Refrigerator Disposal in DFW: How to Get Rid of an Old Fridge

An old refrigerator is one of the hardest household items to get rid of on your own. It is heavy, it requires refrigerant to be handled properly by law, and most city pickup programs require advance scheduling. Here are all your real options in the DFW area.

Option 1: Buy a new fridge and use retailer takeback

If you are replacing the refrigerator, ask the delivery crew to take the old one when they drop off the new one. Most major retailers. Home Depot, Lowe's, Best Buy, appliance dealers, offer old appliance removal at delivery. Some include it in the delivery fee, some charge $25 to $50 extra. This is the most convenient option when you are buying new. Confirm at the time of purchase.

Option 2: Oncor and utility rebate programs

Oncor, the electric utility serving most of the DFW area, has periodically offered refrigerator recycling programs that pay a rebate for turning in old, working secondary refrigerators and freezers, typically older units running in garages or basements that are inefficient. Check the Oncor website for current program availability. These programs come and go and have specific eligibility requirements. When active, it is a way to get rid of a working secondary fridge and get paid a small amount to do it.

Option 3: City bulk pickup

Most DFW cities accept refrigerators through their bulk item pickup program, but specific scheduling is required and some cities charge an additional fee for appliances because of the refrigerant handling requirement. Contact your city's solid waste department before putting a fridge at the curb. Putting it out without scheduling can result in a fee rather than pickup.

Option 4: Junk removal crew

Fastest option, same-day available. We handle refrigerant recovery in compliance with EPA requirements, then haul the fridge for recycling. You do not need to disconnect anything. We take it from wherever it is in the house. A single refrigerator runs $100 to $150. We give the price on the phone before we come out.

What we do with refrigerators we haul

The refrigerant is removed and handled by a certified technician before the unit is processed. The steel, aluminum, copper, and other metal components are recovered through certified appliance recyclers in the DFW area. Refrigerators that go through a junk removal crew with proper handling do not go to landfill in most cases. The metal is recycled and the refrigerant is captured rather than released.