Get Your Space Ready for Your New Appliance in 5 Easy Steps
Bringing home a new appliance should be an exciting milestone, not a stressful ordeal. By taking a little time to plan ahead, you can sidestep common delivery and installation hiccups. Whether it’s ensuring your space is ready, communicating with the right people, or double-checking critical details, a smooth installation starts with preparation. Let’s dive into the steps that will save you time, effort, and potentially costly mistakes.
Why do this?
Preparing ahead of time creates a safe and accessible environment for your delivery team.
Thinking out how appliances are going to be delivered and installed helps you to anticipate and solve any potential problems.
Having a plan in place is key to preventing damage to your new appliances during delivery.
General Tips
Make Plans For Your Old Appliance
Are you going to be uninstalling it yourself or having someone else do it? Where is it going to be taken? Do you plan on moving it before your new appliance comes or will you be disposing of it afterwards? Do you plan to have a service take care of this? All of these are questions that you want to know ahead of time to reduce the amount of stress you deal with.
Talk To Your Sales Associate Ahead Of Time
When you purchase your appliances make sure to tell your sales associate of any potential hurdles. Will your deliver y need to be on a second floor? Are you expecting them to relocate your old appliance? Do they have to move any venting?
Details like this can add to the delivery and installation of your new appliances and needs to be accounted for in scheduling. Not only for your sake but for the dispatch department. By talking to your sales associate when you make your purchase you make your life easier and everyone else's.
Map a Path for the New Appliance
Plan out the path that will come from the door that the delivery men will come through all the way to where the appliance will be located. You can do this backwards or forwards to give your brain the best way to see any hurdles. Once you've figured out the path you expect the delivery to take clear that path of anything and everything for at least two feet on either side. This includes the obvious thing like toys and wires, but also rugs or furniture. Remember that if worst comes to worst it is possible to take door hinges off and remove doors from your route.
Inspect Your Space For The Proper Hookups
Once you have your path mapped out, go back to where the new appliances going to be located. Do you have the proper electrical outlets that your new appliances going to need? For example do you need a 110 volt outlet, a 220 volt outlet, or something entirely different because you opted to purchase something brand new on the market? While ideally you'll ask that question while you're in store it doesn't hurt to triple-check now. If this is a water-based appliance, do you have a water hookup within reach of where the appliance is going to sit? Do you have a gas hookup if that's necessary?
So long as you're doing this ahead of installation day, you should be able to fix any problems that arise if the answer to any of these questions is no.
Double-Check Your Appliance Cutout Dimensions
Ideally, this should actually be done before you make a final purchase, but let's say that you didn't. Take the dimensions of your new appliance and make sure that they match the space where they're supposed to go. Is the space big enough? Does the appliance have room to breathe? (This is especially important if you're dealing with a refrigerator, freezer or dryer.) Can all appropriate outlets and hookups be reached?
Secure Or Move Any Fragile Items Or Valuables
Finally on the day of delivery, make sure to secure or move any fragile items or any valuables that could be accidentally damaged during the delivery process.
Appliance Specific Tips
In the section we are looking at tips when you're preparing for a specific appliance. Although there aren't many that don't apply in the last section, there are a few.
Washers
If you're getting a washer make sure that you have a three-pronged, 110 volt outlet at the location. You also need to make sure that you have both hot and cold water valves within at most 4 feet of the washer. You also want to make sure that the faucets are functioning and that the drain pipe is clear of any blockages.
Electric & Gas Dryers
If you're getting an electric dryer, check the space for a three or four prong 220 volt outlet, as well as the necessary ventilation port.
If you're getting a gas dryer you need a 110 volt outlet and still the same ventilation port. You also need to make sure there's a gas shut off valve right behind the dryer and that it is in proper working order.
No matter which type of dryer you're getting, you want to make sure that the venting path is clear of anything and will match the requirement of your new dryer. You also need to clear the area of lint or other debris to prevent fire hazards.
Refrigerators and Dishwashers
Make sure that you have a three-pronged 110 volt outlet. Also, if your new refrigerator has a ice maker or water line, you'll need a water shut-off valve within 6 ft that's working.
For dishwashers, start by making sure that there is a pathway for venting steam. You'll also need to make sure that there is a source of hot water, a drain connection and an electrical outlet within 6 ft.
Electric & Gas Ranges
If you're getting an electric range, all you have to check for is that you have a vent hood, as well as a three or four prong 220 volt outlet.
If on the other hand you're getting a gas range, you need a 110 volt outlet as well as a gas shut off valve right behind the range. If you don't already have gas when you purchase a gas range, you will have to have that run before you can have the appliance installed.
A little forethought goes a long way when it comes to preparing for a new appliance. By ensuring your home is ready, you can enjoy the benefits of your new purchase without unnecessary headaches. If you run into any appliance issues down the road or need help with repairs, our team at Appliance Rescue Service is here to lend a hand. With expert technicians ready to assist, we’ll help keep your home running smoothly so you can focus on what matters most.