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Moving a fridge is not a perfect science, but you can reduce challenges during the process. Most fridges are large, heavy, and delicate. Consequently, you have to be very careful if you want to move your fridge from one place to another safely.
In some instances, the process of moving the fridge should be left to the professionals. However, you can relocate this household item if you follow this guide.
If you want to ease the moving process, you must first gather the right equipment and tools. This will reduce your relocation duration and provide extra safety. Some of the main tools include loading ramps, measuring tape, packing tapes, a pickup van, and a cleaning detergent. Having another person to assist you is also a good idea since some fridges are too heavy. If you are dealing with a tiny fridge, you can use your car.
You need to know the exact measurements of your fridge before you can make any preparations. The refrigerator must be small enough to pass through the door and fit into the pickup van. Generally, a measuring tape is all you need to complete this job.
First, you should take the height and width measurements of the fridge. Once you have recorded them down, you should note the measurements of the passageways and doors in your house. When you move the refrigerator to a new place, you should also take measurements of the new house’s doors and corridors. Having detailed measurements of the route, including corners and stairs, will simplify the process. Any obstacle on the route should be moved aside.
The fridge must be prepped before it can be moved. Therefore, you should remove any items inside the refrigerator and store or throw them away. Some of the items can be stored in a cooler, although you will need a lot of ice to protect the food from bacteria. You can also consume any perishable food in the weeks leading to the relocation. For instance, you can reduce the number of grocery visits and cook the food that is already in your fridge.
Once you have cleared all the fridge’s contents, your next activity will be thorough cleaning. There is a myriad of cleaning detergents that you can use to clean your fridge. Also, you can melt any remaining ice and discard the water. Failure to melt the ice in advance may cause unnecessary water leaks.
AÂ fridge uses a lot of electricity. As a result, most people turn off the fridge a few hours before the relocation starts. This ensures the fridge shuts down completely. You can also add a moisture-absorbent material to absorb any bad smells that may arise during the move.
The fridge should be compact during the move. You can use a cord or rope to secure the fridge and its doors. The handles of fridges with double doors should also be tied together with a strong rope or cord. Nevertheless, the fastening should not be too tight because it may destroy the doors or misalign them. While it is tempting to use tape, you should know that tape can destroy your fridge’s finish or leave some marks on the fridge when it’s eventually removed.
The process of moving a fridge will take less than a day, but that’s not always the case. If you are unable to complete the process in one day, you should loosen the rope or cord so sufficient airflow can enter the refrigerator. Airflow prevents the growth of mildew or mould in your fridge.
AÂ moving dolly is an important moving tool. The dolly can withstand the refrigerator’s weight and streamline the transportation process. It is beneficial when you are moving the fridge from a higher floor to the ground floor.
The dolly must have straps, and its base should accommodate the fridge and the straps. A dolly with a large enough base ensures your fridge will stay upright without spilling any coolant.
You don’t need to buy a moving dolly to move one fridge. Fortunately, many companies rent out moving dollies. However, many of these moving dollies will come with small or weak straps. You can solve this problem by buying your straps. Remember, you shouldn’t move your fridge without solid straps.
After you have acquired the straps, you will need to move the refrigerator away from the wall. You can then put it on the dolly by sliding the fridge over the dolly. Once the fridge is at the centre of the dolly, you should tie it with the straps.
When you are sliding the refrigerator on to the dolly, there may be some damages. Whereas it is difficult to limit or avoid one or two cracks, you should try to minimise the damage by keeping the fridge in an upright position. Every time you move the refrigerator on its back or side, you cause oil leakage in the compressor. This oil may find its way into the cooling tubes and cause functional damage.
In some instances, it is not possible to keep the fridge in an upright position. In this case, you may need to put a large object beneath the fridge. This prevents the oil from moving into the cooling tubes. It will also help the fridge to maintain a fairly upright position.
As soon as you have secured the fridge on the dolly, it would help if you gently moved it forward. This process should happen at a very slow pace to avoid damages. Moreover, the fridge should be tilted slightly in one direction. The movement should occur in a direction that is opposite to the tilt. You can hold the fridge from one side while the assistant holds it from the other side. If it is possible, someone should be standing on the side to observe and provide warnings.
Moving the fridge down the stairs is the trickiest part. You will have to move one step at a time and in sync with your helper. The observer can join your helper at the front while you take the rear. Similarly, there should be loud communication and slow movement as you move down the stairs.
The next task is to put the fridge into the pickup van. Pickup vans have a ramp that you can use to load the fridge into the van. The dolly should be between the fridge and the van bed.
One person will climb into the van while two people stand on the ground. As the person inside the van pulls the handles, those on the ground will push the fridge from the back. The three of you should ensure the fridge does not slide backwards.
Once the fridge is safely standing in the van, you must secure it with a strong rope. You can also leave it on the dolly to increase stability during transportation. After the van has reached the new destination, you will unload the fridge from the van and move it into the house.
Moving a fridge from one location to another is a challenging but necessary project. If you follow these guidelines, you will be able to move your fridge to your new location without damaging it.
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