How to Move a Refrigerator

There's going to come a time when you need to move a refrigerator. Whether you're moving to a new home or just upgrading to a new model, moving a refrigerator is likely something that you'll have to do at some point. When that time does come, you'll find that it's no simple task - moving a refrigerator requires careful planning and precise movement to ensure that you don't damage the unit, your surroundings, or yourself. Read on to find out more about the moving process and the steps you can take to ensure that it goes as smoothly as possible.

Getting Started

As is the case with any large-scale moving process, you need to make a plan before you just start moving the fridge. You'll need the refrigerator's exact dimensions to make sure it can fit through your home without damaging anything, so be sure to accurately measure the height, the width, and the depth. Also plan the rest of the job. If it's going to a new home, make sure the fridge can fit out your front door, and have a vehicle with enough space to accommodate it.

Cover Your Floors

Before moving your fridge, be sure to cover up your floor to ensure it won't be damaged. Refrigerators are quite heavy and moving them without properly covering your floors is sure to result in scratches and scrapes. Floor protectors can come in a few forms and finding one for your job shouldn't be too tall of a task. Appliance slider sheets and felt pads are readily available, but a thick blanket with some cardboard or plywood on top can do in a pinch.

First things first: Remove all contents from your fridge, and have a cooler ready for any items being temporarily stored. If your fridge is going anywhere far, you need to unplug and defrost your fridge for a while before you move it, but we'll talk more about that later. Another thing to bear in mind is that if you have a refrigerator with an ice and water dispenser, be sure to disconnect the water line from the wall before moving it. The water line can actually come with your fridge to the new location as long as the new spot has a place for it. Preparing your fridge may also consist of the removal of shelves inside of the fridge, and possibly removing the doors to fit through doorways. (Double check those measurements!) Wrapping the fridge's exterior with a moving blanket or other protective layer will ensure that its exterior doesn't sustain damage as you move it, and dolly straps will keep its doors securely in place.

If your fridge is simply being repositioned or moved to another room, there isn't much need to defrost the fridge. However, if it's being moved to a new home that may be a car ride away, a defrost is definitely in order. Most new higher-end refrigerators are frost free, which means frost and ice will not accumulate inside the refrigerator cavity. You can move these refrigerators right after unplugging. However, it's common for mini fridges or smaller, older refrigerators to be manual-defrost models. If this is the case for your model, it is highly recommended that you defrost and unplug your fridge at least a day in advance. This allows the fridge's evaporator to completely rid itself of any leftover frost. If the fridge is not properly defrosted, water may leak out of it during your move, or worse, mold could grow in the fridge unit. Once you leave the fridge unplugged for a while and it comes to room temperature, all you need to do is wipe down any leftover liquid inside the fridge and freezer compartments. After that, the process is complete, and the unit is good to go.

Make every effort possible to avoid moving the fridge into any position that isn't upright. It can put serious strain on the appliance. If you do need to lay the fridge down to move it, you absolutely cannot lay it on its back. If you do this, you can end up with oil or refrigerant fluids leaking into parts of the fridge where they shouldn't be. If you need to lay it down, lay it on its side, but be sure it's the side that's opposite from the compressor lines in the fridge. You should also only do this for short trips as it can still damage the fridge if it's in the side position for too long. If you absolutely need to move your fridge sideways, and you do it correctly, you'll still need to leave the fridge upright for a while before turning it back on. Try to leave it standing for the better part of a day before plugging it back in, and at the very least, make sure it stands upright turned off for double the amount of time it was on its side.

The actual process of moving a refrigerator is absolutely not a one-person job. The fridge is incredibly heavy and can definitely cause injury to anyone who attempts to move it on their own. We strongly recommend having at least two other people around to help you. You'll also need a dolly or hand truck to help move it. First, you need to tilt the fridge onto your dolly, then use straps to strap it in. After that, your next directions will depend on where you're trying to take the fridge. Be wary of stairs - make sure you take every step slowly and with someone else helping you guide the dolly. Keeping the fridge at a 45-degree angle, with one person pushing it from behind and one person guiding it from the front, is the safest way to move it. If you're moving the fridge out to a vehicle for transportation, a ramp will make it much easier to load the fridge into the vehicle. As mentioned, it's important to make sure that you have a vehicle that can accommodate your fridge while it's standing upright, and be sure to secure it in place with straps. Once you arrive at the new destination, follow the same tips to get the fridge into its new place.

Once your fridge is in its new home, and you've let it sit upright for the necessary amount of time, it's time to set it back up. Reinstall your shelves and your doors, and then plug it in. Give it roughly two to four hours to properly cool, and once you've confirmed it's at a safe temperature to store food, you may begin restocking it.

Moving a refrigerator is no small task, but it can be done smoothly and safely with the right planning and equipment. We hope this article has been helpful, and we wish your fridge the best on its journey!