Everything You Need to Know About Refrigerator Installation

One of the more challenging parts of buying a new appliance is the installation. They’re usually bulky, heavy, and have a multitude of parts that must be set up in fully functional order at the installation point. Thankfully, refrigerator installation is one of the easier home improvement tasks, with moving the fridge being the most complicated part for some homes. Here’s everything you need to know to install your new refrigerator.

Before You Get Started

The first step in learning how to install a refrigerator will always be to read the manufacturer’s instructions. There may be parts that must be ordered separately from the initial purchase, or a specific order to the installation process with smart devices, both of which may influence how you proceed with the installation. After that, gather your tools and make sure you have all the information you need to begin.

Tools & Materials

• Level
• Electric drill
• Adjustable wrench
• Pliers
• Screwdrivers
• Hand-truck or dolly
• Moving straps
• Furniture mover pads
• Buckets, trays, towels
• Packing tape

Refrigerator Sizes and Installation Measurements

Whether you’re installing into an alcove or just at the end of the kitchen counter, check the measurements for the refrigerator sizes ahead of time to ensure that the new refrigerator will fit without damaging the doors or the cabinets. This includes the width, height, and depth of the place where it is to be placed. The standard size for a refrigerator changes depending on the cubic footage of the appliance. You can expect standard refrigerator sizes to fit somewhere within this range:

• Width: minimum of 28 ¾“ to a maximum of 39 ¾”
• Height: minimum of 61 ¾” to a maximum of 71 ¼”
• Depth: minimum of 28 ¾ to a maximum of 34 5/8”

The location of the appliance should allow the footprint width and depth of the refrigerator, its height from the bottom edge to the top, and the door swing or drawer depth into the walkway in front of the refrigerator. For instance, French door refrigerators will need extra space on both sides of the refrigerator to allow for the hinges to fully open the doors, while top mount refrigerators can be placed closer to a wall, and bottom freezer refrigerators will need plenty of extra space in front of the appliance and take up the walking area of narrow kitchens.

These additional measurements will vary depending on the type of refrigerator you choose, based on the width of the doors and the type of hinges they use. We put together a quick reference guide for more information on choosing the right refrigerator for your kitchen space.

A refrigerator can overheat without proper ventilation around the coils, damaging the appliance. If the refrigerator is going into an alcove, plan an extra half inch on all sides, including the sides, top, and back of the appliance, to allow for airflow and ventilation. Make sure the floor is completely level and the fridge can be centered in the installation area.

Additional Prep

With the refrigerator size and measurements in hand, check the doorways, hallways, and stairs between the delivery point and the installation point. Make sure there is a clear pathway to move the refrigerator through the house, and that it will fit through doorframes, along with the hand trucks or other appliance movers required to safely move it to the kitchen. If necessary, you can remove most doors from their hinges in order to widen the doorways enough to maneuver the refrigerator through.

Some smart refrigerators may require professional installation and setup to make sure your household can tap into the connected features. Connected kitchens often feature smart refrigerators as a central feature so it’s important they are setup correctly to the network of other smart home appliances. For more ideas and tips on incorporating smart home technology alongside the new refrigerator, we put together this smart kitchen buying guide for your reference.

Many appliance retailers will include installation as a free service option upon delivery. If this option is available, and your schedule allows it, it’s a good idea to let the professionals handle the installation. Some will even haul away the old refrigerator as part of the deal, saving you money on disposal fees. Just remember to check for service fees or charges ahead of time when you schedule it.

How to Disconnect an Old Refrigerator

If you’ve bought a new refrigerator, you probably need to make space for it by moving the existing refrigerator out of the way. That isn’t as simple as it sounds, because refrigerators are quite heavy, and used refrigerators have the added complication of food and ice tucked away inside. As a result, allow plenty of time to prepare for moving an old refrigerator out of the kitchen.

Before Moving the Old Refrigerator

The process should start 24 hours before the appliance is moved to make sure the freezer has time to thaw out and the chemicals have time to settle. You may have to move the refrigerator away from the wall a few feet to fully access everything behind the refrigerator. From there, it’s just a few quick steps to get have everything prepared properly.

1. Turn off the ice maker. The ice already in progress will need time to melt and empty out the ice maker before things can be moved, to avoid damaging the appliance.
2. Move the fridge away from the wall. It’s best to put the support feet on a piece of cardboard or towel to help move the appliance without marking the floor.
3. Unplug the refrigerator from the wall. Tape the cord to the side of the refrigerator to keep it out of the way.
4. Turn off the water supply at the valve that routes to the ice maker. This may be located near the kitchen sink or behind the refrigerator, depending on the layout of your plumbing and where the refrigerator water line is connected.

Once the thaw out has begun, remove food from the refrigerator and freezer shelf sections so that the refrigerator is entirely empty. Wipe down the insides to clean off the grime of use. Remove the shelves and the storage drawers to keep the weight down and to prevent anything breaking or being damaged when you move the old refrigerator out of the house.

Disconnecting the Water Line

Once everything is thawed out, one of the first things you want to do before removing an old refrigerator is to disconnect the water hook up for the fridge. This is an easy first step, no matter what kind of refrigerator you’re dealing with.

1. Locate the water supply line that feeds into the refrigerator at the back. It will be either copper line or a clear/white tubing.
2. Once located, set out a bucket, pan, or towels under the area of the water line to protect the floor.
3. For copper wire, use pliers to unscrew the refrigerator’s water line from the water supply at the compression fitting. If it’s the clear or white flexible tubing with a push-fitting, look for the quick-release connector. These fittings have a disk insert at either end that push inward. Push the disk into the connector and pull on the hose in order to trigger the release.
4. Empty the water line into the bucket or other ready surface.
5. Install a stopper into the water supply line and seal it with tape to prevent any accidents if the water valve is turned on too early.
6. Be sure to tape the emptied ice maker supply line to the refrigerator to move it safely.

Next, remove the refrigerator doors. Especially when dealing with larger refrigerator sizes, removing the doors makes it easier to move the appliance and is generally safer for storage purposes. If it is a refrigerator with a front-facing water dispenser, first disconnect the tubing that feeds the water supply to the in-door water dispenser. This hose is usually located under the grill along the bottom of the refrigerator.

1. Remove the grill grating. This may require unscrewing the grill plate, activating a tension release spring, or it may simply be lifted away. Some are only accessible when the refrigerator doors are open. Other refrigerators my conceal the water hose under hinge covers. It will vary by model.
2. Once the supply hose is exposed, pull it out to where it is easily worked with.
3. Look for the push-fitting, or quick-release that holds the supply hoses connected. As with the water supply line, press inward on the ends of the push-fittings, toward the center, until one end of the pipe releases.
4. Drain the water line from the tubing, using a bucket or some other method to keep it off the floor.

Once the door feeder water line is disconnected and emptied, locate the hinges on the doors and remove the doors. Dry out the interior of the refrigerator and freezer to prevent mold growth.

How to Dispose of Refrigerators

There are multiple ways to dispose of refrigerators, whether they are still in working condition or beyond repair. A common one is to reuse a working refrigerator in another room, such as a den or garage flex room. When the refrigerator is still in good working condition, consider donating it to charity. Many charities will have their own haul-away service for larger donations.

When you purchase a new refrigerator, many retailers will include a removal service with the installation. Another option is to recycle it with a recycling facility that can handle large appliances. Look into the EPA’s Responsible Appliance Disposal Program, or the RAD Program, to find participating agencies in your area.

These programs reclaim or destroy the parts and chemicals of the appliances, such as safely dealing with the refrigerant, mercury, foams, and others, while the recyclable materials like the glass and plastic are saved.

For a fee, some garbage disposal companies will remove larger appliances for you. Call to find out if any providers in your local area offer this service.

Refrigerator Installation

The most time-consuming part of any refrigerator installation is likely to be the delivery and preparation. A refrigerator can weigh between 200 to 400 pounds, which complicates getting them up driveways and porch steps and around the kitchen island to their eventual permanent home in the kitchen.

Here are a few important tips for moving the refrigerator safely:

• Unpack the refrigerator outside, where there’s plenty of room. Remove the interior shelves, drawers, and extra packaging to avoid moving the extra weight.
• It’s also a good idea to remove the refrigerator doors entirely to both lighten the total weight and to prevent accidents if they aren’t secured properly. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding the water supply lines before removing doors if there’s an in-door dispenser.
• Always team-move refrigerators with the help of at least two adults.
• Always move a refrigerator using a dolly, hand truck, or other furniture movers.
• Protect and secure the refrigerator properly. This requires using towels or blankets to protect the sides from the hand truck, as well as strapping the appliance to the dolly securely.
• When moving the dolly, keep it at a 45-degree angle to best distribute the weight and avoid hurting yourself. Have a spotter to help keep the refrigerator balanced and centered on the hand truck.
• Always clear the path to the kitchen ahead of time. This includes preparing steps and stairs with ramps to help lift the hand truck between levels. It’s best to walk backward when moving the dolly up an incline.
• Protect the floors with plywood, cardboard, or towels to avoid scratching or damaging the floor.

Finally, before you move the new refrigerator into the house, verify the refrigerator size against the available space in the alcove or installation location. It’s a good idea to manually measure the refrigerator you received to make sure the appliance will fit in the available space before you move it in case any adjustments have to be made to accommodate it in your kitchen.

Can You Lay A Refrigerator Down?

If you’re wondering if you can lay a refrigerator down to move it, the quick answer is that, no, it should not be moved or stored on its side. It is very important to always keep the refrigerator upright while it is being moved. The oil and refrigerant will cause damage if they leak into the system because the unit was set down wrong.

Important safety tips:

• If a refrigerator must be transported on the side, do not leave it that way for more than 8 hours at a time.
• If a refrigerator was set on its side at any point during moving it, do not plug it in for at least 24 hours once it has arrived at the installation location.

How to Set Up A New Refrigerator

Once the refrigerator is in the kitchen, there are still a few more steps before the project is done. When placing the refrigerator, it’s a good idea to leave it on the towel or cardboard to protect the floor until it can be moved into place.

A few tips for easier refrigerator setup:

• Plan to let it sit in place in the kitchen for 12 to 24 hours to allow the chemicals to settle before plugging the appliance in.
• Position the fridge near the permanent location and leave it pulled out enough that you can access the back and the wall behind it. Leave yourself enough room to move easily around it and make sure you can easily reach the water supply line and electrical outlet.
• Some refrigerator models have an adjustable evaporator coil at the back of the unit. Adjust this section slightly to make sure that the coils have plenty of airflow to avoid overheating the motor or fans.

Lastly, replace the refrigerator doors and arrange the interior shelving. This may require connecting the water feeders between the refrigerator and the door. Once that’s done, check that the doors can open and move fully and will hold a seal when closed correctly.

How to Install A New Refrigerator

With the refrigerator in place and settled for a few hours, it’s ready to finally install and turn on. Collect the required parts before you get started. The manufacturers’ instructions should indicate what pieces should be at hand, such as the electrical cord and the water supply line.

Note that water supply line kits aren’t always included when you buy your refrigerator and may need to be purchased ahead of time. If you’re swapping a new refrigerator in for an old one, the supply lines of the former installation may be reused if the tubing is in good condition. When in doubt, it’s better to use a new supply line.

To install a new refrigerator with a water or ice dispenser, you’ll need to access the back of the appliance to connect the copper or plastic tubing water line from the refrigerator to your home’s existing water line. This is usually done using compression fittings, which lock the tube onto the supply line and can be tightened into place.

With a compression fitting, a straight brass sleeve is fit inside the water feed tubing to keep it from collapsing or pinching. A compression nut slips over the tube and then locks over the compression sleeve after the plastic tubing is attached to the water valve. Tighten the nut with an adjustable wrench. Do not pinch or crimp the tube over the valve.

The other end of the tube then attaches to the refrigerator supply line. This can be done with either the quick-release push-fittings, or with the compression fitting in the same way as it attached to the water valve.

There will likely be extra length of the water supply line. Don’t cut the tubing as the extra is needed for when the refrigerator must be moved away from the wall. Leave it coiled and hanging from the back of the fridge if possible.

Once the water supply is connected, plug in the electrical cord. Next, make sure the cables and tubing don’t get pinched or trapped, and slide the refrigerator into place properly. Ensure that it is level and adjust the leveling feet as necessary, depending on the model specifications.

The final step is to set the temperature and complete any additional setup customizations required for smart devices

Refrigerator Water Line Installation

If your refrigerator installation is swapping out an older model, the process is simple. The existing water supply is attached to the refrigerator and it’s ready to go. For other installations, when the water line might not be as immediately accessible for the new unit, it may be necessary to also pre-install the water supply line from the house water supply.

The refrigerator water supply feeds directly from the home’s plumbing, which may require cutting a hole in the kitchen floor to access the plumbing pipes below or in the walls to feed the tubing through. A refrigerator water line installation can be done by either cutting a section of the pipe to install a new valve connector, or by using a saddle valve. Saddle valves do not require cutting a section out of the plumbing but for both types of valve, the water line to the house should be turned off while you work with the addition.

The saddle valve can be used on the water pipes under the floor, or it can be used to tap into the pipe under the kitchen sink, if there is enough feed line between the refrigerator and the kitchen sink. To install refrigerator water lines using the kitchen sink plumbing, the tubing that runs from the sink may require cutting the cabinets in between and installing the tubing in a way that protects the water line from drawers or stored items under the cabinets.

A saddle valve is tightened into place as a clamp around the pipe. The valve parts twist into the plumbing line until it pierces the pipe, allowing water to flow through the small, pierced hole into the valve that feeds to the refrigerator. After installing a saddle valve, drain water through the valve to clear out any residual copper or debris from the cut before attaching it to the supply tube that runs to your refrigerator.

Connecting to the water line is something that can be complicated, depending on the plumbing layout of your home. If the home’s water line is tapped into incorrectly, it can leak, which can lead to costly water damage. There are many variables which may make it worthwhile to call in an experienced handyman or plumber to customize properly and avoid potential problems.