Six steps to move a stove
- Shut off the supply. Turn off the gas valve or the circuit breaker, and let the stove cool completely.
- Disconnect safely. Unplug an electric range, and have a qualified technician disconnect a gas line and cap it.
- Empty and clean. Remove racks and drawers, clean the oven and tape the door closed with painter's tape.
- Pull it forward. Slide the range out on a protective sheet or cardboard so the floor is not scratched, and check behind it.
- Dolly and strap. Tilt it back onto an appliance dolly, strap it and move it with two people, keeping it upright.
- Install and secure. At the new home, have the connection made by a qualified technician and attach the anti-tip bracket.
A range is heavy, has fuel or power connections and is tall enough to tip. Treat it as two jobs: the utility work, which belongs with a qualified person, and the carrying, which belongs with enough hands and a dolly.
Gas needs a professional
Gas lines should be disconnected, capped and reconnected by a qualified technician or the gas utility, and the connection should be leak-tested before the stove is used. Do not try to bypass this for a quick move. If you smell gas, leave the home and call the gas company from outside.
The anti-tip bracket
Ranges come with an anti-tip device that stops the stove from tipping forward when a door is opened and weight is applied. The Consumer Product Safety Commission advises that it is installed and checked after every move or cleaning. Ask the installer to confirm it is in place.
Glass tops and doors
Glass-top ranges chip at the edges. Cover the top with cardboard and tape the door shut. Remove oven racks and wrap them separately. Moving a stove also moves the floor under it, so lay a protective sheet along the path.
Appliances with a crew
Ranges, refrigerators and washers are among the household appliances a moving crew handles. O'Brien's moves them as part of a move; see household appliance moving and how to move a dishwasher. Ask the estimator how gas and electrical connections are handled.