Appliances Electronics Moving Your Computer Items Graebel Cannot Move Valuables/Collectibles

Your PreMove Planning Guide This section instructs you on how to prepare for your move. Please read it carefully as it explains how to prepare and protect your appliances, electronics and computers for transport, as well as what can and can't be moved by Graebel. Appliances If more than simply unplugging is required - we do not recommend that you service/disconnect large gas or electric appliances. If done incorrectly, this can pose a hazard to you and to those who might enter your home after your departure. All power and energy services should be shut off prior to connecting/disconnecting or removal. Air Conditioners Consult an authorized dealer or service person familiar with your particular model. Sealed units should be bolted down. Dryers (Electric or Gas) Check with your service person. Motors may need to be checked and secured. Freezers These must be completely defrosted at least two days prior to moving, dried and aired to avoid musty odor. Safety of contents cannot be guaranteed, so it is best to empty your freezer and plan meals to use perishable contents prior to pack days. Check with your service person to be sure the motor is bolted, if necessary. Refrigerators Defrost and thoroughly dry inside before moving. This is very important. Doors should be left open several hours to air after defrosting. All pans, trays, crispers, shelves, or removable parts should be removed and wrapped individually. Have your refrigerator serviced. The motor may need to be bolted down before moving. Do not plug it in at the new home until it has been unbolted. Sewing Machines For long-distance moves, if left in the cabinet, the machine head may pull loose from its mounts. Therefore, it should be removed, padded and packed. Stoves Gas stoves must be serviced by an authorized party. Electric stoves must be disconnected prior to pickup. Removable coils (and all other removable parts) must be packed separately. Washers Washers must be serviced by an authorized party. Motors should be checked and secured, tumbler action protected and fastened in place. Back to top Electronics Whenever possible, it's best to pack electronics in the original boxes. If you have owner's manuals, refer to them for any special moving instructions. Compact Disc/Digital Video Disc Player It is your responsibility to remove all disks and magazines from the player, as well as locking the unit (most players have a lock underneath the unit) prior to packing to prevent transit damage due to vibration. The player should be packed flat, not on its side. Television Sets Some must be serviced both before and after the move. Antennas and small dishes should be removed from roof tops and disassembled (if necessary). Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) VCR doors should be closed (DO NOT push open with paper), and tapes removed. The unit must be packed flat, not on its side. Home Theaters It is recommended that you mark all home theater cables and corresponding ports with colored tape or stickers to make re-assembly at your new home a breeze! In addition, check with your satellite dish service provider - some will provide a free dish at your new home as long as you leave the existing one intact at your current residence. If your provider doesn't offer this option, ask your Customer Service Coordinator if your company authorizes satellite dish transport. Back to top Moving Your Computer Before moving your personal computer, there are certain procedures you must follow to protect your system from mechanical failure or damage due to normal physical shock which occurs during transport. These guidelines, provided in part by the American Moving and Storage Association, are your responsibility and should be taken prior to pack day so your computer is ready for packing: Floppy Disk Drive It is important to remove any inserted disk from the floppy disk drive. Nothing should be inserted into the drive in preparation for transport. The drive should be left empty. CD ROM Drive Remove all CD's from your drive before packing and return to their cases. Hard Disk For a computer with an operating system prior to Windows 95, contact the manufacturer's Technical Support for specific shipping instructions. These systems may need to "park and lock" their recording heads prior to shipping to prevent damage to the hard disk. For a computer with an operating system of Windows 95 or higher, there is no need to manually "park and lock" the recording heads. This is done automatically when the system is shut down. Apple (Macintosh) computer owners should review the owner's manual or contact Apple technical support for shipping preparation instructions. Back it Up! Before disconnecting any computer system, it is your responsibility to BACK-UP ALL DATA. If the hard drive is damaged during transport, data could be lost. Lost or damaged data can be replaced if the system has been properly backed-up. Several methods are available, including copying all files to floppy disks or Zip® disks, using a DAT drive and tape or using a CD recorder to copy the data on to a CD. Packing/Shipping Preparation For ALL computers, regardless of the operating system, be sure to properly shut down the system (turn it off). Before unplugging power cables, it's a good idea to label each cord and its port with color-coded stickers, so the system can be easily reassembled when it reaches your new home. Contact the computer manufacturer for additional instructions. Your system's original packing carton is the best choice because the rigid styrofoam packing materials holds the system securely in place. If not available, Graebel will provide ample protection for transporting the system. Back to top Moving a Printer/Copier/Fax Machine Remove all paper from any printer or combo unit to prevent paper jams in the equipment components during transport. Original shipping containers are best. Refer to the owner's manual for special instructions. Laser printers or combination units Remove the toner cartridge. This prevents the open cartridge from spilling toner during transport, which can cause damage. Inkjet printers Can be transported with the toner cartridge in tact. The paper should be removed. Pin printers Remove the print head and ink cartridge before transport. Other peripherals Again, original shipping containers are best. Refer to your owner's manual for special instructions for moving scanners, external drives, speakers and so forth. Back to top Items Graebel Cannot Move Graebel is committed to safely transporting your belongings. As required by law, we cannot transport potentially hazardous items - including typical household cleaning products that can produce deadly gases or spontaneous combustion when mixed with other chemicals. If you have any of the following items, please separate from your other goods prior to pack day. All battery products All household cleaning products containing ammonia or bleach Combustible liquids such as antifreeze compounds, Camphor oil, disinfectants, type cleaners (fluids containing combustible material, e.g., spot cleaners for clothing, liquid cleaners for office machines, etc.) Corrosive liquids such as acids (photographic), etching acid, iron/steel rust preventing compounds, sulfuric acid, suriatic acid Explosives such as small arms, ammunition, black powder, brick matches, brick noisemakers, cigarette loads, dynamite, plastic, or similar explosives, explosive auto alarms, explosive flash bulbs, fireworks, primers, smokeless powder, souvenir explosives, spear guns with charged heads Flammables such as adhesives, aerosol cans, charcoal briquettes, cleaning fluids, compound three-weed killers, enamel, gasoline, hand-signal flares, kerosene, lacquer, leather dressing or bleach, lighter fluids, pocket charcoal camp stove, lamp or torch, matches, oil stains, paint, paint/varnish remover, petroleum products (kerosene, gas, oil), photographic flash bulbs/lamps, polishes (metal, stove, wood), propane tanks, or other gas items utilized for cooking/heating, shellac, shoe polish (liquid), solvents, stains, turpentine, varnish, windshield solvent, wines, wood filler Compressed Gases such as engine-starting fluids, fire extinguishers, welding gases Rags soaked in flammable or corrosive substances Scuba diving tanks may be shipped as household goods (provided they have been purged and are completely empty) It is recommended that all foodstuffs, whether fresh, frozen, dried or canned, be considered perishable and excluded from non-temporary storage. Back to top Valuable Items Graebel is not responsible for loss or damage to valuable items such as, but not limited to this list and cannot ship under any circumstances: Cash Checks - personal/bank Coin collections Collector's memorabilia Credit cards Fur coats Jewelry, watches Stamp collections Valuable or rare documents, i.e. tax papers, bank loans Collectibles, Artwork and Other Valuables Ask your Customer Service Coordinator about special transit protection steps and coverage for these valuable items: Antiques China Computer Software Crystal Figurines Fine Art Oriental Rugs Silver Service Sets Back to top