Appliances are the items most likely to be damaged in a move, not by being dropped, but by being moved wrong. A washing machine without its transit bolts can wreck its own drum bearings on the M62. A fridge laid flat can lose its compressor. Ten minutes of preparation prevents all of it. Here's what to do.
Washing machines and washer-dryers
- Run an empty hot wash a day or two before, and leave the door open to dry the drum.
- Turn off the water at the isolating valve behind the machine (the small blue or red lever) and unscrew the fill hose. Have a towel and a bowl ready.
- Drain the machine. Most have a small filter flap at the bottom front; open it over a shallow tray and let the residual water out. Then disconnect the grey waste hose from the standpipe.
- Fit the transit bolts. These are the three or four long bolts that came with the machine and go in the holes at the back. They lock the drum so it can't bounce in transit. If you've lost them, replacements are cheap online, search your model number. If you genuinely can't get them, tell us and we'll pack the drum as best we can, but bolts are far better.
- Tape the door shut and coil the hoses inside the drum or tape them to the back.
Fridges and fridge freezers
- Empty it, including the door shelves and the salad drawer everyone forgets.
- Defrost the freezer section at least 24 hours before. Switch off, prop the door open, and put towels down. A freezer that's still icy will leak all over the van and your other belongings.
- Dry the inside and wipe with a little bicarbonate of soda in water to stop smells developing while it's shut.
- Remove or secure the shelves. Glass shelves rattle loose; take them out and wrap them, or tape them in place.
- Tape the doors shut. American-style fridges: check the height of your doorways, the doors may need to come off, which we can do.
Why a fridge must travel upright
The compressor at the back of a fridge sits in oil. Lay the fridge flat and the oil runs into the coolant lines; switch it on too soon afterwards and the compressor tries to pump oil instead of refrigerant. That's how fridges die in transit. Ours travel upright, strapped to the van wall, every time. If a fridge has been on its side for any reason, stand it upright for at least as long as it was lying down, ideally four hours or more, before plugging in.
Cookers and ovens
- Electric: switch off at the isolator and have a qualified electrician disconnect a hard-wired cooker. Plug-in ovens just unplug.
- Gas: must be disconnected and reconnected by a Gas Safe registered engineer. We don't touch gas connections, and neither should you.
- Remove and wrap oven shelves, grill pans and hob pan supports; tape the doors.
Dishwashers and tumble dryers
Dishwashers: switch off water, disconnect fill and waste hoses, run the drain cycle, and tape the door. Condenser dryers: empty the water tank and clean the filter. Vented dryers: detach the hose. Both are otherwise simple to move.
At the new house: settling times
| Appliance | Wait before switching on | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fridge / freezer (kept upright) | 2–4 hours | Lets oil and refrigerant settle after vibration. |
| Fridge / freezer (was on its side) | At least as long as it lay down; 4h+ minimum | Oil must drain back to the compressor. |
| Washing machine | None, but remove the transit bolts first | Running it with bolts in will destroy the suspension. |
| Tumble dryer / dishwasher | None | Check hoses are connected and not kinked. |
Don't fancy doing any of this? Our appliance delivery and removal service handles disconnection (water and electric), transport upright, positioning at the new house, and taking away the old unit. Get a quote or call 07856 457501.