A fridge can be a difficult thing to move and without the proper planning, can result in a messy and time consuming job; the last thing you need amid the hustle and bustle of moving house. Many rental properties come with the fridge and general appliances included. For those home owners, or for renters who demand a little more from their appliances, you may have splashed out on a top of the range fridge and as such wish to move it to the new property. Cumbersome and heavy, the fridge can be a tricky thing to move right. Follow these hints and tips to prevent a disaster.
In the week leading up to your move, begin to consider what items of food you are buying. Try not to fill the fridge with unnecessary items which will only add clutter to the moving process. Perishable items of food which might need to be kept out of the fridge or freezer for a while should be avoided. Allow your stocks to dwindle and avoid any items which will need to be placed in the freezer. Frozen foods will be unlikely to survive the moving process. If you do not wish to eat the food, either throw it away or consider whether it could be donated to a food bank. Once you have started to let the fridge stocks dwindle, you will have a much easier time come moving day.
When that day does arrive, make sure that you have already unplugged and begun to defrost the freezer. Defrosting can take several hours and is an essential part of fridge maintenance. A fridge which has not been defrosted will become less and less useful. As well as this, if you have not properly defrosted, you run the risk of ruining any other items which will be travelling with the fridge during the move.
Some fridges are fitted with an icemaker, allowing the owner to have easy access to freshly made ice cube at all times. Before you consider moving the fridge, it is important to disconnect this cable. Take care and follow the instruction manual in order to prevent an accident. If your fridge does not have an ice maker, or if you have not ever connected the ice maker to a pipe, you can ignore this step.
When you are ready to move your disconnected and defrosted fridge, empty out anything inside and fasten the doors shut. Good options for this are tape and bungee cord. Tape is more readily available, especially if you do not already own bungee cords, but does run the risk of coming undone and leaving cosmetic damage. Bungee cords can be fastened around the appliance and their strength will ensure that the doors do not fall open in transit.
Try to slide a piece of carpet or furniture under the base of the fridge while moving it. This will help prevent damage to the flooring in your old and new homes. Also, be sure to keep the fridge upright at all times. Due to the way fridges are manufactured and constructed, turning them on their side or back can be detrimental to their continued use. Once in place in the removal van, make sure to fasten the fridge in place to prevent it slipping around and causing damage. Again, bungee cords are an option, thought a strong rope or professional canvas strap are recommended. When transporting the fridge between locations, consider the use of a sack truck. This will allow you to pivot the fridge and reduce the effort needed to travel the fridge over long distances, while allowing the fridge to remain upright.
