One of the worst things that can happen in a home during the hot summer months is when the air conditioner stops working and has to be replaced.

The good news is that not only do you not have to get rid of the old one yourself, but much of the unit can be recycled.

Hopefully, you will be able to replace your old appliance with a new, more efficient air conditioning unit. And, once you do, the old one will need to be disposed of. However, this isn't quite as easy as it might seem.

If you remove it yourself and installed the new one, you already know that they're heavy - too heavy for one person to carry very far. Even if you have sufficient help you will still need to have a suitable vehicle to place it in. It's quite likely that your old A/C unit is far too dirty to place in the trunk of your car, assuming it will even fit in there.

Your Options for A/C Unit Removal 

Let's say you do manage to get the old A/C unit from the side of the house and out to the curb. That's still going to be a problem because you can bet your municipal waste management company is not going to take it on their next garbage run. 

Maybe you have a truck, however, or have a friend with a truck. Maybe you are even willing to rent a truck! Not a bad idea especially if you have more junk to get rid of. But that does beg the question: Where do you get rid of an old, non-working air conditioner?

An important factor to keep in mind is that A/C units contain refrigerants like Freon or other chemicals. These substances are regulated by the federal government under the Clean Air Act and must be handled by professionals. And the odds are that doesn't include you!

Many air conditioners manufactured before 2003 use Freon as the refrigerant that cools the warm air. If your appliance was manufactured after 2003, it may use a safer refrigerant such as R-410A. If made after 2010, it definitely uses a different refrigerant for cooling.

A replacement for the phased out Freon, R-410A is a type of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) refrigerant that is widely used in newer A/C units, replacing older hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) coolants such as Freon. R-410A is a mixture of two other HFC refrigerants, R-125 and R-32, and offers greater cooling properties than older HCFC refrigerants when they are subjected to higher pressures. 

When it's time to dispose of any air conditioning unit these refrigerants still need to be carefully handled because they are greenhouse gases, according to the EPA. And this has to happen before a unit can be placed in a landfill. 

According to the EPA,

"Some municipalities require you to make an appointment for bulky item collection. Others require you to haul items to a transfer station or landfill (your municipality can direct you to a solid waste contractor for more information). Municipalities may require the refrigerant to be recovered from appliances before they will accept it for pick-up. In such cases, owners would need a professional, such as an employee of an appliance repair shop, to remove the refrigerant prior to disposal."

A Better A/C Unit Disposal Option

If you have an old air conditioner that' already been sitting around taking up space, or you need to replace your appliance soon, make an appointment with Junk King for the fast and safe disposal of your old air conditioner.

We make it easy for you!

We’ll provide a free estimate and our insured, trained junk removal professionals will pick it up and make sure it’s disposed of safely and responsibly.

Even if your air conditioner is still working but has seen better days, it may be time to consider a newer, more efficient model. A/C units tend to wear out over time until they break down suddenly. If your A/C has seen better days - or too many of them - here are some good reasons to consider replacing it as soon as possible:

• Energy bills tend to increase toward the end of an air conditioner’s working life
• Repairs can be too costly if you wait too long to replace
• Old units can create a health hazard from mold and bacteria
• Upgrading to central air can increase your home’s value

And you can rest assured that your old machine won't simply be tossed into a landfill. 

Many parts of an air conditioning unit can be recycled when taken to a specialty recycling facility. And if they're simply old but still working, the air conditioner can be donated as long as the unit is clean and functioning well.

Junk King Offers Environmentally Friendly Appliance Disposal

We’re committed to recycling as much of the materials we collect as possible. That holds true for appliance recycling. We offer eco-friendly appliance removal by working with local organizations, recycling facilities, and scrap metal recyclers.

Junk King's professionals can either separate the equipment into recyclable materials or redirect it to the nearest facility. Recycling with our junk removal service is even greener because we collect appliances and other materials in large quantities and then distribute everything in a streamlined process. That means more junk recycled with less energy spent getting it done.

When you call us for junk removal, we can remove your air conditioner along with items such as computers and other electronics. Many materials that are difficult for individual people to recycle can be responsibly disposed of by our junk removal teams - Junk King can handle your air conditioner disposal as well.

Contact us today at 1.888. 888.JUNK (5865) or book an appointment online!