When it comes to moving home, one of the things that you may struggle with most is moving heavy electrical appliances. Along with the worry of damaging the machine in transportation, you may have concerns about doing yourself an injury in the process!
One of the most commonly-used appliances in the kitchen is a fridge freezer and transporting such a large unit can be a two-man task. However, there are certain things that you must keep in mind when moving a fridge freezer to keep it safe for storing food in future.
In this article, we’ve prepared a guide on how best to do this:
Preparing for the move
Before you think about picking up the appliance and attempting to transport it, you should complete the following tasks:
Remove all food
As obvious as it may sound, you should always check hidden storage compartments and that are inside the fridge freezer. If not, they could fall during transportation and cause damage to the inside of the unit.
While the machine is empty you should take advantage of this – and clean it thoroughly, including the shelves and vegetable drawers.
Secure the door with tape
Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for damage to be made to the fridge freezer door when you’re trying to relocate it. This usually happens when the door swings open, so it’s a good idea to tape the door shut before you begin moving.
You should also cover the fridge freezer with soft fabric or plastic to avoid external surface damage.
Unplug the appliance and secure the wire
Finally, you should unplug the appliance from the mains and secure the cable to avoid a nasty slip or fall.
Moving your fridge freezer
Once the appliance has been prepared, it’s time to begin moving!
Keep the appliance upright
Although it can be tempting to lay a fridge freezer onto its side to ensure that it fits within a removal van, it’s important to keep the appliance upright wherever possible. However, this may not always be an option.
Before touching the appliance, make sure it has been turned off for at least two hours. It will also need longer time to regulate once you’ve moved into your new home. You should never lie the fridge freezer on its back as the cooling pipes could be damaged.
Lifting the appliance
Because they’re such large appliances, you will need two people to lift the fridge freezer. Alternatively, you could use a wheeled truck to transport the fridge freezer, but be careful to avoid scraping walls as you move it!
To avoid causing injury to yourself, bend your knees when lifting. This will avoid putting strain onto your back.
Re-using the fridge freezer
Once you’ve safely transported the appliance into its new home, you will need to make sure that the unit is turned off for at least 24 hours. This is a crucial step as it allows the key components within the machine to settle.
As you can see, transporting a fridge freezer between homes doesn’t have to contribute to the stress of moving. While you should take every care when moving the appliance, unfortunately, accidents to happen. If you spot a fault with your machine after it’s been moved, it’s a good idea to contact an to assess and fix the issue.
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