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Soundproofing a Refrigerator
Soundproofing a Refrigerator
Are you getting increasingly more frustrated because you can’t hear your own thoughts over the constant buzzing of the refrigerator? Sometimes, the smallest things can become the bane of your existence. Before you take it to the dump, there are some easy ways to stop your irritating fridge from making noise. Read on to hear our solutions so that you and your kitchen can return to peace.
Are you getting increasingly more frustrated because you can’t hear your own thoughts over the constant buzzing of the refrigerator? Sometimes, the smallest things can become the bane of your existence. Before you take it to the dump, there are some easy ways to stop your irritating fridge from making noise. Read on to hear our solutions so that you and your kitchen can return to peace.
Identifying the Noise
In any situation where you are soundproofing something, your first course of action is to determine whether this is a normal noise that needs to be soundproofed or if you have an issue that needs to be fixed by a technician. Assuming that there’s nothing mechanical a tech needs to fix, the next step is to identify the type of noise you are dealing with. The 2 types of noise we handle in soundproofing are structural and airborne noise. Typically, when refrigerators make a loud sound, it will be airborne noise, but it is not unheard of for structural noise to be the culprit.
Structural Noise
Structural noise will occur when the fridge is vibrating and makes contact with the hardwood or tile floor. The motor of the fridge has moving parts that can cause the entire appliance to vibrate. If your fridge is making excessive structural noise, it could be a sign that there is something wrong with your fridge and repairs are needed. If the vibrations are bothering neighbors, floor soundproofing is another option to consider.
Airborne Noise
When it comes to fridges, airborne noise is a more common issue than structural noise. The motor in the fridge can start to make louder sounds as it gets older. The noise can travel from behind or underneath the fridge, and without taking steps to reduce the sound, you will be coexisting with a very loud machine.
How to Soundproof a Refrigerator!
To have a soundproof fridge in your kitchen, you need to address both types of noise. For structural noise, you will need to isolate the sound by either applying vibration damping material close to the source of the noise or decoupling the fridge from the floor. There are a few methods to lower the amount of airborne noise that can be heard from your fridge. The solution boils down to the location of your fridge. Is it simply against a wall in your kitchen, or is it in an alcove surrounded by walls? A fridge located in an alcove has the potential to be much quieter because it’s easier to stop the sound waves from being sent into an open room. Here are the steps we recommend to soundproof a frideg:
- Use Sound Deadening Mats
- Install Rubber Isolation Pads
- Clean and Check Fridge Motor and Compressor
- Install Acoustic Material Around the Fridge
Step 1: Use damplifier pro Deadening Mats
If most of the structural noise is coming from the motor in the fridge, we recommend installing Damplifier Pro as close as possible to the engine or air compressor on any vibrating metal components. By deadening the vibrations at the source, you will prevent the vibrations from transmitting to other parts of the fridge and reduce the noise.
Step 2: Use Rubber isolation Pads
It is also common for the vibrational noise in the fridge to be transmitted to the floor. Hard floors such as hardwood and tile will make a lot of noise if machinery is vibrating on them. The best solution for this is to place a 100 percent rubber isolation mat underneath the fridge to decouple the 2 hard surfaces.
Another way to stop the vibrations from transmitting would be to cut our OverKill Pro rubber infused sound deadening foam into small squares and place it under the feet of the appliance.
Step 3: Clean out the motor and compressor
Refrigerators will usually make a lot of noise when their motors are getting old and need some maintenance. Before spending the time and money to install soundproofing materials, we recommend having a technician examine the refrigerator’s moving parts. If they need to be cleaned, that may be all it takes to reduce the amount of airborne noise the appliance is making. It’ll also improve the energy efficiency of the fridge.
If you’re going to try and do this yourself, make sure to unplug the fridge before cleaning it and do some research before to prevent damaging anything.
Step 4: Install acoustic materials around the Noisy fridge
Whether it is in an alcove or not, if your fridge is making an irritating noise, there are ways to reduce the noise by adding sound absorbing materials around the fridge.
Place a sound absorptive material on the walls behind or around the fridge. If your fridge is in an alcove, you may not have the space to put absorptive materials on all surfaces surrounding the fridge due to lack of space, but you’ll get the most sound reduction if you can! But as long as there is acoustical material behind the fridge, you will hit the most important location for preventing sound from reflecting off of the wall and back into the room the fridge is in.
You can definitely use a budget acoustical material such as CelluZorbe for this project. The only problem with materials like this is that it is fibrous, so it will get dusty over time and will absorb water any water that leaks behind the fridge.
We recommend using BlocknZorbe panels. BlocknZorbe is a really great option for soundproofing a fridge, because they are waterproof, durable, super easy to clean, and absorptive.
Now That you Have a Not-So-Noisy Fridge
We know how annoying a loud fridge can be. That’s why we provide the best materials to solve the issue. Whether you need to prevent vibrations from transmitting to your floor or absorb the loud sounds of the motor, we’ve got you covered! For a similar kitchen appliance, check out our article on soundproofing a dishwasher!
If you need any more advice on soundproofing your fridge or have any other questions for us, feel free to reach out. Even if you have a different home soundproofing project, like a soundproof kitchen sink, our soundproofing experts are always happy to help!