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How to properly pack electrical equipment

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How to properly pack electrical equipment

A man carrying packed cardboard boxes.

Whether you are moving or you simply need to transport your electrical equipment to another location, some danger is involved in the process of shipping such items. As they are usually expensive, you will want to protect them from harm. Otherwise, even hitting a small bump on the road on the way toward your destination could cause significant damage. So, you will need to do what you can in order to properly pack electrical equipment.

Especially so if you will be moving and, thus, taking plenty of such pieces of equipment with you. Not taking the extra time and effort to properly pack electrical devices is certainly one of the mistakes to avoid when selling your house. That is why we have prepared this guide on how to pack electrical equipment so that it is safe from harm during shipping or transport.

Preparing for packing your electrical equipment

Cords

Before you can pack electrical equipment, you first need to prepare it for the process. In all likelihood, there will be lots of cords necessary for the functioning of your electronic devices. After unplugging the cords, it can be easy to forget just where they were plugged in. Some devices come with many cords and with many respective ports in which they are to be inserted in. So, it is a good idea to take as many pictures of your cord setup as you think is necessary. Apart from cords, you can also take other pictures of your equipment before packing it, as this can prove to be useful in some cases.

Cords

While on the subject of cords, you can also acquire stickers in different colors, and then apply them to cords so that you know where each one goes (for example, apply the same-colored stickers to all the cords that will be connected to your speakers). Also, it may come in handy to learn about the electrical wiring color-coding system. Whether you decide to do this or not, you should definitely prepare the cords by folding them and using a rubber band to make sure that they are safely secured.

Preparing the equipment itself

Then, it is time to prepare your electrical equipment itself. Use electrical tape to make sure that the batteries are secured. Do not forget to turn off each and every device before packing.

However, just turning them off sometimes isn't enough, as there is a danger that the power buttons will get switched on during the process of shipping. So, you should also protect these buttons so that you eliminate the possibility of buttons being accidentally pressed during transport.

’On’ and ’Off’ buttons

Depending on the type of device that you are transporting, there are some specific tips that you should know:

  • If you will be transporting a computer, it is useful to back up all the files that you don't want to lose. You can use a USB drive or an external hard drive.
  • For printers, be sure to take out the ink or the toner.
  • For all electrical equipment that you needed the help of professionals to install, it may be a good idea to also pay professionals like Tik Tok Moving and Storage NYC to install them again.

How to pack electrical equipment

Once you have prepared your electrical equipment, you can start packing. As a rule, it would be best if you still had the packaging in which the equipment was originally placed. This packaging must follow obligatory safety standards, which is why it is the safest container for your electrical items. However, if you have gotten rid of or can't find the original packaging, you can still adequately protect the equipment. You will need sturdy cardboard boxes; after filling them with equipment, be sure to insert enough padding as well. For an additional measure of precaution, you can then place the box inside a larger one, while inserting additional padding to fill the gaps between the two boxes.

Cardboard boxes where you can pack electrical equipment

While some people may prefer using packing peanuts, you should avoid doing so. That is because packing peanuts won't keep your electrical equipment safe from static electricity. So, you should acquire bubble material that is specially made to resist static electricity, or some brown paper with small creases or wrinkles.

Apart from that, there are also plastic bags that are specially made to protect items from static, as well as dust. Carefully place your items inside such bags. Once you are done with that, use packing tape to seal the boxes. Pay attention that all boxes are completely sealed in order to avoid uncomfortable situations. Also, it can be useful to write down the contents of each box on the outside. If you can, it is best to avoid packing many heavy items inside each box, because they might be hard to carry. Try not to exceed approximately 30 pounds for each box. Although that is not always possible, doing so will make them easier to move.

Packing and shipping electrical devices when moving

Finally, you can both pack your equipment and then move it much more easily if you enlist the aid of reliable moving professionals. You can move anywhere in Brooklyn with proper help, while not having to worry about the safety of your items. Electrical equipment is not as easy to pack as most other items, but moving professionals have plenty of experience with such tasks. They can also save you plenty of time. The biggest difficulty with moving doesn't lie in the actual moving process, but in the toll it takes on your time. With professional assistance, on the other hand, the time lost is kept to a minimum.

Keep in mind, though, that you should ask the movers that they use climate-controlled vehicles for your move. High temperatures can be bad for electrical devices, so it can be dangerous to move them in hot weather unless the vehicle is climate-controlled.

Or, you can try doing everything on your own, which is possible, albeit much more difficult to handle. If you will be moving, you may also require home inspection services from licensed and certified home inspectors. Whatever you decide, we wish you good luck when it’s time to pack your electrical equipment and then transport it safely to its new home!

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