Top tips on moving a fridge the right way

Moving a fridge isn’t as simple as it may seem, special precautions need to be taken to ensure the move is made safely and securely. If possible, we recommend hiring a professional moving company to avoid potential damages. However, this isn’t always an option, so here are our tips on how to move a fridge safely.

If you’re determined to move with a hired truck, follow this easy step-by-step guide for you to overcome the following common problems:

• moving a fridge without food waste
• moving a fridge without scratching the floor
• moving a fridge up and down stairs
• transporting a fridge to a hired truck

Start preparing the day before moving the fridge 

Before the heavy lifting begins, the refrigerator needs to be ready. The day before you’ll need to empty, defrost and clean the fridge in preparation to be moved. Take an ice scraper and a spray to clean the fridge freezer and ensure it is completely dry before proceeding, this will prevent any avoidable damages during the move. The fridge will need to be switched off the night before.

Avoiding food waste

In the weeks leading up to your move, take a quick inventory of your refrigerator’s contents. Organise your meals to use up everything in the fridge to avoid throwing anything away. Note that some non-perishable food can be kept for a few days at room temperature (mustard, jam, etc.) You can safely store them in cupboards.

Moving a fridge downstairs

Moving the refrigerator downstairs can be very tricky, so knowing how to move without hurting your back is essential. Here are some critical tools to assist you with the move:

• A dolly
• Ropes and/or ratchet straps
• Packing material
• Duct tape

Make the fridge as light as possible before trying to move it. Clean the inside and remove the shelves. Wrap the shelves in bubble wrap or packing paper and store them safely. Another option is to leave the shelves in the refrigerator and tape them. Be sure that the tape you use does not leave marks to save on extra cleaning at your final destination.

Secure the doors with straps so that they don’t open up during transport. Tape the power cord so that it doesn’t get caught up during transportation.

Many hands make light work, so recruit friends to help – it’s at least 3-person job to move a fridge downstairs. Tip the refrigerator away from the wall then slide the dolly underneath. Go downstairs slowly, moving the fridge taking it one step at a time bottom first.

It’s essential to keep the fridge standing upright. The refrigerator has a cooling element in the back that is designed to work standing upright. If the fridge is laid flat, the fluid in the element can travel against the grain, causing permanent damage to the fridge.

Transporting your fridge onto the moving truck 

After securing the doors, wrap the fridge with two layers of bubble wrap and tape it from top to bottom like you are taping a cardboard box. Safe taping is essential to keep the bubble wrap on the fridge during the transportation. Your fridge is now ready to be moved!

Prepare a dolly or hand-truck; we recommend you to move your fridge using these two handy tools. Place the dolly underneath the fridge and fasten it to the fridge using a rope or ratchet strap with a width of 6-8cm. It is ideal to have someone supporting the dolly and someone else pushing from the back side of the fridge to get it on safely.

Bear in mind that you should keep the fridge vertical while carrying and moving it. The question has been debated for a long time. Is it better to carry your fridge horizontally or vertically? It is difficult to definitively decide without studying the specific design of the fridge and without information on the refrigerant used during the cooling cycle. One thing is sure: the risk of damaging your fridge will be lower by transporting it vertically or at an angle greater than 45°.

Be very careful while carrying the fridge up or down the stairs, communicate well with each other and don’t rush.

Should you hire professional fridge removal services 

Just like moving a washing machine, keep in mind that a fridge is a heavy household appliance that can weigh up to 120kg. Fridges do not have handles for you to get a grip on while lifting and moving.

To avoid all the difficulties of moving your fridge on your own, you can hire professional removal services to help you out. Oneflare professional removalists are covered by insurances and experienced enough to know what to do from the get-go.

Others safety tips on moving a fridge

Take care to keep the refrigerator as vertical as possible during transport. Do not tilt the refrigerator on its side as this can cause permanent damage to the cooling mechanisms. Wait 2-3 hours before restarting your fridge to allow the liquid to flow back into the compressor.

Read the refrigerator’s manual for important safety tips and warnings before moving to avoid potential problems – remember every fridge is different.

All fridges have moving instruction visuals on their cardboard packages. These explain the do’s and don’ts very well so pay attention to those instructions.