A fridge is one of the heaviest items in your home, making it difficult to move your refrigerator. Not only are they bulky and cumbersome, but they are also fragile and prone to damage. With a little thought and careful planning, you and your appliance will make it from point A to point B safely and efficiently. Whether you’re moving the refrigerator yourself or hiring a moving company, follow our packaging and transportation checklist.
How to Properly Move Your Refrigerator
What You’ll Need
Before you begin hauling your refrigerator, you’ll need to following items:
- A dolly with straps
- Dishwashing soap and baking soda
- Measuring tape
- Moving blankets
- Packing tape
- Moving truck
- Ramp
- Comfortable shoes
- Work gloves
- A helping hand
Don’t make the mistake of rushing the task without the required preparation, tools, and supplies.
Prepare Your Refrigerator
After gathering the necessary equipment, it’s time to prepare your refrigerator for transport. First, remove the power cord a few hours before moving to allow the evaporator time to defrost. To protect you and your fridge, roll up the power cord, fix it in place using rubber bands, and tape it to the back of the fridge. Disconnect any water lines feeding the ice maker or water dispenser. Then, remove all food, condiments, and any additional items to prevent foul odors from forming. To make things easier, plan ahead by eating your perishable items in the days leading up to the move. Shelves, glass, trays, and drawers, should be removed, taped, and wrapped in a towel to prevent scratching or breaking. If your freezer is still harboring frost, use hot water or a hairdryer to melt the ice.
Tip: Your refrigerator sees a lot of action. Between forgotten spoiled perishables to splatters of leftovers, bacteria can quickly spread from compartment to compartment. So, consider eliminating harmful bacteria by cleaning your fridge with warm water and dishwashing soap prior to transporting. Use baking soda to remove stubborn stains,
Create a Moving Plan
Creating a moving plan that consists of precise measurements along with an intended route will minimize damage. Depending on how wide or narrow your doorways are, you may need to remove railings, doors, and furniture so your fridge can travel safely to the moving truck. To determine whether or not you’ll need to make these adjustments, measure the height and width of your fridge, doorways, and hallways before placing your fridge on the dolly. Remember to take into account the door handles on the refrigerator.
Protect the Floor
Dirty surfaces can create friction on the floors, which may leave unsightly marks during the moving process. So, it’s important to clean the floor thoroughly. After cleaning the floors, use furniture sliders to move the refrigerator out of the tight space and onto the dolly. Not only will the sliders make it easy to slide the heavy appliance, but they’ll also further protect your floors from scratches or scuffs.
Secure the Fridge on Dolly
As the muscle of the operation, there’s a reason why many people choose to use a dolly when you move your refrigerator. Not only does it support the weight of the appliance, but it also has wheels to allow easy mobility. Whether you’re packing to move or relocating your fridge to a different area in the home, a dolly makes it easy and less dangerous to lift and move bulky items.
To secure your refrigerator on the dolly, gently tilt the fridge and slide the dolly underneath it. If your dolly doesn’t have attached straps and automatic tighteners, you’ll want to use bungee cords for increased immobilization and safety.
Find a Moving Buddy
Moving a large and heavy fridge can be a complicated and challenging task. Although you may be tempted to make it a one-man job, we recommend always having a moving buddy to keep you and your fridge safe.
Load the Refrigerator into a Truck
After removing lingering obstacles and securing the fridge on the dolly, tilt the dolly to a 45-degree angle and wheel it to the truck following your pre-determined exit pathway. Although it may be possible to lever a small fridge into the back of a pickup truck, using a ramp will minimize the chance of damages.
If you have to move your refrigerator up or down the stairs, guide the fridge strapped to the dolly while another person stands below and helps it move step by step.
Protect the Refrigerator
A refrigerator’s operational effectiveness can be permanently damaged during transportation if you don’t take the proper steps. As the heart of every refrigerator, the compressor unit compresses refrigerant fluid before sending it to the condenser coil at the base of the fridge. To avoid oil from leaking out of the compressor and creating a restriction, the fridge needs to be stored, handled, and transported in an upright position, no exception!
Upon arrival, unload your refrigerator and re-install your fridge in the new kitchen. It’s not a bad idea to wait 30 minutes before switching it back on. This will ensure the oil inside the compressor settles properly.
Consider Hiring a Moving Company
Depending on how heavy your refrigerator is and your unique moving situation, it may be best have professionals move your refrigerator. They have the proper equipment, manpower, experience, and insurance coverage necessary to properly transport your fridge. Plus, they are trained to deal with tough situations. However, if hiring movers is not a practical option for you, then our refrigeration transportation guide is exactly what you need.
Damaged Refrigerator? Contact iFiX in Ogden Today!
In an ideal world, moving heavy kitchen appliances would be a fully operational and incident-free task. However, accidents happen. If you damage any of your kitchen appliances during your move, contact iFiX today. iFiX is your best, most-trusted option for refrigerator repair in Ogden and surrounding cities. Our highly trained technicians are licensed, bonded, and insured. Contact us today at 801-731-4349 to schedule an appointment.
