Moving house is hard work, and your fridge is one of the biggest and bulkiest items you have to deal with. With the average refrigerator width in Australia about 600-900mm, fridges need to be carried carefully so that you don’t damage your furniture, the fridge, your home or your back.
While you should always check your user manual before moving a fridge, there are some general tips you can take on board to make the process easier.
How to Prepare a Fridge Before Moving
Fridges and freezers are easy to damage during the moving process, especially if you don’t hire professionals. Heavy and awkward, they’re also filled with fragile parts. The preparation for getting your fridge to your new home begins before your actual move does. Here’s a brief guide to how to prepare a fridge for moving.
Unplug your fridge
Unplugging your fridge is one of the first steps to take, and it’s an important one. It allows the freezer to defrost, prevents electric shock while you’re preparing it for the move, and prevents damage to the power cord from being yanked out of the wall while you’re transporting the fridge. Don’t forget to unplug the unit a day or two beforehand.
Defrost your freezer
Your freezer will need at least 24 hours to defrost. Remembering to do this before you move will stop the freezer from defrosting during the move and dripping water everywhere. Ice can also make your refrigerator/freezer unit even heavier and more difficult to handle. To defrost, disconnect the power or use the defrost function as explained by your owner’s manual.
Finish the food and drink
Use up the contents of your fridge before moving day arrives. Frozen food will add to the weight of your fridge, can damage the interior of your freezer during the move and will begin to defrost and spoil. Eat and drink what you can before the move or donate anything you can’t finish on your own.
Clean the units
Clean the inside of your fridge and freezer, including glass shelves, counters, and water filters. Make sure the inside is humidity-free and mildew-free.
Remove the detachable parts
Keep the accessories like glass shelves, ice trays, counters, storage pans, water dispensers, etc., separate during the move. You don’t want these parts getting damaged or causing any accidents while you’re moving your fridge from one house to another.
Take measurements
Use measuring tape to take precise measurements of your fridge and any doors you plan to carry it through.
Clear obstructions
Clear a path to safely remove your fridge/freezer from your home, removing any obstructions that may block your path or trip you up.
Transporting a Fridge When Relocating
Moving a refrigerator isn’t a task you want to take lightly in any sense of the word. Fridges are heavy, so you’ll need a trolley or dolly with the right weight-load rating to avoid damaging your floor. Supplies you need will include packing material, tape, furniture sliders and some strong people to help. Here are some tips for the process of moving a fridge:
Wrap in packing material
Before you move your fridge, wrap it completely in packing material such as bubble wrap, shrink wrap, or a blanket and tuck it securely in place. This will prevent your fridge from getting scratched or damaged by unexpected bumps.
Keep the door secure
Make sure you close the door of your refrigerator and keep it securely shut so that it doesn’t pop open and get damaged during the move.
Use flat timbers/planks beneath the fridge
You should be able to buy or rent flattened timber pieces from a local hardware store. Placing them underneath your fridge will decrease the resistance between your fridge and the floor and stop your floor from getting scratched.
Use moving dollies
Using a moving dolly makes transporting a fridge much easier. Just slip the moving dolly under the fridge and use the dolly’s straps to secure it in place. A moving dolly also makes shifting and controlling the fridge a lot easier, doing the heavy lifting for you and taking the strain off your own body.
Keep the fridge upright
When you’re pushing a fridge on a trolley, try not to tip it back more than 45 degrees. Maintaining the upright position of the fridge keeps the refrigerant in the right place. Moving your fridge while it’s lying down can lead to spilt water and potential compressor damage from shifting oil. If you have to move your fridge lying down, ensure you leave it off for at least 24 hours at your destination.
Load it into the moving truck gently
With the fridge strapped to the dolly, use a mechanical lifter or plan to lift it upright into the truck.
Setting Up a Fridge Safely After Moving It
You’re almost done! Now for the final stage of moving a fridge: setting it up for use at the other end.
Position and level your fridge
Place your fridge in the right location, making sure it’s not too close to any walls or cabinets that could interfere with your access or your fridge’s circulation. Use a spirit level to adjust the feet of your fridge until it’s in a perfectly horizontal position. This helps prevent problems like uneven cooling.
Connect your fridge to the water supply (for a plumbed fridge)
If your fridge includes a water dispenser or ice maker, hire a certified plumber to connect it to the water supply.
Leave it unplugged for 12 hours
Leave your fridge in an upright position for 12 hours before you turn it back on or 24 hours if you’ve had to transport it on its side.
Re-insert the shelves, drawers and other accessories
Add the accessories that you had to separate during the moving process back into your fridge.
Set the temperature
Make sure you adjust the thermostat to the manufacturer’s recommendations and your preferences before you add perishables.
Home and Office Removals Made Easy With Ready Movers
Moving house is a long and often stressful process. That’s why Ready Movers is happy to step in and offer our home removal services. As Australia-wide removalists based in Brisbane, Townsville, Cairns, Darwin, Adelaide and other regions, we take great pride in offering you a stress-free moving experience.
At Ready Movers, our options are very flexible, and our team can help with jobs big and small. Whether you’re relocating a single room (or even a single large item) or relocating an office to different premises, our punctual and reliable crew will still make sure all your possessions make it to their destination quickly and safely.
We use only trained employees (no contractors) and can provide a full pack and move service, including after hours and on weekends. Contact Ready Movers today to find out how we can take the hassle out of moving.
