Any handyman tips for moving a junk refrigerator (only 1 person)?

Question

Hey- is it feasible for one man to move a standard size refrigerator and get it into the bed of a pickup truck? Damage to the fridge doesn't matter, damage to the house does. Any handyman tricks for moving it and lifting it when it gets to the truck? Much appreciated!

Answer 1

Take the doors off.

Answer 2

A standard size fridge isn't all that heavy, I'd get it about a foot or two from the bed of the truck, and tilt it toward the truck (top toward the truck). Sort of 'shove' it up to the bed and onto it's side. You'll want to be away from the house, of course. If you need to get it from the kitchen to the truck, rent or borrow a dolly. You can tip the fridge back on the dolly, and roll it out the door. You may need to remove the doors (fridge) first, since usually, they're JUST wide enough to bang into the door jamb, (house).  

Answer 3

They make appliance dollies which you can rent to get it out of the house without wrecking the door frames. It straps to the fridge and makes it easy for one to lean it over and wheel it out.

Answer 4

get an appliance dolly and have at it . a normal fridge isn't very heavy  

Answer 5

How strong are you? How's your back? If you're strong enough to get the fridge lying flat on the floor, you should be able to do this. A handtruck made for appliances would be a huge help, and the best of those have a thing that lets you slide the handtruck and its contents down stairs. The hardest thing to do is to get it down any stairs. For that you might want to use a furniture blanket, tip the fridge flat and slide it down the stairs. I hope you don't have to go up any stairs. Holding it from above with a rope is safer than being below it though it's a little harder on your back. You can also tip it flat onto a blanket and then slide the fridge and blanket together. For getting it into the truck, consider having some wood such as 2x4s as a ramp, the longer the better. Tip the fridge onto them and pull, push or lift it up a little at a time. Take the door off and even take the compressor out. That will make it a bit lighter and a little easier to grab hold of. Have fun.

Answer 6

Not really that big a deal, I've done it a few times.

If you're lucky it has wheels, or glides and you can push it across the floor without too much difficulty. If so, lay cardboard down to push it on so you won't mar the flood. You can also use a dolly, even a small one like for trash cans but a big one is, of course, better.

If you're big and hefty, you can move it with a strong rope or strap by cinching it around the fridge and yourself, like strapping it to your back with your knees slightly bent, and then lean forward and just walkout, bent over, with it on your back.

However you get it out, when you get it to your pickup, stand it up at the back, so you can tilt it on a side and shove it into the bed.

It IS ok to transport it on it's side, but when you get it to where you're taking it and you unload it, don't plug it in right away. The compressor is lubed with oil in the freon lines, and after it's been on it's side the oil will be dispersed in the lines. You have to wait at least 4 or 5 hours till you plug it in or the compressor will die. I usually give it till the next day.

Good luck.