VERIFIED
Kitchens get quiet at night
By ten in the evening the dishwasher is done, the television is off, and every sound from the refrigerator stands out. That is when many owners first notice a new whirr, a soft tick or a pause in the usual hum, and they look at the display to find E31.
Normal sounds versus new ones
- Normal: a steady low hum, a gentle whoosh when the fan starts, and an occasional trickle of water.
- Worth noting: a rhythmic tick, a rising whine, a scraping noise or a fan that turns on and stops within seconds.
Why it appears
The fan may be spinning against a bit of ice, collecting dust on the blade, or running at a different speed because the control asked for it. In a small apartment where the refrigerator sits near a bedroom wall, even a normal speed change can seem dramatic. The fan moves cold air from the cooling area into the food compartments, so a change in its sound is also a change in airflow.
What the control is reporting
The status message suggests the control noted something unusual about airflow. It does not necessarily mean a part is broken. Whether it does depends on how long it lasts and whether the temperatures drift. A one-off message that clears on its own says less than one that stays on the display alongside a warm top shelf.
Owner checks
Take a quick temperature reading on the top shelf, make sure food does not block the vents, and see whether the unit touches the wall or a neighboring cabinet, which can transmit vibration. A strip of space behind it often quiets rattles. Also check that shelves and bins sit fully in place, since a loose one can mimic a fan noise.
When to ask for a visit
A scrape or a squeal that continues for a day, or a code that returns nightly, indicates the fan blade or bearing needs attention. The technician checks the blade, motor and speed signal and tests whether the board is requesting the speed that the fan delivers.
Please do not
Do not spray lubricant into vents or tap on the panels. Oil attracts dust and can damage the plastics. A fan that makes noise needs measurement, not lubrication.
Recording the sound
A short phone recording of the noise is valuable. It lets the technician judge the sound before arriving, and it captures the moment when the noise is present if it happens only at certain hours.
Frequently asked questions
The house is quieter, so normal fan and compressor sounds stand out more.
Not always. Contact with a wall or cabinet can cause it, so check the clearance.
No. Lubricant can damage parts and collect dust.
If noise or the code persists for a day, or the top shelf feels warm.
Model compatibility: Bertazzoni reuses codes across series and model years, so E31 may mean something different on another appliance or generation. Confirm this against your model’s documentation and record your full model number before acting.
