Truth in Labeling

New refrigerator? Moving an old one? “This end up” means “this end up”!

Wilbur and Orville Wright made their historic first flight in 1903. While concerned with getting and staying airborne — which lasted for only a minute — they were equally worried about landing — and staying intact — right side up. “This end up” is an important consideration with many other things too — as when moving a refrigerator, freezer, air conditioner, or even a furnace.

Those big, bold warnings printed on their shipping containers are no joke, and should not be ignored. When these appliances are laid on their sides, oil in the compressor leaks out into the housing and out of the unit completely. The result? Lubrication problems. If you run the unit without allowing it to stand upright for at least 24 hours (so the oil can drain back down where it belongs), compressor oil can also seep into other areas where it doesn’t belong — like into electrical coils in the motor. Pay attention to “this-end-up” box warnings and don’t forget this motto when moving older items as well.

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