There are certain preparation, packing, and moving routines you have to follow when transporting large household appliances, like your refrigerator or a washing machine. If those routines are not followed, you might end up with a broken unit or one that is not properly functioning. Manufacturers always provide their buyers with the instructions for safe usage and strict rules of transportation. It is best to strictly follow these rules. Transportation of the washing machine is not significantly different from the transportation of the refrigerator. The only difference is the fixation of the working unit. Therefore, as an example, we will only look at the stages of moving a refrigerator.

When choosing a truck for your move, you go by the tallest object being transported. Usually, this would be your refrigerator of an armoire. Armoire can be disassembled (and should be, whenever possible), or placed horizontally on its back to be transported. It is impossible to disassemble a refrigerator though. Transporting a refrigerator placed horizontally is only acceptable in rare cases, and only for short distances. In that case, the refrigerator is placed inside the truck with its side opposite to the compressor pipes against the wall.

It is strongly recommended to transport a refrigerator placed vertically. A moving truck with an appropriate height should be carefully selected. When the refrigerator is delivered (either in horizontal or vertical position), it should be placed vertically and left to sit idle for at least an hour, before being plugged in.

How to properly prepare and pack your refrigerator for a move.

Proper packaging can help protect household appliances from external impact. Your refrigerator is not going to get damaged when it is being transported from the manufacturer’s factory or a store to your place because it is packaged very thoroughly and is placed on a solid wooden pallet. Don’t get scared, though. You will not have to mimic the original packaging. Prior to transporting a refrigerator, you would have to get it ready first: unload the food, unplug and defrost the refrigerator, and remove glass shelves and containers from it (tip: this is the perfect time to wash the refrigerator and all the parts. That way you will not have to deal with it at your new place. Just plug it in and load the food).

Do NOT wrap it at home though. It is more practical to wrap and protect a refrigerator when it is already inside the truck. Refrigerators that are too tall will not fit in the doorframes without having to be tilted a little bit. This is a manual operation, therefore you have to make sure that your packaging does not get in the way. Carrying an object wrapped in film or stretch is not very convenient. This type of packaging is very slippery and the refrigerator might slip out and drop on the floor. You also should not use blankets or tarp to wrap a refrigerator with.

A refrigerator is carried by two movers. When it is time to load it up into the truck, a third person joins. He is standing inside of the truck and is holding the top of the unit up securing it against tipping. Refrigerators are usually placed in the back of the truck or up in the front corner. Now it is time to wrap it to prevent damage. If the refrigerator is the only item being transported the movers will securely fasten it to the truck wall with straps. When there are other items available to use as cushioning, cardboard or soft items  (various bags with clothes, mattresses, blankets) can be used.

If you have a two-door unit, four movers are needed to transport it. Such refrigerators are too heavy (over 250 lbs) and will incur an extra charge for its transportation (usually calculated as rigging work). Industrial refrigerators also fall into this category.

When moving a refrigerator, the compressor should be fixed in place using specific screws.

On modern refrigerator models, the screws cannot be removed so this kind of action can be performed with no difficulty.

When transporting a washing machine, the drum must also be fixed. It is best if you use factory screws to do this. They usually are left behind after installing a washing machine.

 
Be sure to contact professional Boston movers to receive a moving quote and to get more tips like this to help make your move easy and stress-free.