How to move a fridge and when to switch it on

How to move a fridge: preparation the day before

With a fridge, the preparation matters more than the journey itself. Anyone who works out how to move a fridge at the last minute ends up transporting a wet appliance full of loose shelves and discovers at home that it doesn't cool. Yet all it takes is to start a day earlier and go through four steps.

Empty it and unplug it

Use up the food or move it to a cool bag. Plan to eat up the contents of the freezer a few days in advance so you don't have to throw anything away. The rest will survive several hours in a bag with ice packs.

At least twenty-four hours before the move, switch off the fridge and unplug it. The compressor needs time for the oil to settle, and the freezer needs time to defrost.

Defrost and dry

Let the ice melt on its own; don't speed it up with a knife. Damage to the evaporator tends to be irreparable. Put towels and cloths under the fridge — there is usually a surprising amount of water.

Wipe the inside dry and leave it open. A closed damp fridge will go mouldy within a few hours, and you will then spend weeks getting rid of the smell. You can put an open box of bicarbonate of soda inside.

Measure the fridge and the door frames

The narrowest point on the route decides whether the fridge will get through. Measure the depth of the appliance including the handles, plus the width of the door frames, the lift and the landing. With tall fridge-freezers it is often a matter of a few centimetres, even in the lift, where the fridge has to be tilted.

If it is tight, take off the fridge door and the flat door. The appliance door is usually held on by a few screws under the hinge cover; the door itself is easy to lift off and you gain a few centimetres. Keep the screws in a bag and tape it to the casing.

Secure everything that moves

Take out the shelves and drawers and wrap them separately. Glass shelves are the most expensive spare part and are the first to break during the journey. Wrap them in a blanket or between textiles and carry them lying flat against the wall.

If you don't want to take the shelves out, tape them in place. It is always better to remove them, though, because in an upright position they shift even under gentle braking.

Tape the doors shut, but not over the seal. Run the tape over the casing; on the rubber seal it leaves glue that is hard to remove. Coil the power cable and tape it to the back panel.

Transporting the fridge and starting it up in the new place

Upright, if possible

Transport the fridge in an upright position. The cooling circuit is built for it, and the oil in the compressor stays where it should be. A high-roof van lets you do this even with a double-door fridge.

If you have to lay it down, never on its back and never on the side with the pipes. Lay it on its side, carefully, on a blanket. The waiting time before switching it on then becomes considerably longer.

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Stand the fridge against the side wall and strap it in. It is tall, narrow and lighter than it looks, so it easily sways when cornering. A blanket underneath protects the floor and the painted metal.

Don't put weight on top of it. Boxes don't belong on a fridge; the top panel will bend and the doors then won't close properly.

Carry it through doors with two people and slightly tilted. Narrower side first. Measure the door frames in advance; with taller models it tends to be a matter of centimetres.

Driving and unloading

Drive calmly and avoid potholes. Jolts are worse for the compressor than the length of the route. On arrival, put the fridge straight where it belongs so you don't have to move it a second time.

Freezers and integrated models

Defrost a separate freezer with a bigger margin. The layer of ice tends to be thicker than in a fridge, and thawing can easily take a whole day. Soak up the water with a cloth into a low container and let the inside dry thoroughly, otherwise the residual moisture will turn into ice as soon as it is switched on.

Remove an integrated fridge from the units before defrosting. Unscrew the furniture doors and trims, put the fixings in a bag and tape it inside to the casing. Without them you won't be able to fit it in your new kitchen.

When you can switch it on

After transporting it upright, wait at least two hours. The oil has to flow back into the compressor. If the fridge travelled lying down, it is better to wait twelve to twenty-four hours, depending on how long it was lying down.

Switching it on too early is the most common reason why a fridge doesn't cool after a move. The compressor draws oil into the circuit and the cooling never gets going. Waiting is boring, but it costs nothing.

Before plugging it in, level it with the feet, then let it run empty for an hour. Only then fill it. Choose the size of van in our fleet, and you will find more guides on our blog.