When packing and moving possessions for your relocation, it is important to do everything in the correct way. Bulky items like a couch or a wardrobe are hard to move and they may break. Still, you have to be even more careful if you are moving electronic appliances. When you are thinking about how to move a refrigerator, there are three crucial tasks that you need to do.
- Empty the refrigerator
- Clean it and secure it
- Load it to the moving truck
In this brief but useful guide, we are going to cover all necessary steps that will help you to move a refrigerator safely, without injuring yourself or causing any damage that will make you spend more money on a new refrigerator.
Preparing your refrigerator
If you are considering hiring local movers Miami to help you relocate, the general advice is to prepare your fridge before they arrive. This will speed up the process of moving. When preparing your fridge for a move, first you have to…
Empty the food from the shelves
When you open the fridge, check if there is anything you can eat or prepare for the road. The rest of the food can be packed for the move, but only if you have a moving fridge that you can carry with yourself. If you have some food or other products that you cannot bring with yourself, you can give them to your neighbors. They will appreciate the gesture, and you don’t have to throw any food into the garbage.
Take out removable parts
Take the shelves out and clean them with warm water and soap. You can pack them separately, and there is no need to put them back in the fridge. They will slide out regularly and they may break while you are moving the fridge. However, if you do decide to keep the shelves in the refrigerator, we advise that you secure them with tape.
Remove the power cord
Unplug the fridge from the power outlet. If the cable can be unplugged from both sides, pack it separately. If you cannot unplug the power cord from the refrigerator, there must be a place designated for it. You can usually wrap it around a plastic holder. If you have an ice maker, unplug it from the water source.
Defrost the freezer
Always defrost the freezer before you move a refrigerator. The last thing you want is for it to defrost itself on the move. You will have puddles of water everywhere, and they can create mold and damage the plastic.
Secure the door
Wrap the fridge door with a bungee cord or a rope so it does not open on its own. If you are waiting for the movers to come, the best practice is to leave the door a bit open so the fridge could breathe.
How to move a refrigerator
Before you start moving your fridge, it is suggested that you find Florida moving services that might be able to move the fridge for you. But if you insist on doing it on your own, this is what you will have to do. You will have to load it on a dolly, and it will be much easier to do it with some friends than to try it by yourself.
How to place the fridge onto the dolly
For most of the refrigerators, you can slide the dolly under it and lift it carefully. Depending on how your fridge looks like, you might want to slide it from the wall first and move the dolly behind it.
How to use a moving dolly
When you place the fridge onto a moving dolly, you need to secure it with a bungee cord. Make sure that you wrap it horizontally and vertically. If you don’t have one, do not try to experiment. Rent a dolly or buy it, do not attempt anything without it. You risk hurting your back and breaking the fridge.
Never, for any reason, place the fridge in the horizontal position. The oil from the compressor may spill, and your cooling tubes will not function properly.
Moving a refrigerator
If you decided to do everything on your own when moving, be careful. When you safely secured the refrigerator onto the dolly, pull it backward at an angle and move it slowly. If you are going down the stairs, find someone to guide you one step at a time. Communicate all the way and do not rush anything. The best would be to have two people in the front of the refrigerator to hold it in place so it would not slide off the dolly. No matter how tightly you secured it with the rope, you never know if the rope will break. One person will not be able to keep the fridge from falling down the stairs.
Loading a refrigerator in a moving truck
To move a refrigerator in a truck or a pick-up, the best would be to have a ramp. It will make your life much easier. Nonetheless, if you don’t have a ramp there are ways to safely load your refrigerator inside. One person needs to step into the back of the truck, and you need at least two more to lift the refrigerator. Don’t remove it from the dolly, it will be easier to lift the dolly by holding the handles and pulling while your friends are lifting from outside of the truck.
When the fridge is in the truck, the best would be to leave it on the dolly. It would speed up the unpacking process at your new location.
Using storage
If your new place is not yet ready or you need more time to prepare the place for your refrigerator, you can find affordable Florida storage to store it until you need it. Just make sure that there is enough air inside, and leave the fridge door open.
Moving a refrigerator made easy
As you can see, to move a refrigerator can be an easy task, if you have good help and if you know what to do. Follow our safe guide and you will do it in no time.
