One common problem many people have when they move is reconnecting appliances. Most appliances have cords, tubing, or connections that need to be attached correctly for these appliances to work properly after a move. Many appliances also have detachable parts that need to be reassembled for appliances to work properly like surface grates, racks, shelves, and others. Unfortunately, during a typical move, many people fail to take the proper precautions to ensure that their appliances and their chords, peripherals, and moving parts are moved properly. The result? Nothing can be more frustrating than not being able to watch cable because you misplaced the cords or being unable to wash clothing because you can’t hook up your washer or dryer properly after your move. Worse, you might have misplaced certain removable appliance parts and cords and you can’t use the appliance at all. Moving can be stressful enough as it is, don’t make it harder on yourself by neglecting your appliances’ cords, tubing, and connections during the move. Use the following practical tips to help ensure hooking up your appliances after your move will go smoothly.
Make sure your appliances are packed right for the move
You can avoid most of the headaches of hooking up or reconnecting your appliances after your move by making sure your appliances were packed right for the move. Packing your appliances right is the best protection against problems down the road. Make sure tape non-detachable cords to the back of appliances. Remove any detachable items and put them in a plastic bag that’s either taped to the inside of the appliance or on top of the appliance. Make sure to label detached items’ containers so you know what they are and which appliance they go with. This ensures that even if their peripherals get misplaced, you can still hook your appliances up correctly after the move.
Make sure your appliances are ready for the move
You have to drain any leftover water from your washing machine and dish washer. Make sure you disconnect and defrost your fridge and drain all water from its water line. You have to take off any non-attached items that may move around like stove racks, refrigerator racks and shelving, Pack these separately and label them correctly. If the appliance has a water line, open its door and let it dry out completely.
Washing machines are especially sensitive to road vibrations since these appliances have a drum inside. Check your owner’s manual to figure out how to secure the drum during your move. Alternatively, you can look up the customer service number for your appliance and ask for live assistance so someone can step you through the process of securing your washing machine’s drum.
When preparing a dryer for a move, take out its vent and clean it out of completely. Get rid of built-up lint or debris and dirt. Disassemble and secure the vent.
If the appliance has a door, vent, flap, or panel that swings open, make sure such parts are taped shut so they don’t pop open if the moving van or truck hits a rough patch of road.
Label cables correctly for easy hook up after the move
After you have tied your detachable cords properly, make sure you have a labeling system for your appliances. Make sure it is very easy to figure out which cord package goes with which appliance. As much as possible, pack appliances with their matching cords. If this isn’t possible pack the cords in a container for all cords. If you labeled them properly, it will be very easy to figure out which cord goes with which appliance. Again, if the appliance has a cord that is not detachable, wind it up into a tight compact bundle and tape it to the back of the appliance.
Unpacking and reconnecting
After your appliances are delivered to your new residence or location, unpack them and locate the cord packages you packed for each item. Unpack all the removable items for each appliance and put them back inside. Double-check your labeled packages to make sure you didn’t forget a cord, a peripheral, or a moving part.
Moving appliances can get tricky if you don’t plan out their move correctly. Follow the simple tips above to help ensure that you enjoy your appliances when you get to your destination. New York area-based Empire Movers has many solid years’ experience moving appliances and other items. If you need a professional mover you can trust to get your appliances moved right, you only need to contact Empire Movers to get your move done right.
