Picture this: You’ve just finished installing a hardwood floor in a kitchen. The finish has cured nicely, and the end product is beautiful. This is a job that you’re proud of–you’ve even hired a professional photographer to take pictures of it in a few days.

Now all that’s left to do is to move the fridge back into the kitchen. You had moved it into the client’s living room a few days ago to start the installation.

And then the unthinkable happens.

After struggling to put the fridge back in place with a hand truck, you turn around and see that you’ve left two deep scratches in the finish.

You examine the hand truck and find the culprit: a bit of grit on the wheels.

You can call this a lesson learned, and inspect your moving equipment for defects and debris before using it next time. But a much better way of protecting yourself from another fatal mistake is to invest in a machine that makes moving appliances a foolproof endeavor.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could somehow get heavy appliances to hover above the ground?

The Crain 280 Heavy Duty Air Lifter does something similar to that. It lifts up to 800 pounds on a cushion of air. Eliminating contact with the appliance and the ground, the 280 HD Air Lifter simply provides the safest way of moving heavy appliances across a hardwood floor.

How does it work?

The HD Air Lifter uses a two-horsepower blower to lift the appliance off the floor, allowing you push it with ease on a set of nonmarking appliance movers. This protects your floors and your back.

The Air Lifter makes it easy to move appliances with low clearance, like a refrigerator sitting beneath cabinets. It’s also great for items with overhangs because it lets you clear the height of surrounding objects, like countertops, with ease.

A simple knob allows you to adjust the height at which the appliance is lifted in the air.

The Crain 280 HD Air Lifter set includes two appliance movers, a T-connector, three hoses, a carpet slider adapter kit, and a strap for the motor.

Other ways to protect yourself

Next time you do an installation or refinishing job, don’t risk the chance of scratching the floor. Allow a machine to do all the heavy lifting for you. You’ll save yourself from strain or injury, and protect the integrity of the floors you’re working on.

Protecting yourself from injury on the job is bigger than just using the Crain Air Lifter, however. There are other pieces of equipment you can use to protect your body, including kneepads and hearing protection such as earmuffs and earplugs, all of which are wise investments for contractors.

You can go one step further and start practices that will also help you keep your body nimble! One idea is trying yoga to help keep your muscles strong enough to support you through the rest of your working life. Click here to read a Wood Floor Business article about a wood floor contractor’s experience with using yoga to help relieve his back pain. Of course, yoga is not for everyone, and you should consult with your physician before trying it out or beginning any exercise program or regimen.

See it in action in the video above. Call City Floor Supply for more information at 610-940-5757 or email info@cityfloorsuppply.com.

View the Crain 280 HD Air Lifter in our online store, where you can shop 24/7.