When you think about moving your home or apartment, you probably focus on your furniture, books, clothes, and other items that need to be packed and loaded into a truck. You may also want to take your appliances with you, though. Have you thought about how to move your refrigerator, washer, dryer, and other large, heavy appliances? It is vitally important that you know how to stay safe while moving appliances and how to protect your home as well as the appliances themselves.
Move or Buy New?
The first thing you need to decide is whether you want to move those appliances. Did you just purchase a new, French door refrigerator that you definitely do not want to leave behind? Or, has your clothes washer been showing its age lately? When you start to plan your move, look around and consider whether it’s worth it to move your appliances or whether it’s time to invest in a new stove in your new home.
Your decision should include other factors such as whether your new home is already equipped with a refrigerator and stove. Maybe you still prefer to take your own, especially if they are in better shape. Appliances may also be easier to move locally within Chattanooga than if you are planning a long-distance move across the country.
The Right Equipment
When you decide you do want to move your refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer, or other heavy appliance, it is important to use the right equipment to stay safe while moving appliances. Some equipment you will need includes:
- Furniture blankets. Protect your appliances, walls, and floors by wrapping the appliance in a moving blanket which is large enough to cover the refrigerator or stove.
- An appliance dolly. Rather than trying to carry the appliance yourself, you can place it on the dolly and wheel it to the truck. You can purchase a dolly from a home improvement store or rent a dolly from your local moving company.
- Furniture straps. These are used with the dolly, to secure the appliance in place while wheeling it from your home to the truck.
- Sliding pads can be used to protect your floors while moving your appliance onto the dolly for transport.
Protect Your Property
Much of the equipment you will need to use is designed to protect your walls and floors. When you are moving from a rented apartment or house, you’ll want to be sure not to damage any part of the home as you are transporting your appliances. Of course, you also want to keep your new home safe from damage while moving your appliances in, so protective blankets and sliders can help there as well.
Hardwood, tile, vinyl, and even carpeted floors need to be protected. Another good idea for protecting your floors is to lay down large pieces of thick cardboard along the path that you will take with your dolly, as you move out of your current home and in to your new home.
Protect Yourself
One of the most important things to learn about how to stay safe while moving appliances is how to move a heavy and awkward refrigerator, stove, or washing machine without hurting yourself. If you must lift, to guide a large appliance onto a dolly for example, lift from your legs and not your back. Bend at your knees, keep your back straight, and use the strength of your lower limbs to lift. Back injuries are common among people who try to move themselves.
Hire a Professional
The best way to stay safe while moving appliances is to hire a professional mover. Expert movers know how to lift, how to protect your appliances and your home, and how to transport your appliances safely so they will be ready for you to use when you arrive in your new home. Professional movers are experienced and have the right equipment to keep floors and walls safe. You can stay safe and feel more confident while your appliances are moved professionally.
Contact Fox Moving & Storage Chattanooga for Help with Your Next Move
The professional movers at Fox Moving and Storage Chattanooga know how to stay safe while moving appliances and how to keep all of your treasured possessions protected. We are ready to help you with your move during the coronavirus pandemic, as we will take every precaution necessary to maintain your safety and well-being throughout the process. We will work with you to ensure your next move is seamless and worry-free. Contact us today to learn more. You can also call us at 423.454.3927 for a free, no-obligation quote!