As a clever homeowner, to make things easy for you, you have to look for an appliance moving disconnect checklist to make sure you know what to unplug before the moving truck arrives. This simple step prevents costly leaks, damage, and safety risks.

You (the homeowner or tenant) are ultimately responsible for unplugging and disconnecting all major appliances before the movers arrive. While professional movers only come for lifting and loading the machines onto the truck, the moving team are not allowed to touch your electrical, water, or gas connections due to liability risks.

This appliance moving checklist guide explains what to consider before moving your appliances and when professional help may be needed.

Why does appliance disconnection matter before a move?

Large appliances are usually connected to more than one utility. It is important to unplug all the appliances to prevent property damage, protect your electronics and ensure the safety of the moving team.

Prevents water leaks 

  1. Pulling the refrigerator and washing machine without switching off all the valves and draining lines can cause a quick or slow leak of water damage that can ruin floors and walls.

To avoid leakage of gas 

  1. Mishandling of the gas stove or dryer line can damage the valve, which leads to gas leaks and fire or explosion.

To protect the appliances

  1. When moving a washing machine, the shipping bolts should be inserted when disconnecting to avoid internal drum failure.
  2. If you move the machine without these tools, it will cause damage to them, which affects the suspension mechanism.

Safeguard Compressor

  1. Refrigerators must be unplugged and drained of water inside. Moving the fridge with water can cause it to freeze, which cracks the internal mechanism, or spill water on electric control boards, which damages the compressor.

To protect your wallet

If the mover moves your appliances without unplugging them, they won't pay for the damages because it is your duty to disconnect them. 

Homeowners should understand the appliance moving disconnect checklist in Calgary to know which machines need to be unhooked before moving day.

Here is a sample of machines homeowners are responsible for disconnecting before moving day:- 

Washing machine

  1. Both hot and cold valves need to be turned off, draining the remaining water into a bucket, disconnecting the drain hose and inserting the shipping bolts into the back of front-loaders to avoid moving during transit.

Dishwasher

  1. Disconnect the power source, turn off the water supply valve under the sink to avoid water spillage when moving out of the sink, which can cause falls for the moving team.

Refrigerator 

  1. Remove food and shelving because they might break during transportation, shut off the water line valve, disconnect the ice maker/water dispenser line, and completely defrosting/drying the unit.
  2. They can breed mold if they move without emptying and disconnecting the ice maker and removing food stuff inside.

Common appliance moving mistakes to avoid

Forgetting to defrost the fridge in advance 

  1. The hidden frost inside the fridge melts during the move, causing leaks and creating rapid mold and foul odors inside a hot moving truck.

Failing to secure loose parts and cords

  1. Moving machines with glass shelves, wardrobes and plastic drawers can be damaged because they will be moving freely during transportation.
  2. They have to be removed, packed separately and they need to be wrapped. Also, the doors should be well secured or locked to avoid unnecessary damage. 

Moving a refrigerator horizontally

  1. Laying a fridge flat on its back or side in a truck or pickup bed to make it fit easier leads to oil leakage, which damages the compressor.
  2. Always keep it straight or upright during transit and unplugged for 24 hours at the new house to allow the fluids to move back into the compressor before turning it on.  

The bottom line is that the moving team can not disconnect your machines because they are trained to transport and pre-pack your belongings. They are not real plumbers, electricians, or gas technicians who know how to operate the appliances.

Our clients might have appliance moving disconnect checklist questions; we make sure to explain everything you need to know about our services. All Day Movers are always there to clear up any misunderstandings you have regarding the moving schedules and pricing. The moving experts are trained to satisfy customers with moving experience and ensure safe transportation.