4 Ways To Dispose Of Your Old Refrigerator

Appliances are not made to last forever and sadly, that includes your refrigerator. It may seem as if your refrigerator is irreplaceable because it suits you perfectly and works without any problem but sooner or later it's going to give in. Sooner or later you will be seeing the repairman one too many times and after that, it's going to have more problems beyond repair.

4 Ways To Dispose Of Your Old Refrigerator

4 Ways To Dispose Of Your Old Refrigerator

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4 Ways To Dispose Of Your Old Refrigerator

4 Ways To Dispose Of Your Old Refrigerator

Then you realize it's time to let go and look around for a cooler fridge. Anyway, a typical refrigerator has a life expectancy of around 10 years. Some may extend up to 15 years while some may not even last up to 7 years. If your fridge has been anything but normal this week, it may be a telltale sign that old age is now taking its toll and your refrigerator already needs to resign.

Now that you have decided to leave the old and look for a new fridge, consider the options carefully. There are so many things you have to weigh before you can buy a refrigerator. But how about the old one? Sure it will not be staying with you anymore, but where will you put it? Here are some ways on how to dispose of your refrigerator properly.

Before you do anything...

Once you have decided to dispose of your old refrigerator to make way for a new one, remove the door of the fridge. You may ask for a professional to help you do it. Also, leave the shelves inside. These two should be done so that children cannot go easily enter the fridge and be trapped inside. There are still some cases where children are trapped inside old refrigerators, killing them by suffocation. Please follow these instructions for the safety not only of your children but for the other children in your area as well.

Ask the retailer to take it away

This is a very common way to dispose of the refrigerator. When you get rid of your old fridge, of course you are buying a new one. Make an arrangement with your appliance retailer and ask them to take away your old refrigerator once they deliver your new one. Your old refrigerator will likely be recycled, or they may also refurbish it and sell it as a second hand refrigerator.

While this is very convenient for you, be prepared to pay for a fee. The usual fee retailers charge customers for disposal is around 25 to 50 dollars. This is not the price of all though. Make arrangements with the retailer and try to find a price that will suit you right. This way, you will be able to dispose of your fridge without hassle and you are sure that the fridge is in good hands.

Find a recycling program in the area

Recycling programs have also become quite popular nowadays. Try to contact your local utility company and ask them if they offer an appliance recycling program in your area. There may also be some appliance recycling incentives you can go to, which operate through the government's program Jaco Environmental, Inc. and Appliance Recycling Centers of America (ARCA).

Jaco Environmental, Inc. is under the Energy Star program. Also, if you coordinate with the State Energy Efficiency Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP), you may be able to receive a rebate for recycling your old fridge. Cool, huh?

Contact the local council

You can also contact the local waste management service or the local council's environment department and ask for information on how to dispose of your old refrigerator. You can ask them to collect it from your place. There are some councils that will offer to pick up your refrigerator for free and they may require you to make the fridge ready to be picked up. You may have to move it out to the street at the certain time they tell you so you have to follow the instructions written in the first tip above to make it safe for children who are playing in the streets.

On the other hand, the local council in your area may charge you a fee for collecting your old refrigerator. This is okay as long as you make sure they do not overcharge. The typical rate these councils charge is around 5 to 45 dollars for their service.

Take it to the garbage dump

Another alternative is to take your old refrigerator to the local garbage dump. You may choose to do it yourself and take it to the garbage dump by your car. You have to ask the local council though on information and for some guidelines. However, be careful that no chemical from the fridge spills in your car as these, which are chlorofluorocarbons or CFC's, may be extremely dangerous to you and to the ozone layer.

A safer way to do this tip is to coordinate with the local council and let them take the old refrigerator away to the garbage dump. While you may have to pay a fee, it will be better for you because you will not be exposed to the harmful chemicals and you are sure that your refrigerator will be handled and disposed by responsible people who are trained to do this.

4 Ways To Dispose Of Your Old Refrigerator