Diagnosing Different Microwave Noises

It is a simple truth that every homeowner should know – if an appliance is making a different noise than usual, it is not good. If your microwave is making a new noise, something is broken. The question is, however, what part is broken? Interestingly enough, sometimes the kind of noise it is making can be a good indicator of what needs to be fixed.

The stirrer motor is a metal blade that rotates and assures that energy is evenly distributed so that your food cooks evenly in the microwave. However, like any motor, the stirrer motor can wear down. When this happens, it will begin to emit a grinding sound.

While it sounds like a made up part in a sci-fi movie, the magnetron tube in your microwave is responsible for creating the wave frequency that will cook your food. However, this part can wear out or just downright fail with age or excessive use. When that happens, your food won’t cook. However, you can catch it early when you hear an annoying high pitch ringing.

Microwaves come equipped with exhaust fans, and like any fan, once it starts to wear down, it gets louder. You can always hear the exhaust fan hum, but when it is much louder than normal, it is a problem.

Clicking, and actually, any other noise you can’t quite identify typically comes from the turntable motor. As far as things that will fail go, this is always a likely culprit in the microwave because it takes a lot of abuse. The good news is that it is the quickest repair of the bunch.

If your microwave is making noises and you aren’t sure what to do about it, contact us. It needs repair and it isn’t something you can just ignore forever.