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As much fun as it can be to buy a shiny new appliance, realizing you have to get rid of the old one can drain that excitement pretty quickly. Hauling away a 100-lb piece of machinery can be daunting, so it’s no wonder so many of us have non-functioning appliances cluttering up our basements and laundry rooms. However, in the spirit of spring cleaning, we at Junk King Contra Costa are here to help you get rid of those old rusting behemoths and return your basement to its sparkling clean condition.
Have you ever wondered how to best get rid of old appliances in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties? Well, appliance removal can be challenging no matter where you live.
Large appliances can be heavy, bulky, and hard to move around. Even an average-sized microwave oven can weigh over 50 pounds with a full-size built-in oven weighing in at over 80 pounds. Which is nothing compared to an old refrigerator or washing machine!
(200 to 300 pounds each, in case you were wondering…)
How to Tell When It’s Time
Taking an old appliance off life support and buying a new one can be a tough decision given the costs involved. Nobody wants to spend several hundred dollars for a new washer or refrigerator until they really have to. That being said, the cost of keeping an old appliance running can quickly become higher than just buying a new one.
If your dishwasher, washing machine, or fridge is more than 10 or 15 years old, repairs are only going to become more and more frequent. Once you find yourself needing to fix the appliance every year or two just to keep it running, you’re really better off biting the bullet and picking up a new one.
Another solid rule of thumb is to look at the repair bill. If the cost of repairing the appliance is at least half the cost of buying a new one, it’s just not worth it. Just like an old car, an appliance in constant need of repairs is essentially totaled and should be replaced.
When It’s Time for New Appliances
There are a few common reasons for new appliances. And, perhaps the most obvious one is when your faithful old machine up and dies.
But there are other reasons that people decide it’s time to upgrade to a new appliance or set of appliances.
If the machines have been in the home for a number of years and a remodel of the kitchen or laundry room is completed, a new set of kitchen appliances and even a new washer and dryer can be just the thing to finish the new look.
Another common trigger for a new appliance is noise.
It could be your dishwasher, your washing machine, that old dryer clunking away louder every year, and even the refrigerator. When you can hear your appliances no matter where you are in the house, then you know that they are too loud and need to be either repaired or replaced.
Repairing them may be an option but, if they are more than 10 or 15 years old it is probably better to replace them.
Online technology magazine, How-To Geek offers this advice,
- -How often does it need repaired?
If it feels like I’m constantly having to fix things on it just to keep it running for a couple more years, it’s probably a good idea to just send it out to pasture and replace it.
- -If it does break down, how much would it cost to repair?
If the repair is going to cost a lot of money, then I’ll consider replacing it instead of repairing it. The rule of thumb is that if the repair will cost over half of what a new appliance would cost, it’s a good idea to just replace it.
Whatever reason you have for replacing your old appliances, the next decision is likely going to be how to best dispose of them?
Your Options for Old Appliance Removal
It’s true that we live in a DIY society. Numerous television programs and websites cater to the growing trend of people engaging in “do-it-yourself” projects. And, while we certainly applaud the spirit behind the accomplishments of these DIY-er’s, removing, hauling, and disposing of your own large is not a DIY project.
However, depending on the size and working condition of the appliance, you could certainly consider “doing-it-yourself” if you take precautions and follow the right steps.
And what are those steps?
No worries! We put together this handy checklist to guide you through the process:
Taking Care of Appliance Removal Yourself
As a homeowner or even a renter, you’ve probably gotten used to handling things yourself in order to save money. While removing an old appliance can be a real pain, it’s certainly possible to take care of it by yourself. Here are a few tips to keep in mind while planning things out.
Whether or not the appliance is functional will affect how you get rid of it. If you’re ready for a replacement but the old unit still works, it’ll be easier to remove. You can try selling it on Craigslist or eBay if it’s in decent condition, which will help offset the cost of the new one.
Otherwise, we recommend reaching out to local charities and nonprofits to see if they can make use of it. In both these scenarios, the new owner is usually happy to handle moving and transporting the unit for you, so it’s worth it just for the convenience factor.
If the unit is entirely non-functional, the disposal becomes a little more complicated. In Contra Costa County, local trash pickup won’t handle appliances for you, so you’ll have to drag the unit down to the landfill yourself. Certain appliances are classified by the county as hazardous waste, so we recommend checking out their website before hauling anything down to the dump.
Unfortunately, the landfill doesn’t have any recycling capabilities, so if you’re more environmentally-minded, you might have to wait for a recycling event if you want the county to take the appliance. Alternatively, Junk King Contra Costa does recycle everything that comes through our doors, so give us a call if you want to make sure your appliance is being reused properly.
Moving Appliances Safely
Major appliances can be heavy, with some units, like refrigerators, weighing up to 300 lbs. It’s easy to accidentally hurt yourself while moving something with that much weight, so we recommend taking care when lifting appliances.
If you’re not sure if you can move the unit, then don’t try! There’s no shame in getting help, and it’s worth shelling out a little extra money to hire someone if it means avoiding back injuries. Just think – when was the last time you met someone who used to have a bad back?
If you do plan on moving an appliance yourself, make sure you get help from friends, neighbors, or family members. It’s also a good idea to use a dolly if you have one, which will hold the weight for you while also making sure you don’t scratch your floors.
Finally, never bend over to lift something by using the muscles in your back, which can cause a ton of strain to your spine. Instead, crouch down and lift with your legs. The older we get, the more fragile our bodies become, and even a single injury to your back can cause lingering issues for the rest of your life.
The Risks With DIY Appliance Removal
If you are working with any type of appliance larger than, say, a microwave oven then you really should not consider undertaking disposing of it yourself.
Not only is it difficult, labor-intensive, and even dangerous, it’s not necessary given the ease and cost-effectiveness of using a professional service like Junk King Contra Costa. Appliance removal requires several things that not every homeowner or apartment dweller is equipped with.
And that doesn’t even take into account that few people can manage a full-sized appliance by themselves, Dwayne Johnson excluded!
There are problems that come with moving major appliances like refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, wine coolers, and other large items. For starters, they can leak, tear up your floors, scratch or dent the walls, and possibly expose you to mold or mildew.
In addition, depending on your health, physical size and strength, and the equipment you are (or are not!) using, it is frighteningly easy to hurt yourself. Common injuries suffered while moving appliances include:
- – Strained back
- – Broken fingers and toes
- – Knee and ankle sprains
- – Cuts and scrapes
- – Pinching or crushing
So, if just reading through that brief list causes you to cringe, then you should be rethinking the notion of removing your old appliances yourself. However, just in case that isn’t enough persuasion, there are also transportation and disposal issues.
It probably goes without saying that removing a large appliance will require a truck of some kind. It may be possible to use a cargo van or even a larger SUV, but the fact is that not everyone owns one of these vehicles.
If, however, you do own a truck or have access to one – and you have the help you need to load the appliance on it – there is still disposal to think about.
In Contra Costa County, for example, there is a select list of facilities that will accept most of your old but working, and non-working, appliances. However, the county’s website posts the following warning:
“With the continuous advances of technology many appliances become obsolete. The cost of handing, transporting, repairing and/or recycling often exceeds the value of these items; as a result, many of these items require a special disposal fee.”
But that’s not the only warning. If you were thinking that the easiest option is to simply take a ride to the “dump” and dispose of your old appliance in a landfill, think again. The County also points out that,
“Microwaves and most appliances containing pilot light sensors and electrical switches and relays are classified as hazardous waste and banned from landfill disposal. Pilot light sensors are found in some gas appliances such as stoves, ovens, clothes dryers, water heaters, furnaces and space heaters.”
In the final analysis, we would say again that DIY appliance removal is not a great option. But there is a great option that is both easy, safe, and eco-friendly!
Just Call the Professionals
If the idea of hauling your old appliance away by yourself seems a little daunting, don’t worry! Save yourself the time, effort, and potential injury by calling Junk King to handle the removal for you.
Our professionals are well-trained and have plenty of experience hauling away even the heaviest units, so we’ll get that old refrigerator or dishwasher out of your home in no time at all. They’re even specifically trained to maneuver heavy objects through tight hallways or apartments without causing any damage to the walls, so your security deposit is perfectly safe.
Not only will we handle the lifting and carrying for you, but we’ll also take care of the disposal as well. At Junk King, we’re proud to have a legacy of environmental consideration dating back to the day we were founded, so we recycle everything we can from all we bring in.
That means donating functional units, or stripping and recycling the materials from a non-functional appliance too. In fact, we’re the only national junk hauling company that operates local sorting and recycling centers wherever we go.
Worried about the cost? We offer free no-strings-attached price estimates for anyone who calls, and we’re always up-front about the cost of our services. If you’re interested, you can book an appointment online or just give us a call at 1-888-888-JUNK and we’ll be happy to help you with anything you need. Just tell us what you need us to haul away and we’ll take care of the rest.
Call On Junk King Contra Costa for Appliance Removal
If you want the industry’s Number One appliance removal service for your old appliance disposal needs, call on Junk King Contra Costa.
We use a two-person team and one oversized junk removal truck. We say “oversized” because Junk King’s appliance removal trucks are up to 30 percent larger than our competitor’s trucks. Why does that matter? Because it means we can take more of your junk for less money.
In addition, Junk King Contra Costa can not only remove your old, non-working appliance pieces quickly and efficiently, but we are committed to keeping as many of those pieces as possible out of landfills.
Junk King’s eco-friendly mission is to make sure as much of your appliance – and all your other junk – gets recycled as possible. We are the only national company to operate our business with local sorting facilities and the goal of recycling 60 percent or more of every job!
And, if your old appliance is working, it can even be donated. We can take care of that, too.
Along with appliance removal, Junk King Contra Costa can take your yard waste, furniture, remodeling construction debris, and even an excessive accumulation of trash or garbage. Our other services include storage unit cleanouts, mattress removal, hot tub disposal, electronic waste disposal, and television disposal.
In addition to our great service, our pricing is the lowest in our service area, whether that’s Brentwood, Clayton, Byron, Danville, or San Ramon. Fair and transparent pricing is one of our hallmarks.
Your Appliance Removal Team in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties
Did you recently upgrade your appliances and now have some appliances that you need to get rid of? Maybe it’s not appliances, but old furniture taking up space after you upgraded to new home furnishings? Or is there a bunch of old equipment, supplies, and office furniture at your workplace that you haven’t had time to dispose of?
Junk King Contra Costa delivers efficient, safe, and eco-friendly appliance removal service so you don’t need to worry about the pick-up or disposal of your old pieces. Our experienced appliance removal team will carefully remove and haul away all types of appliances. And our junk removal trucks are made to handle those large, heavy items. (Unlike your family car!)
Ready to get rid of your old appliances? It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3. You need only make an appointment with us by booking online above, or by calling us at 1.888.888.JUNK (5865).
Our professional and insured appliance removal team will show up at your home or office, and we’ll call 15 minutes before we get there. Once there, we’ll give you a free estimate based on how much room your junk takes up in our truck.
You simply point and we load those old appliances into our junk removal trucks and haul them away with no hidden fees.
