How to Prep Your Appliances Before Moving

July 14, 2026

Appliances being prepared and secured for a house move

How to Prep Your Appliances Before Moving

Appliances survive a decade of daily use and then get destroyed in a four-hour move. It happens constantly, and it’s almost always one of three things: water left inside, a washer moved without transit bolts, or a refrigerator laid on its side.

Here’s how to move each one properly. Start a few days before, not on the morning of.

Gas safety, first and non-negotiable. If you smell gas when everything is switched off, this is not a troubleshooting problem. Do not flip switches, do not light anything, do not use your phone indoors. Turn off the gas at the shutoff valve if you can reach it safely, open windows, get everyone out of the house, and call your gas utility or 911 from outside. A brief whiff as a burner ignites is normal. A persistent smell, or any smell with the appliance off, is not. Gas line work belongs to a licensed professional, always.

Two weeks out

Find the manuals, or download them by model number. Every manufacturer has specific moving instructions, and the transit bolt locations differ.
Order transit bolts if you’ve lost yours. This matters, see the washer section. They’re inexpensive but they take time to arrive.
Measure the doorways at both ends, and the path in. A fridge that fit into the old kitchen may not fit through the new front door.
Decide what’s actually coming with you. Moving a 12-year-old appliance across town can cost more in movers, disconnection, and risk than the machine is worth. Sometimes the right answer is to sell it and buy at the other end, particularly for anything near the end of its life. See how long do appliances really last?
Check the new place’s hookups. Gas or electric range? 3-prong or 4-prong dryer outlet? Is there even a dishwasher slot? Discovering this on moving day is a bad day.

The refrigerator

The 24-hour rule is the one that matters: after a fridge is moved, let it stand upright for the same amount of time it spent tilted or on its side, and ideally 24 hours before plugging it back in.

Why: compressor oil can migrate into the refrigerant lines when the unit is tilted. Power it up before that oil drains back and you can wreck the compressor, which is the part that ends the fridge. This is the single most expensive moving mistake there is, and it costs nothing to avoid, just patience.

Prep, in order:

Empty it, 24–48 hours before. Eat it, give it away, or cooler it.
Turn off the ice maker and shut off the water supply valve.
Disconnect the water line. Have a towel ready.
Unplug it 24 hours before the move so it can defrost fully. Prop the doors open.
Drain the defrost pan underneath and dry the interior completely, or you’ll arrive to mildew.
Remove or secure shelves and drawers. Glass shelves in a moving truck become glass shards. Tape or wrap them separately.
Tape the doors shut for transit (not for storage).
Move it upright. Always. If it absolutely must be tilted, keep it as upright as possible, and never lay it on the side where the compressor lines run.

At the new house: stand it upright, wait 24 hours, then plug it in. Let it run empty for a few hours and confirm it reaches 37–40°F before you load it. And while it’s pulled out and accessible, vacuum the condenser coils, best possible moment. See how to make your refrigerator last longer.

The washing machine (this is where people go wrong)

Transit bolts. Front-loaders need them. This is not optional.

A front-load washer’s drum hangs on springs and shock absorbers so it can move during the spin cycle. In a truck, that suspended drum swings freely and batters itself and the machine to pieces. Transit bolts (also called shipping bolts) lock the drum in place.

They came with the machine. They are almost certainly in a kitchen drawer, in the garage, or long gone. If you don’t have them, order a set for your model before moving day. Moving a front-loader without them can destroy the suspension, and that repair is expensive enough to total an older machine.

Prep:

Run a hot empty cycle with vinegar a few days before, to clean it out.
Turn off both water supply valves.
Disconnect the supply hoses. There will be water in them. Bucket and towels.
Drain the machine completely. Run a drain/spin cycle, then use the drain pump filter at the bottom front (tray and towels, there’s always more water than you expect) to get the last of it out.
Disconnect the drain hose and drain it too.
Fit the transit bolts.
Unplug, coil the cord, tape the door shut.
Leave the door ajar in storage so it doesn’t grow mildew, especially in Houston.

Any water left inside will leak into the truck, into your boxes, and, in a cold snap, could freeze and crack a pump.

At the new house: remove the transit bolts before running it. Running a washer with the bolts still in will damage it. Keep them somewhere you’ll find them next time. And fit new steel braided hoses, this is the perfect moment, they’re $20–$35 and a burst rubber hose is a flooded house.

The dryer

The easiest one, with one gas caveat.

Clean the lint filter and the duct before it goes, you’ll never have better access.
Electric: unplug it. Note whether the outlet is 3-prong or 4-prong, and check what the new house has. They differ, and you may need a different cord. This is a very common moving-day surprise.
Gas: shut off the gas valve first, then disconnect. Have a licensed professional disconnect and reconnect a gas dryer unless you genuinely know what you’re doing. Cap the line. This is not the place to save $80.
Disconnect and keep the vent duct.
Tape the door and the cord. Moving upright is best.

The dishwasher

Run an empty cleaning cycle a few days before.
Shut off the water under the sink and disconnect the supply line.
Disconnect the drain line from the disposal or drain tailpiece.
Turn off the breaker before disconnecting the electrical (it may be hardwired rather than plugged in).
Drain it fully and sponge out the sump at the bottom. There’s always water sitting there, and it will end up in your truck.
Secure the racks and tape the door.
It has to be unscrewed from the countertop or cabinet, check the mounting brackets under the counter.

The range or stove

Gas: shut off the gas valve, and have a professional disconnect it. Cap the line. Non-negotiable.
Electric: unplug (240V), and note the cord type.
Remove grates, burner caps, and racks and pack them separately. Loose cast iron grates inside a range during transit will smash the door glass and dent the interior.
Tape the door shut, and tape the storage drawer.
Move upright.

The moving-day summary

Appliance	The critical step	The mistake that kills it
Refrigerator	Stand upright 24 hrs before plugging in	Powering it up too soon. Wrecks the compressor
Washer	Fit transit bolts	Moving it without them. Destroys the suspension
Washer	Drain the pump filter	Leftover water leaking into the truck
Dryer (gas)	Professional disconnect	DIY gas work
Dryer (electric)	Check 3-prong vs 4-prong at the new place	Arriving with the wrong cord
Dishwasher	Sponge out the sump	Water in the truck
Range	Remove grates and racks	Loose cast iron smashing the door glass

Should you move it at all?

Worth asking honestly, because moving an appliance isn’t free: movers charge for the weight and the awkwardness, professional gas disconnection and reconnection costs money, and there’s real risk of damage in transit.

Consider leaving it and buying at the other end if:

The appliance is near the end of its life (a 12-year-old fridge or washer, say). You may pay $200 to move a machine with two years left.
You’re moving long-distance.
It won’t fit the new space, or the hookups don’t match (gas vs. electric).
It was already limping. A move will finish it off, and it’ll die in a house full of boxes.

A quality-tested used or scratch-and-dent appliance at the new place can cost less than the move plus the disconnection fees, and it comes with a warranty and delivery. Worth doing the arithmetic. See best brands for scratch-and-dent deals and, if you’re landing in Houston, your first-apartment appliance checklist.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a refrigerator sit before plugging it in after moving?

At least 24 hours upright, and at minimum as long as it spent tilted or on its side. Compressor oil migrates into the refrigerant lines when a fridge is tilted, and powering it up before that oil drains back can destroy the compressor, which is the part that ends the appliance.

Do I need transit bolts to move a front-load washer?

Yes, and it’s the mistake that ruins washers. The drum hangs on springs so it can move during the spin cycle, and in a truck it swings freely and batters the machine apart. Transit bolts lock it in place. If you’ve lost the originals, order a set for your model before moving day, and remove them before running the machine at the new house.

How do I drain a washing machine before moving?

Run a drain and spin cycle first, then disconnect the supply hoses (with a bucket and towels, there’s water in them), and finally open the drain pump filter at the bottom front to get the last of it out. Any water left inside will leak into the truck and can freeze and crack a pump in cold weather.

Can I disconnect a gas appliance myself before moving?

You shouldn’t, unless you genuinely know what you’re doing. Have a licensed professional disconnect and cap a gas range or gas dryer, and reconnect it at the other end. If you ever smell gas, don’t troubleshoot it, shut off the valve if you safely can, ventilate, leave, and call the gas utility from outside.

Can you lay a refrigerator on its side to move it?

Avoid it. Move it upright wherever possible. If it must be tilted, keep it as upright as you can and never lay it on the side where the compressor lines run, and then let it stand upright for at least as long as it was tilted (24 hours is the safe rule) before plugging it back in.

Is it worth moving old appliances?

Often not. Movers charge for weight and awkwardness, professional gas disconnection and reconnection costs money, and transit carries real risk. If an appliance is near the end of its life, already unreliable, or won’t fit the new hookups, buying a quality-tested used or scratch-and-dent unit at the other end can cost less than the move itself.

Come see the difference for yourself

Home Star Appliances has served Houston since 2018 with new, scratch-and-dent, and quality-tested used refrigerators, washers, dryers, stoves, dishwashers, and microwaves, plus delivery, installation, parts, and financing. Come look at the units in person and ask us anything.

Visit us: 10216 Almeda Genoa Rd, Houston, TX 77075
Call: (713) 568-6088
Hours: Monday–Saturday, 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Sunday by appointment)
Browse our current inventory or contact our team.

10216 Almeda Genoa Rd, Houston, TX 77075, United States

(713) 568-6088