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Sometimes, no matter how much you want to hold on to that appliance because it has been in your family for generations, you can’t. After so many years of service, if the cost of repair will be so high that you might as well buy a new item, then you have to look for the best appliance disposal method. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that about 9 million freezers and refrigerators are disposed of in the US every year, and 90% end up in the recycling. So where do the rest go? Here are the different appliance disposal methods you can use to eliminate any old or broken appliances.
Donate to the Less Fortunate Don’t Throw on the Curb
If you are looking to upgrade your household appliances and do not know what to do with the old ones, donating them to those in need will go a long way in bringing a smile to their faces. Non-profit organizations, churches, and thrift stores facilitate appliance disposal by picking up whatever you do not need and donating it to the less fortunate.
However, before you settle on a particular charitable organization, make sure that they accept whatever you are donating. Appliance disposal through donating also helps you at the end of the year when you are filing your taxes because you can claim a tax-deductible. Organizations like Goodwill give you a receipt upon dropping off your donation since the IRS expects you to value your donation to qualify for a tax deduction.
Sell the Appliance
Just because you do not need something does not mean it will not be useful to someone else. You can make an extra buck off your old appliances by selling them; of course, this appliance disposal method will not fetch you a lot of money because the items will be heavily discounted depending on the years of service.
Appliance disposal through selling is now made easier by the power of social media. You can post your item on Facebook or whichever platform you prefer, including your contact details, and anyone interested will reach out to you. The key to attracting buyers is to portray the old appliances in their best light that means taking clear photos and making them affordable. You should therefore research what similar items are going for and price yours accordingly.
Alternatively, garage sales are also very effective in appliance disposal because you don’t have to bother with shipping. You can kill two birds with one stone by getting rid of anything else that has been lying around without much use. You could still contact a used appliance shop and check if they are willing to buy your old appliances but it has to be still working because they are looking to refurbish it and resell it.
Sell the Parts and Scrap Metal
Appliance disposal does not necessarily have to be done in whole; you can break the item apart and see if anything is salvageable. This applies if the item is not in working order, but you can still make some money off your damaged appliances since most contain precious metals. Toasters usually have steel bodies and copper wiring. Refrigerators, washing machines, and freezers are large and therefore have considerable amounts of valuable metal, not forgetting the copper wiring in the power cords.
The ferrous metals market experienced a major boom in December 2020 when scrap metals prices increased by between $75 and $80 per ton. This option is a much better appliance disposal method than selling items whole because it is more profitable.
Recycle
Dumping your old appliances in a landfill can contribute to more harm to the environment. Most of them contain coolants and other elements which release greenhouse gases that destroy the ozone layer. Regardless of how big or small, your appliance is, you can ensure it does not harm the environment by taking it to a recycling center. Some stores like Best Buy offer a recycling program where they pick up the old appliance as they deliver the new one, but it is at a fee.
Luckily even if you are not near stores that offer such appliance disposal options, some junk removal services are very environmentally conscious. Junk King understands the impact that an old refrigerator can have on the environment and ensure that it takes items to the proper recycling facilities.
Curbside Pickup
Depending on where you live, your municipal could offer curbside pickup services for appliance disposal. For instance, in Phoenix, you can schedule a curbside pickup for a fee. The disadvantage of this is it limits the number of appliances to be hauled away; you can only put no more than five appliances by the sidewalk or curb. The charge is per item such that a refrigerator will cost you $25 while non-refrigerant appliances will go for $30 for a maximum of five items.
Such charges also vary per state; in Sacramento, they do not charge anything for up to two appliances, and you can place them anywhere visible and easy to access. The pickup limits are two appliances per appointment in Sacramento, which makes it a challenge to set aside several items for appliance disposal. In such cases, junk removal services step in to save the day because the trucks can take up as much junk as you want to be removed.
Rent a Dumpster
If your appliance disposal project will take quite a while, then renting a dumpster makes sense because you can take your time, and you don’t have to be at home when you want the items picked. However, it is quite expensive because rental costs can range between $200 and $800 for a week, depending on the size. Renting for a month or more should cost no less than $1000, but you can budget for it because you know the rate before your rental arrives. It has the advantage of offering you the dumpster size you expect to fit your old appliances for efficient appliance disposal.
Despite having these benefits, you have to consider that you will be hauling heavy items on your own, which can be cumbersome without help. You have to make sure that before you dump your items, you have removed any hazardous fluids, so you might have to hire a professional to help with appliance disposal.
Hire a Junk Removal Company
Imagine the peace of mind that comes with knowing you do not have to know which components are hazardous before dumping your appliances—or having to rent a dumpster and tire yourself hauling heavy refrigerators to the curbside. Such are the privileges of hiring a junk removal company for appliance disposal; you leave it to them to do the heavy lifting and do not have to think about how they will get to the recycling center or donation center.
At Junk King, you can rest assured that we will properly dispose of your appliances. We provide you with a free estimate of how much it will cost for your appliance disposal, depending on how much room the items will occupy in our trucks. We remove all types of appliances, and you can contact us today for the most affordable appliance disposal services you can find in Sonoma.
