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A quiet US home kitchen at night lit only by the soft light of the open freezer drawer, the ice maker's gray mold and a bin half full of cubes visible from above, a smartphone recording voice memo lying on the counter beside it with a blurred screen.

Ice Maker Making Noise

The ice maker making noise can mean a buzz or a hum from the back, a bang when the water shuts off, grinding in the door, a rattle from an undercounter unit or clatter that did not use to be there.

(844) 773-0701

Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm

  • 5 checks before you book
  • 5 questions that narrow it
  • 6 causes, cheapest first

Book a visit

Three short steps, about a minute.

or call (844) 773-0701

What it
usually means.

An ice maker is never silent, and some of its sounds are part of the job: a crack as cubes break free, a clatter as they drop into the bin, a short buzz as the valve opens and water rushes in. The useful question is whether the sound is new, whether it comes at a particular moment, and whether it is getting louder. A loud buzz that goes on and on often means the valve is trying to fill with no water behind it. A bang in the pipes as the fill stops is water hammer. Grinding from the door points at the auger working against a block of ice. A hum or rattle under the counter can be a pump, a fan or ice rattling against a loose part.

A technician kneels at an open bottom freezer drawer in a US home kitchen, shining a small flashlight on the ice maker at the back while the empty ice bin rests on a towel on the floor. The 6 causes, cheapest first

Answer these first

01

Does the noise come at a particular moment: during the fill, when the cubes drop, or while you dispense?
02

Is it a buzz, a bang, a grind, a hum or a rattle?
03

Is the water valve for the ice maker fully open?
04

Did the noise start after the appliance was moved or the ice maker was replaced?
05

On an undercounter unit, does it come from the front grille, the bin or the bottom?

Check these
before you book.

Ice maker making noise: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything.

01

Note exactly when the noise happens and how long it lasts; a short phone recording helps us a great deal.

02

Make sure the water supply valve is open; if the water is off, switch the ice maker off to stop the buzzing.

03

Take out the bin and look for fused cubes that the auger may be grinding against.

Also worth checking

  • On an undercounter unit, check that nothing touches the front grille and the unit sits level.
  • Tell us whether the noise is new or has been growing louder over weeks.

How soon does it need a visit?

Noise alone is rarely urgent. It is worth booking if a sound is new and getting louder, or if a buzzing valve comes with drips, water under the unit or the ice maker stopping.

The causes,
cheapest first.

6 things ice maker making noise turns out to be, from normal harvest and fill sounds to undercounter pump or fan.

The cost guide
  1. 01 no repair

    Normal harvest and fill sounds

    A crack, a clatter of cubes and a short buzz while the mold fills are normal. They are loudest in a quiet kitchen at night.

    No repair: check it yourself
  2. 02 no repair

    Valve buzzing with no water behind it

    When the supply is shut off or the ice maker has no water, the valve buzzes loudly each time it opens. Open the supply or switch the ice maker off.

    No repair: check it yourself
  3. 03 low

    Water hammer as the fill stops

    The valve shuts quickly, and a long supply line can bang as the water stops. A short loop in the line or a small arrester near the valve usually quiets it.

    Fixed by water filter and supply line service
  4. 04 low to moderate

    Valve worn or chattering

    A valve whose seal has worn can chatter or whine while it is open, and it often drips afterward as well.

    Fixed by ice maker water inlet valve repair
  5. 05 low to moderate

    Auger grinding against ice

    Grinding at the door is the auger pushing a block of fused cubes. Clearing the bin often ends it; a motor that keeps grinding with a clear bin is wearing.

    Fixed by ice dispenser and auger repair On a door ice maker
  6. 06 moderate

    Undercounter pump or fan

    The circulation pump, the drain pump and the condenser fan all run under the counter. A hum that turns into a rattle or a squeal is usually one of them wearing.

    Fixed by drain pump and drain line repair On an undercounter ice maker

The makes
it happens on.

27 makes on this site; ice maker making noise can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page.

All 27 brands

Ice Maker Making Noise,
where we come out.

9 metros, each with its own page.

All service areas

Tampa BayFL · 31 areas

OrlandoFL · 30 areas

Miami / South FloridaFL · 47 areas

New York MetroNY · 75 areas

HoustonTX · 36 areas

ChicagoIL · 50 areas

Los AngelesCA · 95 areas

San DiegoCA · 31 areas

San Francisco Bay AreaCA · 74 areas

A parent and a child filling two glasses with ice from the door dispenser in a bright family kitchen
For the heart of your home.

Questions about
ice maker making noise.

Why does my ice maker buzz loudly when the water is off?
The control still opens the valve on schedule, and with no water behind it the valve buzzes. Switch the ice maker off whenever the supply is off.
Is the bang in the wall when the ice maker fills a problem?
It is water hammer, and repeated banging can loosen fittings over time. It is worth fixing, especially if the line is plastic.
Is it normal to hear ice dropping at night?
Yes. The ice maker works day and night, and a batch dropping into the bin is one of its ordinary sounds.
My countertop nugget maker got louder. What should I check?
Descale it following the manual, because scale on the freezing cylinder makes the auger work harder. If it stays loud, the auger motor may be wearing.

Back to your everyday

Still seeing ice maker making noise?

Book with what you checked above — 5 answers save the technician the first part of the visit.

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(844) 773-0701 Schedule a repair