Moving a Refrigerator - How to Move a Refrigerator

Moving home appliances while shifting to a new house is a tedious job. Not only it is time consuming, but their massive sizes often makes it impossible to do the job single-handedly. Appliances like refrigerators need very careful handling. Hence, if you are planning to shift to a new house, or you need to transport your refrigerator for any reason, make sure you have someone to help you around.

Before Moving a Refrigerator
Take out all the contents from the refrigerator. Defrost the refrigerator at least 6 hours before moving it. Remove all the trays, shelves and other detachable parts from the refrigerator and pack them separately. Switch off the power supply and remove the cord from its socket. Bind the door of the refrigerator with a rope or cord. Do not use a tape as it can damage the finish of the refrigerator or may leave a residue.

Safest Method of Moving a Refrigerator
The best and the safest method of moving a refrigerator is moving it in an upright position. If the refrigerator has to be carried to a short distance or up/down the stairs, the best way is to lift it by 2-3 strong people. While lifting the refrigerator, make sure you don't tilt it too much. If the new location is only a few blocks away, use an appliance dolly to transport the refrigerator. Lift the refrigerator and slowly place it on the dolly and then roll the dolly to its new position. If the place is considerably far, hire a truck and transport the refrigerator to its new location.

Transporting the Refrigerator On Its Side
This is not recommended, unless in absolutely unavoidable circumstances. Laying the refrigerator on its side involves a risk of running the oil from the compressor into the cooling tubes. If you must, lay the refrigerator on the opposite side of the discharge line. Check your user's manual to locate the position of the discharge line in your refrigerator. Never lay the refrigerator flat on its side. Let the top end be positioned at a higher level than the lower end. This way, you can reduce the risk of oil running into the cooling tubes.

Transporting the Refrigerator On Its Back
This is the most unsafe position for transporting a refrigerator. In case you cannot avoid it, at least make sure it is not completely laid on its back. Prop the top end at some height from the base. You can place a box under the top end so that it makes an angle with the base.

After Moving the Refrigerator
Once the refrigerator is positioned at its new place, set it upright. Leave it in the upright position for at least a couple of hours before plugging in. This helps the oil to flow back in the compressor. After plugging in, it takes the refrigerator about 72 hours to return to its ideal cooling temperature. If you still experience problems with cooling, do not hesitate to call a professional repair person.

These were general tips on how to move a refrigerator. For model specific safety guidelines, go through the instructions in the user's manual of your refrigerator. And make sure to follow all of them while moving a refrigerator.