freezerrepair.center/types/upright-freezer-repair/) 4. 04 low to moderate ### Compressor mounts or tubing vibrating Worn rubber mounts let the compressor knock at start and stop, and a tube resting on the cabinet rattles through the run. [Fixed by freezer compressor and start relay repair](https://freezerrepair.center/services/compressor-and-start-relay-repair/) 5. 05 moderate ### Compressor clicking without starting A loud click every few minutes with no hum after it is the relay or the overload trying to start a compressor that will not run. [Fixed by freezer compressor and start relay repair](https://freezerrepair.center/services/compressor-and-start-relay-repair/) 6. What it costs ### Every repair on the site's cost scale, side by side Open the cost guide ## What else it could be. Most often confused with freezer runs all the time, then heavy frost buildup in the freezer. [All problems](https://freezerrepair.center/problems/) Codes that come with it - [`Check condenser` Bertazzoni · Mode, not a failure](https://freezerrepair.center/error-codes/bertazzoni-check-condenser/) - [`F15` Fisher & Paykel · Fans and airflow](https://freezerrepair.center/error-codes/fisher-and-paykel-f15/) - [`F17` Fisher & Paykel · Fans and airflow](https://freezerrepair.center/error-codes/fisher-and-paykel-f17/) - [`Check condenser` Fulgor Milano · Mode, not a failure](https://freezerrepair.center/error-codes/fulgor-milano-check-condenser/) - [`FEF` Perlick · Fans and airflow](https://freezerrepair.center/error-codes/perlick-fef/) - [`35 C 00` Sub-Zero · Fans and airflow](https://freezerrepair.center/error-codes/sub-zero-35-c-00/) Also related - [**Burning Smell Near the Freezer** 5 causes · food at risk now](https://freezerrepair.center/problems/freezer-burning-smell/) ### Freezer Runs All the Time 6 causes ### Heavy Frost Buildup in the Freezer 5 causes Food at risk now ### Standalone Freezer Not Freezing 6 causes ## The makes it happens on. 28 makes on this site; loud or new noise from the freezer can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page. [All 28 brands](https://freezerrepair.center/brands/) ## Loud or New Noise From the Freezer, where we come out. 9 metros, each with its own page. [All service areas](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/) [Tampa Bay](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/tampa-bay/) FL · 31 areas - [Hyde Park](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/tampa-bay/hyde-park/) - [Davis Islands](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/tampa-bay/davis-islands/) - [Palma Ceia](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/tampa-bay/palma-ceia/) - [Westchase](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/tampa-bay/westchase/) - [Carrollwood](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/tampa-bay/carrollwood/) - [Belleair](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/tampa-bay/belleair/) - [St. Pete Beach](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/tampa-bay/st-pete-beach/) - [Palm Harbor](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/tampa-bay/palm-harbor/) [Orlando](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/orlando/) FL · 30 areas - [Winter Park](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/orlando/winter-park/) - [Windermere](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/orlando/windermere/) - [Dr. Phillips](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/orlando/dr-phillips/) - [Bay Hill](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/orlando/bay-hill/) - [Lake Nona](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/orlando/lake-nona/) - [Heathrow](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/orlando/heathrow/) - [Celebration](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/orlando/celebration/) [Miami / South Florida](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/south-florida/) FL · 47 areas - [Brickell](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/south-florida/brickell/) - [Coconut Grove](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/south-florida/coconut-grove/) - [Coral Gables](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/south-florida/coral-gables/) - [Pinecrest](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/south-florida/pinecrest/) - [Key Biscayne](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/south-florida/key-biscayne/) - [Aventura](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/south-florida/aventura/) - [Sunny Isles Beach](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/south-florida/sunny-isles-beach/) - [Bal Harbour](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/south-florida/bal-harbour/) - [Miami Beach](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/south-florida/miami-beach/) - [Golden Beach](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/south-florida/golden-beach/) - [Weston](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/south-florida/weston/) - [Boca Raton](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/south-florida/boca-raton/) - [Palm Beach](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/south-florida/palm-beach/) [New York Metro](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/new-york/) NY · 75 areas - [Upper East Side](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/new-york/upper-east-side/) - [Upper West Side](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/new-york/upper-west-side/) - [Tribeca](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/new-york/tribeca/) - [SoHo](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/new-york/soho/) - [Greenwich Village](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/new-york/greenwich-village/) - [Battery Park City](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/new-york/battery-park-city/) - [Brooklyn Heights](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/new-york/brooklyn-heights/) - [Park Slope](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/new-york/park-slope/) - [DUMBO](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/new-york/dumbo/) - [Forest Hills](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/new-york/forest-hills/) - [Great Neck](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/new-york/great-neck/) - [Southampton](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/new-york/southampton/) - [Scarsdale](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/new-york/scarsdale/) [Houston](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/houston/) TX · 36 areas - [River Oaks](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/houston/river-oaks/) - [Memorial](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/houston/memorial/) - [Tanglewood](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/houston/tanglewood/) - [Greater Heights](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/houston/greater-heights/) - [Kingwood](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/houston/kingwood/) - [Bellaire](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/houston/bellaire/) - [Bunker Hill Village](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/houston/bunker-hill-village/) - [Piney Point Village](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/houston/piney-point-village/) - [Hunters Creek Village](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/houston/hunters-creek-village/) - [Sugar Land](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/houston/sugar-land/) - [Cinco Ranch](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/houston/cinco-ranch/) - [The Woodlands](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/houston/the-woodlands/) - [West University](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/houston/west-university/) [Chicago](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/chicagoland/) IL · 50 areas - [Lincoln Park](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/chicagoland/lincoln-park/) - [Near North Side](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/chicagoland/near-north-side/) - [West Loop / Near West Side](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/chicagoland/west-loop-near-west-side/) - [Wilmette](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/chicagoland/wilmette/) - [Winnetka](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/chicagoland/winnetka/) - [Glencoe](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/chicagoland/glencoe/) - [River Forest](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/chicagoland/river-forest/) - [Oak Park](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/chicagoland/oak-park/) - [Hinsdale](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/chicagoland/hinsdale/) - [Lake Forest](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/chicagoland/lake-forest/) - [Highland Park](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/chicagoland/highland-park/) - [Gold Coast](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/chicagoland/gold-coast/) - [Lakeview](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/chicagoland/lakeview/) [Los Angeles](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/) CA · 95 areas - [Beverly Hills](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/beverly-hills/) - [Bel Air](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/bel-air/) - [Holmby Hills](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/holmby-hills/) - [Brentwood](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/brentwood/) - [Pacific Palisades](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/pacific-palisades/) - [Santa Monica](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/santa-monica/) - [Hancock Park](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/hancock-park/) - [Studio City](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/studio-city/) - [Calabasas](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/calabasas/) - [Manhattan Beach](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/manhattan-beach/) - [Palos Verdes Estates](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/palos-verdes-estates/) - [Pasadena](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/pasadena/) - [San Marino](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/san-marino/) - [Malibu](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/los-angeles/malibu/) [San Diego](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/san-diego/) CA · 31 areas - [La Jolla](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/san-diego/la-jolla/) - [Carmel Valley](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/san-diego/carmel-valley/) - [Point Loma](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/san-diego/point-loma/) - [Del Mar](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/san-diego/del-mar/) - [Rancho Santa Fe](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/san-diego/rancho-santa-fe/) - [Coronado](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/san-diego/coronado/) - [Encinitas](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/san-diego/encinitas/) - [Solana Beach](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/san-diego/solana-beach/) [San Francisco Bay Area](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/bay-area/) CA · 74 areas - [Pacific Heights](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/bay-area/pacific-heights/) - [Presidio Heights](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/bay-area/presidio-heights/) - [Russian Hill](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/bay-area/russian-hill/) - [Noe Valley](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/bay-area/noe-valley/) - [Sea Cliff](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/bay-area/sea-cliff/) - [Hillsborough](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/bay-area/hillsborough/) - [Atherton](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/bay-area/atherton/) - [Woodside](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/bay-area/woodside/) - [Palo Alto](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/bay-area/palo-alto/) - [Los Altos Hills](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/bay-area/los-altos-hills/) - [Tiburon](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/bay-area/tiburon/) - [Piedmont](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/bay-area/piedmont/) - [Marina](https://freezerrepair.center/locations/bay-area/marina/) For the heart of your home. ## Questions about loud or new noise from the freezer. ### What is the sizzling or dripping sound every few hours? On a frost-free model, it is melt water dripping onto the warm defrost heater. It is normal and lasts a few minutes. ### My chest model makes a loud clunk when it stops. Is that bad? A soft thud as the compressor settles is normal. A hard knock that shakes the cabinet points to a worn mount and is worth having checked. ### Why did it get louder when I moved it to the garage? Concrete floors and bare walls reflect sound, and a slab that is not level lets the cabinet buzz. Level it carefully and leave space at the back. ### The noise stops when I open the door. What does that mean? The fan inside the cabinet pauses when the door opens, so the noise is almost certainly that fan, and often frost is reaching its blade. --- **[Read on the site: Loud or New Noise From the Freezer: Causes and Fixes](https://freezerrepair.center/problems/freezer-loud-noise/)** **[Book a visit with FreezerRepair.center](https://freezerrepair.center/schedule/)**