Moving in or out of a house is one of the thrilling experiences upon adulthood. You pack your things in storage boxes and do some cleaning while you are at it. It is all fun to do until you realize it’s difficult to move your furniture and appliances. One of the essential items in a household is probably the refrigerator. It is an appliance for keeping food and drinks cool fresh. It comes in different sizes, and picking one usually depends on the number of people who will use it. For families, they usually choose and purchase those around three to five feet in height.
Aside from the height, we all know that refrigerators’ materials make them too bulky and heavy to be transported. You need to be careful not to damage the compressor while doing it. You may currently have this predicament, so we advise you to keep on reading because we will teach you how to transport a refrigerator.
Cleaning And Prepping Your Fridge
We bet you would not want to end up with a pile of messed-up food items or clean any leakage from spilled beverages while you try moving a refrigerator upright, so you should remove all the contents from your refrigerator. You may secure them in a storage box or try consuming them so you will have more energy to do the succeeding steps. Most importantly, defrost the ice! After defrosting the ice, discard the water in the drain pan located below or at the fridge’s back. Wipe the excess water off before putting the pan back.
For the next step on how to transport a refrigerator, you will need some wide sheets of paper or cloth. Crumple your chosen material and stuff them in the spaces between the shelves. Do not forget to cover the compressor with paper, as well. This will help prevent any possible breakage or damage that the appliance may incur.
Packing Your Appliance
Refrigerators are not easy to purchase. Those with good quality may cost you a couple of bucks, so it will be a big loss if they are damaged while you do the steps on how to transport a refrigerator. You will need a layer of protection on the outside. We suggest that you purchase a roll of bubble wrap or utilize the rolls you have at home if you have some. Packaging tape is also essential to make the bubble wrap stick to the surface of the fridge. You can also use the cling wrap in your kitchen to add an extra layer of protection. The last material is optional, a carton that is bigger than the area of the bottom face of the appliance. The carton may also be used to protect the corners and to cover the whole refrigerator fully.
If you want to add extra protection for the bottom part of the fridge, you can place two carton layers under it. Leave it for a while because you are going to wrap the whole thing. Make sure to wrap all sides, most especially the side where the compressor is exposed. You can be generous in using the packaging tape to keep the bubble wrap in place. Do not forget to wrap even the top face of the refrigerator. With the cling wrap, finish securing all the parts and tape it when done.
To secure the bottom using the carton, cut it to fit onto the fridge like a box. Remember to tape the sides afterward. Protect the corners and cover the whole appliance using the additional cartons and tape. Make sure everything is sealed with the packaging tape. Finally, you can proceed to the finals steps on how to transport a fridge.
Let’s Get Things Moving!
Ask a family member or a friend to help you lift the refrigerator onto a cart with wheels. Carefully push the cart to a vehicle, preferably to a pickup truck, while supporting the sides’ weight with your hands and arms. Upon arriving near the vehicle, make the fridge’s side face the tailgate of the pickup truck. Slowly lean the appliance against the tailgate and lift it from the bottom up, sliding it onto the truck bed floor.
Immediately jump onto the truck bed floor and lift the refrigerator upright. Do it as quickly as possible because letting the fridge rest on its side may damage it within the compressor and possibly ruin it. Push it further in, and you are a few steps away from completely learning the steps on how to transport a refrigerator.
Since the vehicle will be moving a lot during the transport, you need to secure the refrigerator by tying it in place. Pickup trucks usually have metal loops on the side. You must buy two to three ratchet straps beforehand or use what is in your home that serves the same purpose. Put one strap over the appliance and one around it. Tighten the straps so the fridge will not wobble during the transport. Before driving, test the straps’ sturdiness by trying to push or move it forward and sidewards.
To move the appliance off the vehicle, lay it again on its side, but not for too long. Jump off of the pickup bed floor and pull the refrigerator onto the ground. Make sure to assist the bottom part in avoiding crashing or bumping. Here’s how to learn more about moving appliances.
Conclusion
Moving appliances can be tough, especially when it is the refrigerator because it’s big and bulky. You do not have to fret, though, as you can learn how to transport a refrigerator. Remember that before you transporting your refrigerator, it’s thoroughly cleaned to prevent any internal damage it may incur along the way. Next is to secure it with layers of protection, consisting of materials like bubble wrap and cartons. The tape is an essential item in doing this step. Lastly, transfer the appliance to your vehicle and make sure to keep it tightly strapped.