When you are moving your home, surely the excitement of it all may get you baffled as to where to start and how to prepare. Luckily, you have TheMovingBlog.com where you can find plenty of tips and advice on all sorts of issues related to your move. This time we’d like to say a few words on how to move a refrigerator by yourself. Since moving appliances and equipment is often the case with most people who relocate, moving a fridge is also a matter lots of people are interested in. So, how to move a big refrigerator and what do you need to know when moving a small refrigerator?
How to Move a Fridge By Yourself
Moving a fridge by yourself could be a tough job, especially if the fridge is a big one. When considering the best way to move a refrigerator it is important to have in mind the safety for the people doing the work – whether that be yourself or someone else, and the protection of the item being prepared for a move and transported as well.
Prepare For the Move
That is why the first thing to do is to get the fridge ready for what’s about to come next. Unplug the fridge and pack the cord in a plastic bag. Disconnect the water if you have an ice-maker. Surely you understand that all the content of your refrigerator must be taken out before you proceed with the move. There should be nothing in it since during the move it will surely shift while inside and may damage the fridge. Take out the food, ice, cosmetics, medicines and whatever else you may be keeping in the fridge. You can give away the food or make a plan how to consume all of it, plus the frozen items, before the move itself. Do you need to defrost your fridge? That could take some time as well, so plan it ahead. You can do it the night before the move and just clean it in the morning.
After you’re done with those things, remove the other items that belong to the fridge like trays and shelves. Do it even if you are moving a refrigerator short distance like in order to clean behind it. In this way there will be no risk of spilling drinks inside or breaking bottles or jars because of the move. If you will be moving long distance, wrap the removable items from your fridge with bubble wrap or towels to protect them, label them and put them together in one or two boxes, if possible, along with the power cord. In this way the process of unwrapping and setting up the refrigerator in your new home will be easier for you. You may not want to keep movable items within the refrigerator as there is still a risk for them to shift, even if you tape them – for example, the vibrations that come out as a result when the fridge is being transported could also cause glass to crack and you don’t want that. If you have time, clean the fridge and its removable parts before packing them. If not, you can do this after the move is over and before plugging in your fridge again.
Once you’re ready, it is time to secure the fridge doors. If there are handles, tie them together. Make sure the doors are well closed and use rope to secure them. Don’t over tighten the ropes or they could shift the doors. Tape is not a good idea – it is neither that strong, nor that a clean option as it could leave stains and residue on the finish of the fridge or even damage it. If the fridge will be out of use for a while or you want to store it, the doors should be left slightly ajar in order to prevent any mold from growing there.
Always Move a Refrigerator Upright!
Get people to help you with the move – at least one person, besides yourself. In order to move a fridge short distance, use rollers, and for long distance – a dolly with straps. The right equipment may be tempting for you to try and do it yourself, but you risk your health and the safety of your fridge as well in this way. But once you have to maneuver around the hallway, stairs, through the door, etc. it is easier if you have a friend with you or you hire moving labor. It is not a good idea to move a fridge on its side or back because the coolant in it or the oil in the compressor could leak. Lift the fridge carefully from one of its sides and slowly slide it onto the dolly. If you really must place the fridge on its side, try to do it under an angle to prevent leakages because if they occur, the oil may not fully return to the compressor once the fridge is in upright position again and it may not be able to function normally any longer. If you have to go up or down the stairs, go one step at a time and definitely get a helper to assist you. Be very, very careful. When moving the fridge inside the truck or trailer, best thing would be if there is a ramp that you could use. If there is no ramp, there should be one person on the vehicle to pull up and two people down by the fridge to lift it simultaneously. You should secure the fridge once it is inside the truck with ropes so it won’t be able to move once the truck is on its way.
When you’ve shipped your fridge to your new home, use the same steps to bring it inside, unpack it and start using it again. Just wait for a few hours for the liquids in the fridge to go back to their place before plugging it. Allow for a couple of days for the refrigerator to return to its normal cooling abilities.
Get Moving Help
If you have for moving a large refrigerator, if you haven’t moved such an item before or you are moving to a high rise, it is advisable that you get movers to help you. Get quotes and compare moving companies. Especially if your fridge was quite an investment for you there is no point in risking your health and safety and risking causing damages to your fridge. That is why considering to use a moving company is a good option. But whichever you prefer to do, we wish you good luck!
