Bertazzoni REF Refrigerator: Abnormal Noise or Vibration

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a loud refrigerator dangerous?

Not usually. The common causes are a fan touching something and a cabinet that is not level, and neither is a hazard — but a burning smell alongside it is.

What does a failing compressor sound like on this family?

A constant low knock that ignores the doors, the fans and the defrost cycle. If the noise changes when you open a door, it is not the compressor.

Are popping and cracking noises normal?

Yes. That is the liner and the coils moving as temperatures change through the defrost cycle, and it comes in bursts with long quiet gaps.

Can levelling the refrigerator really quieten it?

Often. A cabinet standing on three of its four feet transmits every vibration into the floor, and adjusting the feet costs nothing but a few minutes.

The noise only happens at night. Why?

It almost certainly does not — the house is quieter, so a noise that was always there becomes audible. Time it against the compressor rather than against the clock.