The owl makes various sounds – barking, howling, whistling, hissing, hooting, and they are all annoying. Now, how about your Samsung refrigerator making noise like an owl? What could be the reason?
Unless it’s a low hissing owl sound that indicates dripping water, owl noises often indicate a malfunction. The reasons include icing around the fan, filthy condenser, jammed ice maker, lack of clearance (by the circulating fans), and a faulty evaporator fan motor or defrost system.
Those are the issues we’ll discuss as far as a Samsung refrigerator owl noise is concerned. I will help you determine the fault and how to troubleshoot it.
And as you’ll notice, you often don’t need an expert to help you silence the fridge. You can troubleshoot most of the issues DIY, and this guide is there to walk you through the basics.
In a hurry? The troubleshooting table below identifies the most likely causes of Samsung fridge owl noises and the quick fixes.
Quick Troubleshooting Guide for the Samsung Refrigerator Making Noise Like an Owl
| – | Likely Cause | Quick Fix |
| 1. | Water Dripping into the Unit’s Defrost System | Allow the water to drip. Only contact Samsung when the noise is too loud and persistent |
| 2. | Icing Around the Fan | Manually defrost the refrigerator by unplugging it and leaving the door open for 24 hours |
| 3. | Filthy Condenser | Clean the condenser using a condenser cleaning brush or cleaner kit |
| 4. | Jammed Ice Maker | Take out the ice maker and break and dump the ice clumps to unjam the ice maker |
| 5. | Lack of Clearance (By The Circulating Fan) | Create a 2-inch or more clearance at the top and around the refrigerator |
| 6. | Faulty Evaporator Fan Motor | Replace the evaporator fan motor if it’s faulty |
| 7. | Malfunctioning Defrost System | Contact a refrigerator expert to check the defrost system |
Why Does My Samsung Refrigerator Sound Like an Owl?
Generally, a running Samsung refrigerator will sound like an owl due to either of these seven reasons:
- Water is dripping into the refrigerator defrost heater (which is quite normal if it’s a low hissing owl sound)
- Icing around the fan
- The condenser is filthy (either clogged by dirt, debris, and odor)
- The ice maker is ice-jammed
- Lack of clearance which makes the circulating fans make the noise
- The evaporator fan motor is faulty
- The defrost system is malfunctioning
Now, let’s discuss the seven reasons:
Samsung Refrigerator Sounds Like an Owl Under Normal Conditions
1. Dripping Water (Low Hissing Owl Sound)
When water drips onto the refrigerator defrost heater, it makes a low hissing sound which may sound like an owl. That’s a typical sound that does not indicate any abnormality. It only becomes an issue if the hissing doesn’t stop or becomes too loud.
Fix
Since the low hissing sound is associated with a regular operation (water dripping), nothing should alarm you. However, contact Samsung when the owl sound won’t stop or becomes deafening.
Samsung Fridge Sounds Like an Owl to Indicate a Malfunction
2. Ice Build-up Around the Fan (The Fan Hitting the Ice)
If the refrigerator makes the owl noise when the door is closed and stops when it opens, the reason is likely to be the ice that builds up around the fan.
Once the ice collects around the fan, it obstructs the fan, and the fan will make an owl sound when it hits the ice. In most cases, the fan ices up because of a failed to defrost cycle.
So, you may need to manually defrost the fridge to get rid of the obstructive ice.
Fix
Consider manually defrosting your Samsung refrigerator to get rid of the ice mass. Here’s how to do it:
- Empty the fridge and the ice bucket and unplug the unit
- Put a dry towel underneath to catch the dripping water
- Keep the fridge door open and leave it for 24 hours
- Plug it back after 24 hours and power it on
Remember, as it may damage the fridge, you shouldn’t defrost it with any heat source, such as a hair dryer.
3. Samsung Refrigerator Owl Noise Due to A Filthy Condenser
The condenser, especially the condenser fan, accumulates dust, dirt, and debris over time. Once that’s the case, the condenser fan becomes obstructed, thus unable to turn well.
That’s not the only concern. The filthy condenser can also not convert the refrigerator from gas to liquid. As a result, the compressor is also forced to work longer and harder and will therefore make an irking owl sound.
Fix
Inspect the condenser for filthiness and clean them. It’s advisable to clean them every six months, and you should use a condenser cleaning brush or cleaner kit
4. Jammed Ice maker
Sometimes the ice maker accumulates excess ice, which affects its running. That often happens when the ice makers motor struggles to dump ice, and in such a case, the ice maker may make an owl-like noise
Fix
If the ice maker is ice-jammed, try to unjam it. Start by removing the ice bin and then break the ice clumps and dump them.
5. Lack of Clearance
The refrigerator should have enough clearance (at least 2 inches) around it and at the top. The circulating fans may struggle to spin and produce a hissing owl-like sound if it doesn’t.
Fix
Leave a 2-inch or more clearance around the refrigerator or at the top to enable the circulating fans to circulate air freely.
6. Faulty Evaporator Fan
Sometimes the owl sound indicates a faulty evaporator fan. Once the evaporator fan starts to malfunction, it becomes noisy when running and may produce an owl-like sound. The noise even becomes louder when you open the fridge door.
Fix
You’ll need to replace the evaporator fan if it’s faulty. But before you do, try lubricating the fan, but if it looks worn out, replace it. You can, however, have an expert check it before replacing it.
7. Malfunctioning Defrost System
Lastly, consider that the defrost system could have failed. It could be why the fan is icing up, or the ice maker is jamming up. An expert can help you check it for faults.
Fix
Since it’s not easy to diagnose a malfunctioning defrost system, talk to an expert.
People Also Ask
1. Why Does My Fridge Sound Like an Owl?
Your fridge sounds like an owl because the fan is hitting an ice mass, the ice maker is ice jammed, the condenser is dirty, or the evaporator fan is faulty.
It could also be due to a defective defrost system, lack of clearance around the fridge, or sometimes a harmless activity like water dripping into the unit’s defrost system.
2. Do Samsung Refrigerators Make Noise?
It’s almost impossible for a Samsung refrigerator, like other refrigerators, not to make noise when running. Some noises, however, are harmless and associated with the regular running of the fridge.
They include the compressor or ice maker’s low humming sound, the door alarm’s beeping sound, the flowing refrigerant’s hissing or bubbling sound, and the falling ice’s bouncing sound.
But once the noises become weird or too loud, then that indicates a fault that an expert can help you diagnose and fix.
3. Why Does My Samsung Fridge Keep Making Noise?
Samsung refrigerators make different noises, some harmless, indicating normal operations, and others suggesting a problem.
Concerning the latter, the noise source could range from loose screws, an unlevelled fridge, a squeaky hinge, obstructed fan, a lack of clearance, and a faulty ice maker, to name a few.
4. Why Is My Samsung Fridge Making a Weird Noise?
A weird sound, especially a louder one such as grinding, rattling, or squeaking, indicates a significant problem with your Samsung fridge.
A loud squeaking sound, for example, could indicate a defective door hinge, while a loud rattling sound could suggest something rubbing against the fridge’s back.
5. Why Does My Fridge Sound Like a Bird?
If your fridge sounds like a chirping bird, it’s likely because of a malfunctioning evaporator fan. You can confirm if that’s the case if the sound originates from the back side of the freezer. (gabapentin) If yes, then contact an expert technician.
6. Why Does My Fridge Sound Like an Animal?
Your fridge may sound like an animal, especially a howling dog, because of a malfunctioning evaporator fan, a filthy condenser, or a failed defrost system.
If the evaporator fan is faulty, replace it and if the condenser is dirty, clean it. Call an expert, however, to check the defrost system.
7. Why Is My Samsung Fridge Making Noise but Stops When the Door Opens?
Samsung fridges are designed to stop making noise when the door opens as, the fan automatically goes off, and the compressor goes on standby.
It becomes a problem when the fridge noise persists after opening the door, and that’s when you should contact Samsung.
8. How Do I Clean the Condenser Coils On My Samsung Refrigerator?
You can clean the condenser coils on your Samsung refrigerator using a condenser cleaning brush or any commercial condenser cleaning kit. You’ll need to power off your outdoor unit and disassemble it to access the filthy condenser coils.
Closing Thought On the Samsung Refrigerator Making Noise Like an Owl:
From our discussion, an owl sound often indicates a problem with your Samsung refrigerator that you should address immediately. Start confirming that the sound is not from the dripping water, which lasts a few seconds.
If it’s not, check the fan for ice obstruction, the condenser for dirt clogging, the ice maker for ice jamming, the fridge for lack of clearance, and the evaporator fan and defrost system for faults.