If you just bought some new items and need to get rid of your old appliances, what do you do? The fact is, you have other options besides junk hauling.

If you have decided to upgrade your appliances, then you also need to consider what to do with your old units. Or maybe you already have some old appliances still hanging around the house, in the garage, or the basement, simply taking up space. What are your options?

The Challenge of Used Appliance Disposal

There are several options when it comes to disposing of unwanted appliances, including calling a professional junk hauling company. But the appliances you need to consider actually getting rid of are:

• Appliances that are simply no longer working
• Appliances that have been recalled by manufacturers
• Those that are no longer complying with safety codes
• Any with noticeable hazards such as broken seals, frayed cords, or that overheat or smoke 

Because these appliances cannot be sold or donated, they have no real potential for re-use. Often, your only option for disposing of these kinds of appliance is dumping them at your local landfill and usually only if they qualify for certain recycling requirements.

Once any unusable appliances are properly disposed of you can actually have other options for your reusable appliances.

Getting Rid of Old Appliances - You Have Options

Perhaps your old appliances have only been briefly used and you simply need to find a new home for them. Maybe you are having to move and the new place is already outfitted with appliances. Your used, but workable appliances, still have value.

One option is that they can be sold as used, but working, appliances are usually very much in demand. You could try selling them in a garage or yard sale. However, don't expect to get even close to half the price you originally paid for an appliance, even if it has never been used. Depreciation is real and most people are going to be looking for bargain prices. 

On the other hand, if having a sale is not feasible for you, or something you'd rather not do, there are any number of non-profit groups, church or community thrift stores, and trash-to-treasure boutiques that would be glad to take them of your hands for free. Donating your used appliances can be a great alternative as many organizations will pick them up for you, saving you that chore.

If simply getting rid of an old appliance is your only concern, you should know there are businesses that will pick up used appliances and then dismantle them for the usable parts and recyclable materials. This is an option that can benefit you by eliminating the work of lifting, hauling, and dumping your old appliance, not to mention saving you the disposal fees you would probably have to pay at the landfill or disposal facility.

Yes, Your Old Appliance Be Recycled

Used appliances such as old washing machine and dryers can either be reused. Old appliances that are still usable and in good condition can be donated to any number of donation center and charities.  Working appliances such as refrigerators and ovens are especially in demand.

Sometimes, however, appliance recycling often makes more sense than donating them, especially if the equipment is energy inefficient or close to breaking down - if it hasn’t already. In those situations, the best option is to have the appliances disassembled and the materials recycled. Besides, simply moving and lifting a washer or dryer, for example, takes a lot of hard work and requires a vehicle that can handle the load safely. Better to let someone else take it! 

Air conditioners require special treatment. Regardless of the model, they all contain some form of cooling refrigerant, which is considered a hazardous material. There are federal or state regulations mandating the proper disposal of these types of appliances. So, before you dispose of it in a landfill, recycle or trash bin, you should call your local sanitation department to find out if it needs to be prepared before it can be discarded.

For example, it may need to be taken to a specific disposal area, or require a qualified technician to remove the coolant, much like is done with disposal ofrefrigerators and freezers. Professional junk removal teams are well trained for these tasks and they also have the right equipment to do it fast and efficiently.

What Happens in Appliance Recycling

Appliance recycling begins with manually dismantling each appliance. Once this is done the hazardous components must be removed and properly disposed of. Then the recylcer is able to salvage the reusable parts. Appliance recycling prevents substantial amounts of metal, plastic, and glass from ending up in a landfill while reducing the demand for extracting or producing these materials again.

Appliance disposal through recycling also helps to prevent the release of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl), mercury, and used oil, all of which are toxic and damaging to the environment. Preventing these refrigerants and insulating foams from emitting ozone depleting substances (ODS) and greenhouse gases (GHG) helps the environment and reduces the build up of these components in the atmosphere.

With the costs of certain metals rising and the value of these materials increasing, a number of salvage firms are taking on more and more old appliances in addition to their normal quota of used vehicles. Sometimes this can be a viable option for your unusable, old appliances, as well. 

Get the Best Team for Your Appliance Removal

Junk King is proud to be North America’s greenest junk removal service. We pioneered recycling based junk removal in 2005 and have been going greener ever since. We sort each and every job for metals, e-waste, paper, household goods, textiles, furniture and appliances, in our recycling warehouses.

But “going green” also means we donate, repurpose, and reuse everything from clothing, toys, baby cribs and strollers to office furniture and supplies. We run many of our trucks run on bio diesel, a domestically produced fuel made from more environmentally safe non-petroleum, renewable resources. Junk King is committed to continuing to lead the way to help keep our planet clean, green and beautiful for the generations to come.

Ready to remove those old appliances?

It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3. You make an appointment by booking online above or by calling 1.888.888.JUNK (5865). Our professional and insured junk removal team will show up at your home or office. We call 15 minutes before we arrive on site and we’ll give you a free estimate based on how much room your junk takes up in our truck, with no hidden fees.