wondering how to make a microwave quieter for peaceful heating or cooking of your food?. Great, then you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, you can expect to learn the following:
- What a microwave oven is
- how does a microwave oven work?
- Why is my microwave loud?
- Effective ways to make your microwave quieter
- do microwaves have silent mode?
- And more…
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 90% of American households now own a microwave.
The main reason for this huge number of purchases is because of the convenience microwaves offer. microwaves make you heat or cook food at the press of a button in a matter of minutes, your food would be ready.
Microwaves cook food faster than conventional ovens and they don’t make a mess in the process.
Who doesn’t like scoffing down some leftovers in a matter of an instant?. To health-conscious individuals, these appliances allow you to make healthier foods like steaming your veggies without losing the nutrition in boiling water.
Besides them not burning your food, they are also very economical and consume much less energy than gas burners and conventional ovens, which makes them very energy-efficient appliances.
However, with all the perks that come with owning and using a microwave, there is no denying fact that they can be pretty noisy when in use.
so today, we take a look at how to make a noisy microwave quieter. Before I go into ways to reduce microwave noise, let’s look at what a microwave is and how it works.
What Really is a Microwave Oven and How Does It Work?
Microwave ovens have been a life-changing invention since they began humming and heating in homes in the 1970s.
A microwave oven which is commonly referred to as a microwave is an electric oven that heats and cooks food by the use of electromagnetic radiation.
This device is liked by many because it fastens the cooking and reheating of meals, thereby saving you time and energy.
But how does this appliance does the heating and cooking so fast?. The mechanics of the microwave were mysterious from the very start. People wondered what the magic happens in a metal bo that spins and heats food by invisible means.
Well, that mystery will be unraveled today.
Microwave ovens cook food by injecting them with microwave energy. Microwave energy is a form of electromagnetic wave that is invisible to the human eye and falls between radio waves and infrared waves.
Inside the guts of any microwave oven, there is a device called the magnetron. It generates the microwave energy and channels it to a heating filament, creating a flow of electrons that in turn transmits microwaves into the cooking chamber through an antenna.
The microwaves bounce around in the chamber and cook the food through radiation heating. Because microwaves can travel only so far into any object before losing their energy, the outside of the thicker food becomes heated by the microwave, and the inside of the food also gets heated by the conductive transfer of heat from the outside.
This is a basic explanation of how microwave ovens work.
Why is My Microwave Loud?
Microwave ovens are very helpful appliances but they can also be noisy. Here we will look at some of the possible causes of loud microwaves.
The Drive Motor
If the turntable on your microwave is making an unusual noise, the problem may be with the drive motor. Most microwave ovens with glass trays use a motor-driven coupler to turn the tray or a roller guide.
Magnetron
If you are hearing loud humming noise, it may be caused by a faulty magnetron. The magnetron generates the microwave energy that heats the food. It is part of the high voltage circuit.
If the magnetron is defective, it will cause loud buzzing or humming noise.
The Drive Coupler and Roller Guide
Another cause of unusual noise in a microwave oven is from the drive coupler for the turn tray. Most microwave ovens with a round glass tray use a motor-driven coupler to rotate the tray on a roller guide.
Another possible cause could be from the roller guide under the tray.
Cooling Fan
If your microwave is making an unusual noise, the problem may be with the cooling fan. The cooling fan is located inside the cabinet and is used to cool the magnetron.
High Voltage Diode
A high voltage diode is another culprit of unusual or loud humming noise. This component is part of the high voltage circuit along with the capacitor and the magnetron.
Effective Ways to Make a Microwave Quieter
It’s only natural for a microwave to make a slight humming noise when it’s heating up the food. That confirms that everything is working properly as it should be.
However, some noise the microwave makes may sound unusual and this may be noticeable, meaning all is not well with the appliance.
I have already listed above some of the reasons why a microwave would be making the usual sounds. Here are some ways to make your microwave quieter.
1). Reset Your Microwave
One way to stop the beeping sound on your microwave is by resetting it. You can try the hard reset by simply unplugging the microwave and waiting for 5 minutes before plugging it back in.
Doing the hard reset helps you get rid of the extra electricity from the microwave capacitor and forces the sensors back to their original state.
2). Engage the Silent Mode
Most microwaves have this feature. In case your oven is beeping loudly, you can set it to the silent mode help solve the loud noise problem.
This is a feature that is not clearly indicated on most microwaves even though they have it present. It is not visible to the eye.
While using the Silent button is the easiest way to mute a microwave, some models simply don’t have such a button. On such models, you may find that some buttons have dual functions, meaning you’ll have to experiment a little.
In most cases, long-pressing the “Cancel” or “0” button grants access to sound programming, from where you can adjust the sound settings and silence your microwave.
The silent mode is one of the easiest ways to make a microwave quieter.
3). Replace the Motor Drive
The drive motor is responsible for rotating the turntable that also in turn rotates the tray or guides the roller on which it sits. If the motor is faulty, it may make an unusual grinding noise.
To access the motor drive, you will need to reach the motor through the bottom part of the microwave iirespective of the model. Once the bottom part is removed, you then remove the mounting screws and the two wires holding the drive motor in place and replace it.
Please note that if you are not handy, and don’t know the technical know-how, it is better to employ the services of a technician than to do it yourself which might cause more damage.
4). Replace the Magnetron
5). Clean or Replace the Drive Coupler
Depending on your model, you may easily access the coupler by pulling it out while on other models the coupler will require you to remove the motor before accessing it.
6). Repair the Cooling Fan
Because of the high temperature of the magnetron when working, there is a cooling fan installed on every microwave to help in cooling it.
When this fan is damaged, it can cause different noise types.
To get access to the cooling fan, you will need to remove the outer cabinet of the microwave and locate it. Once you get access to it, check to see whether it’s damaged or not.
If it is damaged, then it needs to be replaced. On the other hand, if it is still working, then clean off any dust and grease on it to keep it clean and prevent wear and tear.
6). Replace the High Voltage Diode
A faulty high voltage diode can also cause your microwave to make noise. It is part of the circuitry that supplies power to the magnetron.
It can cause a loud humming/buzzing sound or even lead to uneven or intermittent heating of the microwave. The high voltage diode is also responsible for the popping sounds that indicate an electrical discharge.
If that is the case, you will need to take proper cause when replacing it as it can cause electric shock. Be sure to get an expert to work on it if you don’t know what to do.
7). Get a Quiet Microwave
There are brands that are putting in the needed effort to make some models much quieter. Sometimes, the money it cost to repair a broken appliance can as well be used to purchase a brand new model.
There are microwaves of different sizes, prices, and wattages in the market that you can choose from to replace your old one.
If you realize that the old one is harder to repair then it’s better to invest in a brand new model. Here are some quiet microwave ovens I covered in this guide.
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