When moving into your new apartment or home, you’ll likely be faced with the challenge of figuring out how to move a refrigerator. There are a few different ways to go about it, so read on for helpful tips and tricks on how to move a refrigerator as efficiently and as easily as possible.
Of course, if you have friends or family members nearby who are willing to help you with this endeavor, then you’ll probably find the process that much easier. Another alternative is hiring movers in your area for a fairly reasonable fee. If not, read on and we’ll show you how to move a refrigerator!
Find the best spot to place your fridge
When moving into your new place, you’ll likely want to place your refrigerator in a particular spot.
Additionally, you may want to consider the power source, i.e. whether the spot is close to a power source, as well as the flow of traffic in your kitchen. Some fridges also need a water supply for the ice maker.
If you have a house, you may want to place your fridge in the kitchen or, if you have a large kitchen, in a pantry or butler’s pantry.
If you have an apartment, you’ll likely want to put your refrigerator in a central location, like in a kitchen or common space. You’ll want to make sure the fridge is accessible.
Moving a refrigerator on its own
Fridges can be quite heavy and difficult to balance.
Therefore, the best way to move a refrigerator is to use either a special appliance dolly or a specialized appliance moving strap system. This will ensure the refrigerator is being lifted properly so as to minimize the risk of damage or harm to you or others nearby.
There are other ways to move a fridge though. Let’s examine this closer.
Can the refrigerator fit through the door?
If you’re moving into a new apartment, you may find that the only path to your new kitchen is through a narrow door. If so, you may wonder if your refrigerator, which may be quite large, will fit through that door.
Although every door is different, you can use a couple of quick measurements to find out if your appliance will fit. First, you’ll want to measure the height of the door. Next, you’ll want to measure the width of the refrigerator.
You can either measure the width of the doorways or the width of the refrigerator inside and out. Whichever way you choose, it’s important to measure twice just to be certain.
Most fridges should pass through a door. Only really big ones might not. Some doors can be smaller than the standard size and this can create a problem.
You also have to take the hallway into account as the smallest passing can block you.
Do fridges have wheels?
The truth is that most refrigerators have wheels on the bottom, but they’re usually hidden underneath the unit. If you’re buying a new refrigerator for your new place, then you’ll want to make sure it has wheels.
Many new refrigerators come with wheels already built in, so you won’t have to worry about this. If you have an older refrigerator you want to move, you can often buy wheel kits to attach to it.
These wheels are quite small and are often only used to move a fridge a few inches. Once this is done, most people place it on a dolly. These carts have bigger wheels and this makes it easier to deal with obstructions such as stairs.
While fridges have wheels, they are generally not used that often as they are quite fragile and small.
What happens if the fridge is not used for a long time?
When you’re moving and you’re faced with the challenge of how to move a refrigerator, the last thing you want to worry about is damaging the appliance.
Therefore, it’s very important to know what might happen if you don’t use the fridge for a while. As you may know, refrigerators use a coolant called R22 to keep them at a cool temperature.
This coolant can leak out of the refrigerator and into your home. Therefore, it’s very important to keep your refrigerator plugged in and turned on if you won’t be using it for a very long period of time.
If you just want to turn it off for a few weeks, it shouldn’t be a problem. New fridges are stored in warehouses for a long time without any issue. Just make sure that the fridge is clean. Check the manual of your model to make sure that your manufacturer also recommends this.
Make sure that the fridge is completely dry. You can add some silica packets to avoid moisture and mold when the fridge is turned off.
If the fridge has a water supply, you should unplug this and remove the water from the fridge. Stale water can be dangerous.
How to get a fridge up narrow stairs?
Moving a refrigerator up narrow stairs can be a challenge, but there are a few things you can do to make it easier. First, check the weight of your refrigerator. You should also check the dimensions of your fridge to make sure that you won’t get stuck in the hallway.
You may want to hire a professional moving company to help you lift the appliance up the stairs. They often have forklifts or moving lifts to do this.
Alternatively, you could try moving it up the stairs with a dolly. Carrying straps can work as well but these are more dangerous. Some dollys make it quite easy to get upstairs. The stairs should be strong and stable though.
Make sure that the fridge is closed well and packed with bubble wrap. The electric cord should be attached to the fridge so that no one trips over this.
Fridges are quite heavy and can topple over. Use adequate safety equipment and get professional help if needed. It could be better to use a lift or hoist to get the fridge upstairs.
