Moving a Refrigerator Made Easy

A house is not a home if there’s no food in it! And if you plan on keeping food inside your new home, it’s a must for you to have a refrigerator. You can always choose to buy a new one, or bring your old one from your previous home. Usually, it’s more economical to transfer your old one into your new address, but one thing’s for sure, moving a refrigerator can be a very daunting task.

It’s a good thing that today we’re listing down some helpful guidelines to make bringing your fridge with you super easy.

Initial preparation

1. Empty your fridge. Take everything out and make sure that your refrigerator is clean.
2. Defrost your fridge if necessary.
3. Unplug your refrigerator. This is for obvious safety reasons. Disconnect your icemaker if applicable.
4. Take out all of the moveable parts inside your fridge, this includes trays and shelves.
5. Fasten the fridge and freezer doors with bungee cords, straps or rope. Be careful not to use tape or other materials which can damage the finish of your fridge.

The moving process

1. Make sure to solicit the help of family, friends, or professionals. It’s a pretty big appliance and trying to move it alone can be dangerous.
2. If the distance is pretty short, lifting may be the best option. In doing so there has to be 2 to 3 people lifting at the same time.
3. If the fridge will travel a long distance, an appliance dolly maybe the solution.
4. In both cases, you should always keep the appliance standing upright. Never put it on its side or back as this can damage the finish and interior mechanisms of the appliance.
5. Take care not to rush the process. Moving a refrigerator should be done slowly and safely rather than quickly and harshly.

After the move

1. Once your fridge has reached its ideal location, make sure to leave it upright for a couple of hours first before plugging it in. This will ensure that the oil has reached the compressor and everything has settled properly.
2. After you’ve plugged it in, give your fridge around 72 hours before it reaches its optimum cooling temperature.

If you’re unsure about anything, it may be best to check your fridge’s user manual for any specific instructions about cleaning and moving.