It’s such a delicate item that the appliance typically stays on the property if you sell a house. If you’re moving from an apartment or condo, then navigating through the stairs or elevator of your building with it can seem like an impossible challenge.
If your refrigerator is coming with you to your new home, then there is a way for you to move it successfully with a reduced risk of injury. These steps will take you through that process.
Best Way to Move a Refrigerator When Moving
It would help if you had an appliance dolly with straps available for this job. It also helps to have a measuring tape, a screwdriver or drill, and moving blankets available. Some tape or rope is necessary, and this job usually requires two people.
Once you have the supplies available, then you are ready to take these actions.
1. Defrost the appliance and clean it.
It would help if you prepped the refrigerator so that it is ready to move. Empty the contents from the appliance before cleaning all surfaces with a baking soda and water mixture. If you have any ice in the freezer, you can melt it with a hairdryer. Then turn off the fridge for at least eight hours before the move.
Any lingering moisture can get absorbed by placing activated charcoal inside of the unit.
2. Disconnect the refrigerator based on the owner’s manual.
If your fridge has a water filter or an ice maker, then you must disconnect these lines before you proceed. Then unplug the appliance so that there isn’t any electricity going to it. You can protect the cord by rolling it up and taping it to the back of the unit.
If the refrigerator has glass shelves or drawers that are removable, then take them out now. Plastic drawers can get taped into place.
The doors must get removed or secured. You’ll use the rope or tape for that, although bungee cords can also work. Then wrap the exterior of the appliance with the moving blankets to avoid surface damage.
3. Create your moving plan.
How you move the refrigerator depends mainly on how wide your doorways are at home. It may be necessary to remove your doors to have the appliance fit. Your measuring tape will let you know the height, width, and depth of the fridge so that you know how to get it outside and on the moving truck.
If you must remove obstacles in the path of the refrigerator, then do it now. Take the doors off from the hinges and remove any banisters that could get in the way.
4. Slide the refrigerator into position on the dolly.
Most fridges have wheels on the bottom to make sliding it into place a straightforward task. You will want to lift the appliance forward slightly to place sliders underneath the unit’s back to prevent floor damage. Then move it onto the dolly so that it can be safely transported to your new home.
Have one person lift the refrigerator while the other slides the dolly into place along the side of the unit. Then use the straps to tighten it into place.
5. Slowly tilt the refrigerator back to move it.
As one person controls the dolly, have the other support the action of moving the fridge back. Ensure that the top and bottom of the appliance are positioned evenly. You don’t want to tip it more than 45 degrees as you carefully move it toward the doorway. If you need to set it down for any reason, then do so slowly and with someone guiding it down.
If you have stairs to navigate, then one person should control the dolly while the other guides the appliance down each step. Pull the dolly back toward you while keeping the refrigerator tilted. The other person will ensure that the fridge doesn’t move forward too far.
6. Place the refrigerator on the moving truck.
Once the appliance is outside, you can move it into the truck by using a platform or plank to roll it up. Lifting a fridge onto the vehicle is a recipe for a sore back and potential injury. Avoid laying the unit on its side if possible when placing it, and then secure it to the truck with straps along the refrigerator’s top and sides.
Points to Remember When Moving a Fridge
Once you have the refrigerator plugged in once again, it may take between 24 to 72 hours before it is ready to store food.
If you have multiple appliances to move, then make the refrigerator your final project. It works best if you keep the fridge on the dolly so that it is the first item you take off of the vehicle when you arrive.
A refrigerator can be a heavy item to move with a friend. If you are by yourself, then it is better to hire professional movers to manage your fridge rather than attempt to do the work solo. Expo Movers can help you safely move the appliance out of your home, transport it to your new address, and position it correctly.
