noisy fridge/freezer - ventilation?

aoleks

we have a brand new kitchen with a built-in fridge/freezer. it works alright, but it's noisy. I know every fridge makes noise, but ours seems to be constantly on and the house is pretty cool by default.

I read something about ventilation being required in the plinth, we don't have that at the moment. could it be that the fridge is working extra hard and doesn't get a chance to "rest" because of the heat that accumulates behind the cabinet?

Ebe_Scrooge

It could be a ventilation issue - the heat that's drawn out from the inside of the fridge has to be able to dissipate somewhere.  Depends on the design, I guess - it's possible that ventilation has somehow been designed in to the cabinet somewhere other than the plinth.

The other common thing to check is that the door is sealing properly.  Give the seal, and the part of the fridge that the seal closes against, a really good clean.  It only takes a small amount of dirt on the seal to prevent it from giving a completely air-tight seal.

aoleks

thanks. I'll have a proper look around the unit, see if I can find anything and I'll double check the seals. maybe there's something I can do with the hinges.

EssexExile

You need ventilation above and below the fridge, then cold air is pulled in at the bottom, rises up the back of the fridge and the warmed air exits at the top.