Summer is one of the busiest seasons for moving, and the hot weather can add extra planning to a long distance relocation. At National Van Lines, our cross country movers help families plan routes and make timing and packing decisions to deal with the realities of summer heat.
According to National Van Lines’ internal data, June accounts for 96% of the busy season, also called “peak season.” Oftentimes families can more easily plan a move during the summer months, as school is not in session and the weather is more predictable.
What Makes a Summer Long Distance Move Different
The heat during a summer move might be more intense than you expect. A long distance move can mean several days on the road, sometimes passing through various climate conditions, with your belongings exposed to changing temperatures the whole way.
National Van Lines has been moving families long distance for nearly a century. We know how important it is to plan for all kinds of weather, including extreme heat during the summer months. Keep reading to learn about how to plan and pack, and how National Van Lines uses its expertise to help.
How to Plan and Pack for Summer Heat
Well before you get to moving day, you should understand how to organize and pack in a way that allows your belongings to withstand any temperature, including extreme heat. When it comes to planning, you’ll want to speak with your National Van Lines MovePro coordinator about the following.
- If your move falls during summer months, what’s the earliest available loading window?
- Since long distance routes may cross time zones and pass through areas with different weather patterns, what kind of delivery windows can you expect?
- If your arrival day is going to be extremely hot, how will it affect the situation? Checking the general forecast for your new address can help you plan ahead, especially if the heat index is going to be high.
What Not to Pack in a Hot Moving Truck
While professional movers wrap and protect your furniture, certain household items cannot survive the temperature inside a standard transport trailer. The interior of these trailers can easily climb to 30 degrees hotter than the temperature outside.
To be safe, keep the following items in your air-conditioned personal vehicle rather than packed up in the moving truck.
- Wax & Meltables – Candles, crayons, cosmetics and vinyl records.
- Pressurized Cans – Aerosols, hairspray and carbonated beverages, as these items can burst under extreme heat.
- Delicate Electronics – Tablets, laptops and external hard drives. Extreme heat can degrade battery life and even warp internal components.
- Important Medications – Temperature changes can degrade medications and alter the way they work. It’s safest to keep them with you in a cooler environment, such as your own air-conditioned vehicle.
Because timing, packing and preparation all matter during peak season, getting ready for a summer move early can help the whole process feel more manageable.
Summer Moving Questions Customers Often Ask
Heat can affect what you pack, how you plan, and what you keep with you during a long distance move. These questions cover a few of the most common summer moving concerns.
1. Is summer a bad time to move long distance?
No. Summer is the most popular and highest-demand season for long distance moves, largely because of school schedules and reliable weather. It does call for some extra planning to address higher temperatures, but that’s a scheduling question, not a reason to avoid a summer move.
2. Can I ship my plants during a long distance move?
Most long distance movers, including National Van Lines, recommend transporting plants yourself. Multi-day transit in a truck is hard on plants, regardless of the season.
3. Will my electronics be safe in a hot truck for several days?
Movers take steps to protect electronics in transit, but extended heat exposure is a real factor on long distance routes. Flag any particularly sensitive electronics with your move coordinator in advance.
4. Does summer heat affect my delivery window?
Long distance delivery windows already account for distance and route, and move coordinators factor in seasonal conditions like summer heat when setting realistic timing expectations.
How National Van Lines Plans for Every Climate
Summer heat is nothing new to National Van Lines. We have coordinated moves through desert heat, muggy springtimes and humid summers, and that experience shapes how we plan a route, not just how we load a truck.
As an employee-owned company, the people planning your route and loading your truck have a direct stake in getting it right. That accountability matters the most on moves with the most variables, and a summer long distance move has plenty of them.
A mover that has handled only local moves has not had to consider multi-day heat exposure, climate changes across a route, or how timing decisions on day one affect a delivery three states away—that’s a different kind of expertise.
Hot Weather Corridors to Watch During a Summer Move
Some routes see more summer heat than others, and a few of them happen to be among the routes National Van Lines handles most.
National Van Lines’ busiest corridor is from California to Texas, and it’s also a route where summer heat is a real factor on both ends. Families relocating along this corridor in the summer months often move through the deserts of the Southwest. For example, a move from Southern California to Texas may take you through areas like the Mojave or Sonoran Deserts, where temperatures can be at extreme ends, depending on whether it’s daytime or night.
Florida is National Van Lines’ top destination state overall, and a long distance move ending in a hot, humid climate calls for the same kind of planning that considers delivery timing, item sensitivity, and what the last leg of the trip will actually feel like for your belongings.
For general information on extreme heat and how to prepare for it, the National Weather Service publishes current heat safety guidance that’s worth reviewing before a summer move.
Knowing that your specific route runs through serious summer heat lets you plan for it in advance, rather than discovering it around 6 hours into the drive. Experienced long haul movers can help account for the season, the route, and the temperature safety parameters of the items being moved.
Plan Your Summer Move With National Van Lines
Ready to schedule your long distance move? Get a free quote from National Van Lines or call 800-323-1962 and let our team build a plan that accounts for the season, the route, and everything in-between.