A fridge features various parts that must be protected as you move it from one point to another. While hauling small-sized fridge freezers requires little work, transferring large fridge freezers can be difficult.
Since they are heavy appliances, you have to be extra cautious while carrying a fridge freezer between two locations. Various tools can make moving your fridge freezer from one point to another, making the task easier for you.
Whether you are relocating to a new home or replacing kitchen appliances with new ones, we are going to show you how to move a fridge freezer. Let’s dig in.
Step-by-Step Guide on How To Move a Fridge Freezer to a New Location
Prepping
Step 1: Remove Every Item
Start off by removing every single item that might be stored in the fridge freezer. Examples of such items include food containers, zip-lock bags and ice trays. You can preserve the food stored in your fridge freezer by placing them in a large cool box with enough ice to keep them cool and fresh.
On the other hand, if you don’t have a cool box that is large enough to preserve large quantities of food, you can plan how to consume the food before you move out completely.
Moreover, you can clear out the food from your fridge freezer and then dispose of it. Alternatively, if you are replacing your fridge, you can move it into place and let it get to temperature before switching off your existing one.
Also, clear out the magnets that might be on the surface of your fridge freezer.
Step 2: Pull Out the Shelves or Other Removable Components/Removable Items
Next, pull out the removable trays from the main compartment of the fridge. You should also detach the shelves that might be in the fridge freezer.
Detaching the shelves makes it easier for you to carry your fridge freezer.
Afterwards, cover the shelves and trays with a soft cloth or towel to create a protective layer that will protect the shelves and trays. Once you cover the trays and shelves with a shock-absorbing material like bubble wrap, put them in two separate boxes, then mark the boxes for easier organization. Shock-absorbing materials provide extra protection against different forces, protecting the removable parts.
While you can use tape to fasten the trays to the main compartment of the fridge freezer to minimize movements, this method may not be quite effective in protecting shelves and trays against accidents.
Step 3: Disconnect the Power Cable From the Electrical Power Supply
Once you finish organizing the trays and shelves, disconnect the fridge’s power cord from the electrical power supply. Twist the cord gently into a coil, then secure it in a safe spot to prevent any movements while carrying the fridge freezer. You can also detach the fridge’s ice dispenser from the water supply unit.
Step 4: Defrost the Freezer
Well, defrosting makes it easier for you to clear out all the chunks of ice that might be in the freezer compartment when moving house. Once you disconnect the fridge’s power cord from the electrical power supply, the fridge will go off immediately.
Open the doors to different compartments to speed up the defrosting process.
Warm air will flow into the compartments of the fridge once the doors open. As a result, the chunks of ice in various fridge compartments will start thawing slowly, turning into water after a few hours. Make sure you lay down lots of towels so you don’t flood your kitchen.
Let the fridge sit for about eight hours, giving the chunks of ice enough time to thaw off. You can chip away at it with some plastic utensils if you are impatient. Just be sure not to damage the interior wall of your freezer.
Step 5: Clean It
The next thing you need to do is wash the interior surfaces thoroughly to clear out the chunks of food that might be left in the fridge. You should wash off dirt particles from different parts of the fridge using a clean cloth or towel. Baking soda might help you eliminate odours from your fridge.
Step 6: Tie off the Refrigerator Doors
Once you finish washing the fridge, use a cable to fasten the handles of the doors together. For example, a bungee cord might be effective for fastening door handles. A strong rope can also be ideal for fastening the fridge handles while transporting a fridge.
Fastening the door handles minimizes any movements that may cause accidents. Apply some light force while tying the cable around the handles of the door.
While tape can be used to fasten the handles of the doors, the handles might become sticky and uncomfy.
Next, cover the refrigerator with moving blankets to keep it in good condition while transporting it and preventing dents.
Moving It in an Upright Position
Ask someone to assist you in carrying the new fridge freezer fridge from one point to another point.
You can seek aid from your family members or friends as you move the fridge to another spot.
Step 1: Place It on an Appliance Dolly
A dolly can handle the weight of a refrigerator and can carry it from one section to another. Not to mention, a moving dolly offers you multiple moving straps, which are effective in holding the fridge in one position.
Move the dolly close to the refrigerator, then slip it under the base. Once you do that, the weight of the whole fridge will rest on the dolly.
Hold one side of the refrigerator, then balance the refrigerator evenly. After that, fasten the refrigerator to the dolly using the included straps. If straps are not included, then you can use some rope or bungee cords.
Step 2: Push the Dolly
Next, hold the handles of the dolly firmly, then lean the dolly back to a 45-degree angle. Your helper has to hold the refrigerator from the front part of the dolly to make work easier.
Push the dolly gently towards the section that you are moving the refrigerator to. If you live in a building with multiple stairs, you have to be quite cautious while going down the stairs. The helper should hold the fridge while you push the dolly, guiding you as you move down the stairs.
Step 3: Put the Fridge Into a Pickup Truck or a Moving Vehicle
A truck that features a ramp makes work easier for you while you are loading your refrigerator. You just have to align the dolly to the ramp, then push it forward with the help of a third party until it rests on the truck bed. To prevent any injuries, you have to be extremely careful while pushing the dolly up the ramp. One person should guide the other one during this process.
Once you finish loading it, let it sit on the dolly until you get to your new home. Avoid laying the fridge horizontally on different surfaces. This makes it easier for you to protect the cooling tubes of the fridge. A refrigerator unit has to be transported upright to minimize the risk of any complications.
Once you get to your new home, you have to unload it gently to minimize the damage.
Next, ask for some assistance as you are moving the fridge into the new place. To move it from one point to another, you just have to push the dolly into the space and remove it the same way you inserted it.
Move Your Fridge Gently
Well, those are some of the few things that will help you move different types of fridges effortlessly. While moving a fridge freezer from one point to another might seem challenging, you can effortlessly move your refrigerator between a short distance or a long distance when you ask for some assistance.
Apart from that, a dolly can handle the weight of a bulky fridge, making it easier for you to move it between different points.
You should also cover your refrigerator unit with protective material to keep it in good condition. If the refrigerator unit is not covered with a protective material, it might get scratched on different parts. Also, if you have preserved food in the refrigerator, you should put the foodstuff inside a coolbox to maintain the low temperatures.
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