How Long to Leave a Fridge Freezer After Moving?
Most of us know that we're not supposed to use a fridge freezer immediately after buying a new appliance - or that moving a fridge or freezer means that we should leave the unit to settle down before plugging it back in. But how long should you leave a fridge freezer after it has been moved?
Guidance varies, but manufacturers usually advise you to wait a few hours before turning on a new appliance. Recommendations span anything from eight hours to a full 24, so it's safe to say there is a fair amount of confusion!
Today we'll explain why a fridge freezer should be left in a static position after movement and what happens if you switch on mains electricity to an unstable appliance.
Reasons to Let a Fridge Freezer Settle After Moving
The primary reason you should leave a fridge freezer alone for a chunk of time after moving it is to ensure that the functions will still be working as you expect when you turn it on.
The oil in the fridge freezer compression system can leak into the refrigeration unit and cause blockages that mean your food won't cool properly, and you can experience defrosting.
Compressor oil is present in all domestic and commercial cooling devices and is essential for fridges and freezers to operate correctly.
Gases in refrigerants strain the functionality of the internal components, so the oil works to lubricate and cool those parts, making sure your device doesn't wear out before its time.
If you don't have compressor oil in the right places, your fridge freezer will break down very quickly and need replacement parts to remain in use.
How Long Should Fridge Freezers Realistically Need to Settle?
The disparity between manufacturer guidelines can mean that consumers disregard them or think the instructions to leave a fridge freezer to settle are irrelevant.
Generally, if you want to ensure that the compressor oil has settled back into the unit, you should wait 24 hours. However, some brand new appliances need as little as eight hours before being ready to use.
It's up to you how cautious you'd like to be, but the hazard is that if you don't wait a sufficient time, you will damage the cooling capacity of your fridge freezer, which you can't easily repair.
How to Prepare a New Fridge Freezer for Use
There are several things you can do to extend the life of your fridge freezer before turning it on for the first time:
- Leave the unit to stand - the fluid used to cool the compartments needs to settle having been shaken about, so leaving it as long as possible is advisable.
- Fridge freezers transported upright should be left for at least an hour as an absolute minimum, but units moved on their side will need around four hours or more.
- Giving the fridge freezer a quick clean is a basic hygiene step for any appliance you intend to store food in. A wipe with washing up liquid and warm water is usually fine, patted down or left open to dry before replacing any drawers and shelves.
- Next, position your appliance in the designated space, ensuring enough capacity around the back and sides for air to flow. The best area is at least 5 mm on all sides, so it's wise not to push your fridge freezer back to the wall.
- The final step is to plug in and switch on your unit, allowing a few hours for the temperature to decrease to the required coolness. You might get a green light when the appliance is ready to store food, but otherwise, two hours or more is usually plenty.
Factors That Influence How Long a Fridge Freezer Should Be Left to Stand
Fridge freezers are bulky, heavy items with sensitive internal parts that can cause serious maintenance problems if they shift from their original placement.
Thinking carefully about moving and transporting these appliances can mean they're ready to use much faster.
For example, if you have moved a fridge freezer but kept it vertical at all times, you might be ok to plug it back in immediately because there's a low probability of gas leakage.
It's never a great idea to move a fridge horizontally on its side, but the general advice is to leave the unit to stand for the same amount of time as it spent in transport.
Therefore, if it's taken one hour to move your appliance, you need to wait one hour or more once the fridge is upright before you consider plugging it back in.
Moving a refrigerator on the side can be a huge problem because:
- You'll potentially break the internal mechanisms and permanently damage the appliance.
- Fridge freezers laid on their side experience an oil flow from the compressor, filtering into the coolant line compressor tubes.
Suppose you can't avoid moving a fridge this way or weren't aware of the issues. In that case, it's wise to leave it upright for as long as possible to give sufficient time for the oil to return to the compressor and bypass turning on an appliance with oil clogging the essential coolant lines.
If you can't do anything other than move a large freezer on its side, if you lay the appliance down with the compressor lines on the top, you'll have less of a risk of causing irreparable damage.
How Can I Move a Fridge Freezer Safely?
When you have an appliance already in use, you might need to move it due to relocating or redecorating your kitchen, which is fairly tricky with a large freezer in the room.
In this situation, it's best to prepare and not end up in a situation where you're trying to move such a cumbersome item without the proper planning.
Here are the steps we'd suggest you follow:
- Turn off the fridge, and disconnect it entirely from the mains a few hours before you need to move it - this gives a little time for evaporation and defrosting.
- Next, you should clean the unit and remove any food items and liquids. If you don't complete this step, there's a chance you'll get some distinctly unpleasant smells when the unit starts to warm up.
- Before moving, you'll need to either take out all the shelves, trays and drawers or secure them so nothing can smash or break in transit. One method is to take out the shelves, wrap each, and store them inside the unit.
- Pull the fridge away from the current location carefully. Large freezers can be extremely weighty, so it could take two or three people to lift the unit and avoid scratching your floors.
- It's worth wrapping the outer unit in a wrap or a blanket to ensure you don't get scrapes on the front of your unit - masking or duct tape is a simple way to secure this protective layer.
- When loading your fridge freezer onto a trolley, it's wise to use a ratchet strap or another way to attach it to prevent sliding or slippage.
- Pull the trolley backwards behind you if you're loading onto a moving truck since it's much easier to pull the appliance than push it.
The more stable and secure your fridge, the lower the chance of breaking any part of the mechanism, so moving it slowly and carefully is important.
Frequently Asked Questions - How Long to Leave a Fridge Freezer After Moving?
Let's take a closer look at some of the popular questions about waiting to switch on a fridge freezer appliance after delivery or moving the unit.
What Should You Never Do When Moving a Fridge Freezer?
There are three things you should always try to avoid when moving a fridge freezer:
- Moving the unit on the side - this tipping can damage the internal components.
- Keeping the door closed during storage for prolonged periods. It's better to prop the door open just a little to stop the inside from becoming mouldy or smelly.
- Retaining a dirty fridge freezer in storage - the longer you keep it out of use, the higher the potential for contaminations and infestations.
Which Fridge Freezer Elements Does Movement Impact?
To better understand why fridge freezers are so delicate, it’s important to know how all complex components work together to keep food and frozen items cool.
- Fluid refrigerant liquid regulates the fridge temperature and cools different parts as required. This element can change to gas after circulation.
- Compressors in fridges are normally on the rear of the unit and keep the appliance at a consistent temperature.
- Fridge freezer condensers comprise several coils and emit heat to keep the colder conditions stable inside the unit.
- Evaporators inside your fridge are closer to interior compartments and soak up heat energy to avoid the freezer warming above your thermostat settings.
- Oils in fridges prevent excess wear and keep the compressor running smoothly. Poor quality oil or bad circulation can mean any (or all) of the parts stop working.
What Happens If I Move a Fridge and Use It Straight Away?
If you've just moved a fridge and try to use it immediately, the displaced compressor oil can flow to other parts of the unit, settling where you don't want oil.
The resulting system blockages can cause serious problems, and if the oil settles after horizontal transportation, you must clear these clogs before plugging into the electricity.
Even small movements can destabilise compressor oil, so leaving some time before using your fridge will prolong the lifetime of your appliance, even if you only moved it from one end of the room to the other.
Therefore, we'd strongly advise you to leave your fridge to settle properly, for several hours, before you use it again or turn the appliance on at the mains.
Another factor is to ensure that the fridge is on a stable, even surface. If you've moved your freezer to a new home or spot, check that the level is even, and you won't have issues with oil flowing to one end of the device.
How Long Does it Take for a Fridge Freezer to Settle?
This question is often asked because different brands, manufacturers, and regulators offer completely different answers!
Producers of fridge freezers should include guidelines in the delivery manuals and maintenance guides. Still, again it's very changeable, and you'll probably see a different answer in every direction you read.
Even if your fridge freezer manual says you can turn on the appliance after two hours, the safer option is to wait a little longer and around 24 hours before connecting to electrical power. This extended waiting time will give you confidence that the oils have settled correctly.
It's also crucial to remember that perishable food items stored in an incorrectly working appliance can cause severe illnesses, so it's never wise to rely on seemingly short settling periods at the risk of creating a health hazard.
Where is the Best Place to Move a Fridge Freezer?
We mentioned earlier the importance of air circulation, and backing a unit up to be flush with the walls in the corner of your kitchen can cause breakdowns.
Coolants and coils need contact with the air to disperse heat and heat energy generated by your food items, so positioning the unit up to the wall can mean the appliance will become inoperable and stop providing sufficient cooling.
Better ventilation and airflow optimise the performance of your fridge freezer while meaning it costs less in utilities to run.
A flat, even surface is ideal to avoid any coolant pooling anywhere in the device. You'll also need to factor in practicalities, such as having enough room for the door to swing fully open without connecting with the closest wall.
If you have foods that you're keen to preserve, the easiest approach is to store them in a fridge of a friend or family member for four hours or more and as long as possible until you're sure your fridge is ready for use.
References:
- https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/techtalk/using-your-fridge-or-freezer-for-the-first-time/
- https://www.domex-uk.co.uk/help-advice/why-do-fridge-freezers-need-time-to-settle/
- https://moversville.com/blog/how-long-after-moving-refrigerator-can-turn-on
- https://snact.co.uk/how-long-should-you-leave-a-fridge-freezer-to-settle/
- https://hernebaydomestics.co.uk/how-long-should-a-new-fridge-freezer-stand-before-turning-on/
By Johnny Fuller
Home Improvement editor at NWrenovations.com