How to Move a Fridge

Depending on their size and features, the average refrigerator weighs 100-300 pounds. Some weigh up to 400 pounds! They’re one of the most cumbersome appliances in your home. For this reason, many homeowners prefer to hire a moving company rather than handle the job themselves. Professional movers have experience working with heavy appliances and understand how to move, load, and deliver them safely to a new location. Nonetheless, if you’ve decided to tackle the project yourself, here is a step-by-step guide on how to move a fridge.

Gather Supplies

When moving a fridge, preparation is key. Start by gathering the tools and equipment you’ll need.

• Measuring Tape
• Cardboard
• Plastic Stretch Wrap
• Baking Soda
• Sponge
• Towels
• Paper Towels
• Furniture Sliders
• Moving Blankets
• Cargo Straps
• Ratchet Straps
• Appliance Dolly

Standard moving dollies are designed to hold around 100 pounds. Appliance dollies, on the other hand, can hold 600-800 pounds. Their reinforced frame also provides a convenient anchor for cargo straps. Some even have special wheels, designed to assist you when moving up and down stairs.

Once you’ve collected the necessary equipment, recruit at least one other person to help you. Refrigerators are too large to move on your own. An especially large fridge might require up to three or four people, not only to lift it, but also to guide it through tight spaces.

Clean and Defrost Your Fridge

The first step in the moving process is to empty your refrigerator. If you’re only moving a short distance, it may be possible to save your food by storing it in a cooler. Otherwise, all your perishable items will have to be eaten, thrown out, or given away. Then unplug your fridge and wait twenty-four hours while it defrosts.

Before deactivating the unit, check the owner’s manual for tips or instructions. Some refrigerators have specialized hardware (e.g. ice makers) that need to be shut down in a specific way. Lay down some towels as well, to deal with moisture from icy buildup. While you’re waiting for your freezer to reach room temperature, clean the rest of the fridge from top to bottom. Mix two teaspoons of baking soda into a quart of hot water and scrub every exposed surface you can find to eliminate any residual mold or bacteria that could lead to foul odors.

Drawers and shelves should be taken out, cleaned, and packed separately, to make sure they don’t rattle around or break during the journey. Cover them in bubble wrap and place them in a moving box filled with packing paper or packing peanuts for added cushioning.

Measure Doorways and Openings

After you’re done wiping down your fridge, map out the path you intend to take. Measure the height, width, and depth of your refrigerator, as well as the doors, hallways, and stairwells along your route. You want to make sure there is nothing that might hinder you. In some cases, if you can’t find an alternate way around a narrow door, you may have to remove it in order to make room.

Secure Doors and Cords

Once the fridge has been cleaned and defrosted, tape the power cord to the back of the unit. If the refrigerator has a water dispenser, it also has a water line that you’ll need to disconnect and tape up as well. Next, cover your refrigerator with moving blankets. They not only protect it from dents and scratches; they also protect the rest of your home from bumps and impacts.

After you’re done, cover as much of it as you can in a few layers of plastic wrap. This will secure refrigerator doors and hold the blankets in place. Bungee cords are not recommended because they aren’t normally long or strong enough to provide adequate restraint.

Most fridges are recessed into a nook, in which case you’ll have to pull it away from the wall in order to wrap it up. Modern refrigerators have wheels to help you push or pull them into place. If yours doesn’t, you’ll need some furniture sliders to protect your floors. These are small pieces of durable rubber or plastic used to shield your floors. To use them, tilt the fridge back slightly and place the sliders beneath the “feet” at the bottom of the refrigerator. Then pull the unit forward so you can work on it.

Load the Unit

Instead of tilting the fridge forward or backward, tilt it to the side and move the dolly underneath. Avoid placing the dolly against the front or back of your refrigerator, as you might wind up damaging the doors or its mechanical components. Move it on its side instead. However, for your safety and the safety of the unit, don’t tilt the fridge past a 45-degree angle. Otherwise there’s a chance the unit might fall over or develop an oil leak.

Once the refrigerator is on the dolly, wrap a cargo strap around it in order to hold it in place while you’re wheeling it out. (Large units might require two or three straps.) To keep your floor from being scuffed on the way out, lay some cardboard along your intended route. Move the fridge slowly and have someone guide the unit from the front. Be especially careful when going around corners or through narrow corridors. If you’re going downstairs, have someone stand below to help move it down one step at a time.

Tie It Down

Refrigerators should always be transported in an upright position. Laying them on their side can lead to an oil leak, which could cause the compressor to malfunction when you plug it in again. It could even cause a coolant blockage. For this reason, it’s best to transport them in a moving truck rather than a pickup truck.

A moving truck provides a large, enclosed space with several tie-down points along the side you can use to secure it for its journey to your new home. It also has a ramp that provides a smooth transition from the curb to the truck bed. Since fridges take up a lot of room, they should be one of the first items loaded onto the truck. Once you have yours in position, use a ratchet strap to secure it to the side of the truck and prevent it from shifting during transit.

After the Move

Setting up a refrigerator in your new home is straightforward. Simply follow the steps above, but in reverse. Unstrap it from the van, load it onto the dolly, and wheel it into your kitchen. Because fridges need room to maneuver, try to set it up as early as you can.

If you have to unload other items first, place them off to the side so you have a clear route. To protect your new floors, lay down cardboard just like you did before. After you’ve gotten the refrigerator into your kitchen, remove the plastic wrap and moving blankets, connect the power cord and water line, then slide it into place. It normally takes a fridge about eight hours to reach its operating temperature, so let it sit until you’ve finished unpacking.

Full Service Moving

North American has been a trusted moving partner since 1933. We have more than 90 years of experience moving large appliances safely from one end of the country to the other. Our agents streamline the entire process, from planning to scheduling to packing, shipping, storage, and final delivery. No matter how complex the challenge, there is nothing we can’t handle. Discover how easy moving can be. Contact us today for a free quote!