If you’re a renter, you won’t need to move your washer and dryer when you’re moving out of the rental property simply because they are not yours – they were there when you moved in, remember? At least that’s how it is in most cases.
But if you own the washer and dryer and you would very much love to take them with you to the new place (especially when those two critical appliances are not present in that new place), then it’s obvious that you’re moving your washer and dryer with you.
Click here to learn the detailed steps of moving a washing machine to a new house.
And here’s how to move a dryer by yourself – that is, without hiring movers to do it for you.
Step 1. Justify the need to move your dryer
It’s important to note that moving your dryer will cost you both money and time. Of course, you’ll also need to invest quite an effort to prepare and move the heavy appliance.
Now, the first question is whether you really need to move the dryer in terms of immediate need. Will you be using it in the new place you’re moving to?
The second question comes down to money. Now, moving a dryer between two homes will cost you, and when moving across the country, the transportation cost can be substantial. Double-check if you’re not paying more money to haul the heavy appliance than to purchase a new one after the move.
Step 2. Secure a helper
Moving a clothes dryer by yourself basically means that you won’t be hiring professional movers to help you move the large and heavy appliance to the new home. However, you’re still going to need to secure at least one helper (a friend of yours) to help you load the dryer to the appliance dolly, wheel it out of the place, and then load it safely onto the truck outside.
Even if consider yourself to be physically strong, it’s better to be safe than sorry. A standard dryer weighs between 150 and 200 pounds, so you can see right away that moving a dryer safely is definitely not a job for one person.
Step 3. Get an appliance dolly
Due to the substantial weight of a dryer, you can’t just lift the appliance and carry it just like that to the awaiting truck. No, to move a dryer safely out of your house, you’re going to need an appliance dolly.
An appliance dolly is a two-wheel L-shaped cart that’s also known as a hand truck. The idea of using an appliance dolly is to rest the heavy dryer onto its back support, secure the appliance with straps, then balance it onto the large rubber tires, and take it safely outside your home.
You can rent an appliance dolly from a local moving company (you’re going to need it to move other household appliances as well such as your fridge and washer). Also, consider purchasing an appliance dolly to have one at your disposal whenever you need it.
Step 4. Consult the dryer’s manual
Before moving your dryer, it’s a good idea to consult the instruction manual of your appliance and look for specific information concerning its safety when it’s being transported from one place to another.
See if any of the dryer’s components must be removed in a certain way or if you are supposed to follow any specific steps to prepare the large appliance for moving.
If you can’t find anything useful in the instruction manual or you can’t find it at all (Did you try searching for one by typing your dryer brand and model number into a search engine?), then you should be just fine following these steps to moving a dryer to another house.
Step 5. Disconnect the dryer from the power
In the case of an electric dryer, then all you have to do is unplug the appliance’s cord from the wall. If the dryer is hardwired to the wall and you’re not comfortable with disconnecting the power by yourself, then you should contact an electrician to do it for you.
In the case of a gas dryer, then you’ll have to unplug the electric cord from the wall AND disconnect the gas supply. Remember to shut off the gas valve first to avoid causing an accident (gas leak). Again, should you feel uncomfortable tapping the gas supply line, you’ll need to contact a qualified technician to do it safely.
Don’t forget to tape the electric cord to the side of the clothes dryer using masking tape. The cable should never be freely dangling from the appliance, potentially increasing the risk of someone tripping on it.
Step 6. Clean the dryer
Moving house is the ideal time to clean your dryer from inside and outside so that the appliance is perfectly ready for the new home.
How do you clean a dryer before moving it?
With the help of a friend, move the dryer a little distance away from the wall so that you can access the vents of the appliance.
- Remove the lint trap and clean out all the accumulated lint and debris from the vent using a vacuum cleaner.
- Wash the lint trap with warm water and soap, then leave it out to dry before putting it back on the appliance.
- Vacuum the vent between the dryer and the wall. In most cases, you’ll find nothing but lint there that’s accumulated over time.
- Wipe down the outside of the appliance using a damp cloth sprinkled with an all-purpose cleaner. This way, you’ll be sure to remove any dust and grime from the surface of the dryer.
Make sure the DRYER is completely DRY before you pack it up for transport. Place the vents in a plastic bag to keep them safe during the house move. Interestingly enough, the best way to store the protected vents is inside the dryer itself.
Step 7. Wrap up the dryer
Tape down the door of the appliance using painter’s tape. This will prevent the door from opening during transport and potentially causing an accident.
Then, wrap the entire dryer with 2-3 furniture blankets as you leave no area uncovered. The thick padding blankets will protect the large appliance from getting damaged (scratches, dings, scuffs, etc.) during the haul.
Use regular packing tape or shrink wrap to secure the furniture blankets onto the dryer.
Step 8. Load the dryer onto the dolly
Moving a dryer without a dolly is not really possible so you should stick to the tried-and-true method of moving the heavy appliance by loading it first onto a moving dolly.
Together with your helper, tilt the clothes dryer slowly sideways until there’s enough room to slide the appliance dolly underneath it, and then use traps to tie up the appliance to the dolly. Finally, tilt the dolly backward until it’s well balanced on the rubber tires and ready to be wheeled out of the home.
Ideally, you will want to load the dryer onto the dolly from its side and not from its back or front where the chance of accidental damage is way higher.
Step 9. Maneuver the dryer out of the home
Check twice whether the dryer is secured well onto the appliance dolly before moving it out of the house. If you have to go up or down stairs, be extremely careful, proceed slowly, go only one little step at a time, and get your friend to keep the load balanced at all times.
Remember to keep the dryer in an upright position when moving it. It’s a risk to lay down the dryer on its side since its drum could get misaligned and that could lead to more serious damage later on.
Step 10. Load the dryer onto the truck
When you reach the moving vehicle, use the loading ramp to get the dryer safely inside the truck. Have your helper push the loaded dolly and you’re pulling it from the front.
Once inside, strap the bulky appliance to the side of the truck to keep it immobilized during the relocation trip. Feel free to use rope instead of straps but be sure to reach the same goal – keeping the dryer secured in one place for the haul ahead.
Dryers, similar to washers, are pretty big and heavy appliances that are very difficult to move to another home. If you feel nervous about the whole idea of moving a dryer by yourself, then trust a top-rated mover near you to get the job done quickly and safely.
See also: How to pack a laundry room for moving
