Do refrigerators need to be transported upright. If you’re looking to move your refrigerator ahead of an upgrade, the best thing to do is keep it upright at all times so that its internal components remain intact.
It’s generally fine for fridges to be transported on their sides or frontways. However, placing a refrigerator on its back can lead to damage as the built-up pressure inside the appliance may cause certain components or its seals to freeze up.
It means you’re left with a broken-down refrigerator when moving home and might have other devices like your washing machine damaged beyond repair too if they are stored nearby!
Do Refrigerators Need To Be Transported Upright
We will discuss here the steps for moving a refrigerator.
Step 1: Empty the Fridge First
You should all understand this, but you’d be surprised at how many people do. Eat up whatever you don’t want to lose if you’re scared about tossing away or leaving behind food in your fridge because you’re moving!
Pack up any great leftovers or other items and store them at a friend’s place. This will make your fridge lighter and help it stay cleaner when you get there!
Step 2: Use Packaging Tape
Keep the unit switched off when transporting a refrigerator until all ice and water have melted inside. Leaving it running could overheat the appliance during transport.
Wipe away any leftover water before powering up the fridge again at your new home! Closing your fridge door is annoying, especially when you’ve got stuff stacked up inside it, and opening the door causes everything to fall out. Use packaging tape to secure it shut!
A solid box that won’t fall open in your hands will make moving it much easier than having one side of the box’s outer panels fall off daily.
Step 3: Pick up Together
If the fridge is empty, it can be deceivingly light, and if your model allows, you may decide that you’ll transport it by yourself.
However, fridges are still bulky and demand lots of care when moving. That’s why we recommend using a friend – they can help give you a hand, and you can convince them to buy some drinks once the fridge has been set up!
Step 4: Installation and Relocation
Before putting food inside your refrigerator, it’s crucial to give it time to adjust to its new location. Unplug the refrigerator while it is still in the delivery truck and leave it upright for at least 4 hours to allow the compressor oil to settle and flow into the system.
Reconnect the appliance’s power and adjust the temperature when the advised period has passed, but hold off on filling your refrigerator. To keep food safe, you must allow it to cool down for 12 hours.
FAQs
Can you lay a refrigerator down to transport it?
No matter how big it is, maintain your refrigerator upright while transporting. If you have an appliance dolly to transfer it on, you should also lay some protection pads or newspapers on the ground.
This is because oil tends to run and spill out of the compressor when appliances are set up horizontally (which could be very pricey for you since this is the item responsible for refrigeration). Ensure that everything is placed on flat, strong surfaces as well.
Which side do you lay a fridge down on?
It is recommended to store your refrigerator with the hinge side facing up to prevent its contents from flying toward the ceiling if it should spring open.
If your unit has an external heat exchanger, you might feel more at ease storing it with its back side facing the wall rather than the ceiling, depending on how it is oriented about the entrance.
However, feel free to keep your refrigerator near the border rather than protruding into your kitchen if you have a flat surface and nothing on top of which to be concerned about.
Conclusion
You should take a few measures while transferring food from one refrigerator to another to reduce the possibility of deterioration. When moving food from one refrigerator to another, it’s crucial to maintain a roughly equal temperature in each of them and to check that the food is at the same temperature before transferring it. You must be aware of how the refrigerators were stored during transit and observe the advised waiting period before turning on the new refrigerator and putting your food inside.
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