Please contact your regular trash hauler to schedule a bulky item pick-up. If your trash hauler will not pick it up, please search for a special recycler through the Smart Business Recycling locator (link provided below) or look into your yellow pages for a recycler that handles refrigerators.
For an old refrigerator, you can expect to earn around $15 to $30 at a scrap yard. However, be aware that not all scrap yards will accept refrigerators.
Thousands of local scrap metal recyclers can recycle old fridges and freezers. Ask your scrap metal recycler for assurance that your old unit will be properly recycled.
Sell It to a Scrapyard
Another option is to sell your old refrigerator to a scrapyard to make some money back on the appliance. To sell a refrigerator for scrap, you first need to have the refrigerant removed and the lines capped by a licensed repair company.
The Salvation Army takes free used appliances like washing machines, dryers, heaters, microwaves, refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, stoves, and dishwashers at select locations. These items must be in good working condition in order to qualify for pick up.
Additionally, hazardous materials within both large and small appliances can be highly polluting or toxic. Appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers can contain Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), for example, which when released into the atmosphere cause significant damage.
The average cost to have a junk removal company remove a refrigerator is $75-$150. The best pricing will almost always be given by locally-owned junk removal companies when compared to their large chain competitors.
Any size, brand, type, and age of refrigerator will have recyclable materials. Cohen will anything from mini-fridges to full, modern, double-door refrigerators. The larger refrigerators will typically provide you with more value for your scrap, due to the fact there is simply more valuable metal and plastic.
Let's say you have a 5-year-old GE refrigerator that originally cost $750. Depreciation per year: $750 / 15 years (expected lifespan) = $50 Life left: 15 - 5 = 10 years Value: 10 years x $50 = $500 If the refrigerator is in excellent condition and there's high demand in your area, you might price it around $500.
Water heaters and other appliances that use plumbing for operation are especially worthy of collecting for scrap metal purposes. These types of appliances tend to feature valuable components that are in high demand, such as copper pipes and copper wiring.
To qualify for $50, the unit must be 10 to 30 cubic feet in size. To receive $20, the fridge or freezer must be under 9.9 cubic feet. Use our convenient measurement tool on this page to see if your refrigerator or freezer qualifies for appliance recycling.
Contact your council, or charities or social enterprises in the area to see if they provide a collection service. If you're buying a fridge or freezer, the retailer should take your old one away. Find your nearest drop-off or collection point for electricals by entering your postcode in our recycling locator.
Misconception #1: Scrap Yards Won't Accept Appliances
Every scrap yard is different, but many do accept common household appliances such as refrigerators or microwaves. If you have an old appliance and you're not sure what to do with it, contact your local scrap yard.
Another common cause of compressor failure is a build-up of dirt and dust. This can happen if the fridge isn't cleaned regularly or if there's a lot of dust in the air. Over time, the dirt and dust can clog up the compressor, causing it to overheat and break down.
A scrap man may take a fridge or freezer away, but typically not for free since these white goods cannot be scrapped ordinarily at scrap yards. Fridges and freezers can be salvaged for their steel, aluminium, copper, and other materials which typically make up around half of the total weight of the fridge/freezer.
Did you know that appliance recycling may bring you some money? Appliances contain valuable metals that people will buy to build something new. A scrap dealer, processor or recycler like Cohen can buy your old appliances at a scrap recycling center near you.
Stainless steel itself is always 100% recyclable! However, some household appliances are labeled “stainless steel,” but their iron content is too high. As a result, these materials are scrapped at the price of iron instead of stainless steel.
Radioactive and hazardous materials should never be recycled to the same standards as metals. That's because if a scrap yard melts any radioactive metal without knowing, it will end up contaminating the rest of the metal, the equipment that is used during the recycling process.
And, if all else fails, you can usually sell your old frig, working or not, for scrap. If your working refrigerator is less than 10 years old and in really good condition you can possibly get a few hundred dollars for it, especially from a private party.