When relocating to a new place, you desire to have your valuable items protected and safely moved to the destination. Some of the most expensive items you own are the appliances. These include stoves, ovens, washing machines, dryers, fridges, and so on. These require specialized attention and care when you are moving them. Before the moving day, it is important to clean these appliances. Ensure you give them enough time to dry up before putting them on to the moving truck.
While deciding to move these appliances, it is important to consider the following;
- Load capacity – Before buying the moving tools for your appliance, confirm that the equipment has enough capacity to handle the appliance load.
- Weight – the heavier the machine, the harder it is to move from one place to the other. The lighter it is, the easier the movement. In case of a heavy appliance ensure you get the most suitable means to avoid damage while on transit.
- Stairs – Stairs are an added risk to your appliances. If you have to move the appliances up and downstairs, ensure you have the proper equipment to carry out the task successfully.
Important tools you need when moving furniture
- Appliance dolly – an appliance-moving dolly has four wheels and a large flat base, which makes it easy and safe to move large appliances.
- Moving pads or blankets – you can use a moving blanket or pad to wrap your appliances to protect them from scratches and dents.
- Straps and ropes – moving straps and ropes come in handy when moving appliances since you will need to tie them down on the moving dolly.
- Scissors and packing tape – you will need packing tape to secure the corners of the blanket and secure the door of your fridge to prevent it from opening.
- Stair roller – this is an essential tool in case you have stairs and makes it easier to move your appliance downstairs. A stair roller is more effective when used on carpeted stairs.
Refrigerators
Refrigerators seem hard to move due to their big size, but they are fairly easy. First and foremost, empty the fridge and the freezer and leave the frost to defrost for at least a day. Remove any moving items within the fridge such as drawers and shelves. You can use this time to clean the fridge and leave it to air out while drying up. Ensure you disconnect all power and water sources from the appliance.
Use a steady rope or a bungee cord to tie and prevent the doors from opening while moving. If your refrigerator has double doors, have an additional tie on the handles. It is advisable to have a professional team doing the moving for you as the appliance may require proper moving apparatus due to the size and the need to keep it upright while moving.
Washing machines and dryers
The experts from https://www.torexmoving.ca/ say that the owner’s manual can help you when moving these appliances. It has instructions on how to drain the machine in preparation for moving. Disconnect the water and power sources, then drain and remove the pipes. Clean the inner parts of the washer, then install locks to keep the moving parts still. Tie the cord with tape to avoid possible damage and put the machines in the packing materials to avoid scratches while on transit.
For the dryers, you still require the manual for guidance. Disconnect the power cord from the dryer. In case it is connected to natural gas, it is important to have a utility professional safely disconnect it for you. Remove the vent pipe and ensure to clean up the inner parts before moving. Again tie the cord with tape to prevent damage or tangling while moving.
Cooking stoves and ovens
While moving these appliances, it is important to refer to the owner’s manual. Use the information given to disconnect the power and remove any moving parts. These appliances require extra care as they can be quite heavy, and you don’t want to risk damaging them or the floor. Store the burner pans, grates, oven racks, and other parts in a safe place for installation after moving. Use the proper moving dolly to prevent floor damage. Tie the appliance with a cord to prevent doors from opening while moving.
Small kitchen appliances
Your owner’s manual comes in handy for small appliances too. It is important to clean the appliances and leave them to dry before moving. Pack them safely, if possible, in their original packaging. Use a blanket, towel, or newspaper as pads to prevent movement and possible breakage from shocks. Use zip ties to prevent the power cords from tangling. With this, your appliances are safe and ready to move.
Bottom Line
Follow this guide if you want to move your appliances. However, don’t forget to measure the size of your large appliances like oven, range, fridge, freezer, washing machine, and dryer. Check to see how wide they are, and whether they can fit through your doorways. Here, you will need a notepad and a measuring tape, to make sure that you get everything right. Always make sure that the large appliances can fit through your doorways before starting the moving process. Lastly, it’s important to have expert advice from professional movers when moving your appliances—especially if you choose a DIY move.
