The need to relocate a refrigerator might arise while moving into a new place or when making major changes to the kitchen in your present home. Because these devices can weigh anywhere up to several thousand pounds, improper moving a refrigerator can cause injury, floor scratching, and even appliance damage. No matter the size of your fridge, from a little apartment model to a massive commercial freezer, you’ll need help from a friend or neighbor to get it in its new home.

Once you’ve rounded up some assistance, rented a dolly to move fridge, and put on your working gloves, you’re ready to go to work. You may use these instructions to transfer any type of refrigerator, from French door models to top/bottom freezer designs. The following advice applies to any sort of moving situation and will help you get through it without losing your cool, damaging any of your belongings, or spoiling your meals.

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Preparing the refrigerator for the move in advance

Your refrigerator isn’t like your tabletop where you can easily pack up and take it with you. In addition to reviewing the owners handbook for any model-specific instructions, here is a detailed rundown of everything you need to know to be ready to move a fridge:

  • According to the instructions, the refrigerator or freezer should be switched off.
  • Take out all of the food.
  • As soon as you take it off, the smell will intensify, therefore now is the moment to disinfect. How to properly clean and maintain your refrigerator is a common topic of advice articles online.
  • Take off any shelves from the inside and box them separately to avoid damage during shipping.
  • If your refrigerator has a water filter or automatic ice maker, disconnect its hoses and flush the water pipes to stop any leaks from occurring.
  • To prevent freezer leaks onto other furniture or boxes during moving a fridge, defrost the freezer and remove all excess ice.
  • To prevent any harm to the unit or your home on the way out, lock the doors and cover the appliance with protective wrapping and refrigerator moving pads. Take caution while using sticky tapes because of the markings they may leave behind.
  • Before starting to move refrigerator examine the area around your exit using a measuring tape to ensure there are no obstacles.

Turning off a refrigerator or freezer 24 hours before transporting it is a good idea. This allows the evaporator to defrost, protecting the refrigerator from any harm.

Safely lifting and loading refrigerator in the truck

Never underestimate how hard it will be to transport a refrigerator. The first step in successfully moving a refrigerator is to get the necessary equipment. On moving day, you should have the all equipment and supplies ready. Moving a piece of large and heavy equipment by oneself, such as a refrigerator, may be an exhausting and difficult task. If you don’t have access to a crew of professional refrigerator movers NYC, get a couple of strong friends to help you load it, clear the way, and guide, all of which can be challenging on stairs or sloped terrain. Place one person behind the dolly, holding it by both handles to steer it, and another person in front of the doors to act as a fast response team in case the dolly slips or the fridge slides, or the doors open.

Tilt the dolly and lift refrigerator back between twenty and forty-five degrees so that the wheels may travel freely when pushed or pulled by the man holding the dollys handles. Now that you and the device are both on solid ground, you may make your way to the moving van or, if you’re in the way of construction, to a safer location. Take care while turning corners, going through doorways, or going up or down any sort of incline, and maintain the appliance slanted no more than 45 angles for the whole trip. Never put your refrigerator on its side or back when you’re moving it. To do so risks causing a leak in the cooling system that can’t be fixed and would render the appliance useless when reconnected.

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Fridge move and reconnection in your new residence

The best way to move a refrigerator safely is to tie it down securely to the wall with rope or ratchet straps once you get it inside the truck. You wouldn’t want your refrigerator to topple over onto your pricey desk because its wheels are too small and it rolled across the truck. Moving a refrigerator while it is still cooling down and full of condensation is not only inconvenient but also creates an ideal environment for the growth of mold and germs within the appliance. Make sure you have everything you need, take your time, and utilize a dolly that’s big enough to get the job done without risk.

If you’ve already checked to make sure the refrigerator will fit in your new home, you may bring it inside on its wheels. The refrigerator should be lowered carefully from the dolly into the new location, using your body weight as a measure. Your refrigerator or upright freezer can be used immediately if it was moved while standing up. If it fell on its side or back during transport, however, the refrigerant will need time to settle before it can be upright again. Don’t do this unless you want to damage your refrigerator.

Because the amount of time that must pass before you may switch your refrigerator back on varies from model to model, it is recommended to consult the owners handbook or get in touch with the manufacturer. In addition to this, you will need to look in the handbook to determine how much time should pass before you put more food in the refrigerator. You don’t want to consider eating badly chilled food and having to quickly use your brand-new toilet, so make sure to follow the instructions in your refrigerator’s user manual. Definitely not the kind of housewarming party anyone would like!

There are more involved in moving a refrigerator than you initially realized, but its still not that difficult, so there’s no need to abandon it. However, the fastest and easiest way to move a fridge is to hire a team of professional movers with all the necessary equipment and experience.

By Manali