Appliance removal
North Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley
“got loaded a 4 seater spa and double refrigerator in under an hour…”
5.0 on Google from 463 reviews
How do I get rid of an old refrigerator or washer?
We take all appliances, including fridges, freezers, stoves, washers and dryers. Unplug it, empty it, and text us a photo with your ZIP. We text back a price, come carry it out from the kitchen, laundry room or garage, and haul it away. Old appliances are heavy and awkward; that's the part we handle. Metal is recycled where it can be.
What we take
- Refrigerators and freezers
- Washers and dryers
- Stoves, ovens and dishwashers
- Microwaves and small appliances
- Water heaters
- Window and portable air conditioners
Ask us first
- Appliances still connected to gas or water lines: disconnect first or ask us.
- We don't take paint, chemicals (like motor oil and solvents), tires, asbestos, medical waste, ammunition or propane tanks, empty or full. We'll point you to the right drop-off.
How it works
Most jobs go from first text to swept-up driveway the same way.
How much does appliance removal cost?
Pricing is based on how much truck space your items take up, plus labor. Free photo quotes by text: send photos and get an exact price. Stairs, long carries and heavy material like concrete or dirt change the number. Your quote includes loading, hauling, disposal and sweep-up. The price we quote is the price you pay.
Text us a few photos and your ZIP. You get a price back by text, and that's the number you pay unless what's there is different from what was in the photos.
Fastest quote: text photos of your items to (909) 566-3090.
Appliances are the heaviest single items in most homes, and a few of them carry chemicals that California won't let near a landfill. That combination is why an old fridge sitting in the garage tends to stay there. We take all appliances, including fridges, freezers, stoves, washers and dryers. Here's what removal involves and what the rules say.
What's included, step by step
- Photo and model check. A picture of the appliance, the room and the route out. Mention whether it runs on gas.
- Price and time by text. You pick a window and get a text before arrival.
- Final check on hookups. The crew confirms power, water and gas are off before anything moves. Gas lines need to be capped ahead of time by a qualified person.
- Prep for the carry. Refrigerator doors can come off to clear a doorway, and cords and hoses get taped down.
- The move. The appliance is walked out upright where possible and taken down steps one at a time.
- Load and sweep. The space where the appliance sat usually hides years of dust and lint. It gets swept before the crew leaves.
Appliance prep
- Empty the fridge or freezer and let it defrost overnight, with towels under it.
- Unplug it and coil the cord.
- Shut the water valves for a washer, dishwasher or fridge ice maker and disconnect the hoses.
- Have a qualified person shut off and cap gas lines for a stove, dryer or water heater.
- Drain the water heater if you can do it safely, or tell us it's still full.
- Take a photo of the model label if you're hoping to donate or sell.
California and LA rules that apply
What counts as a major appliance. State law covers washers, dryers, water heaters, dehumidifiers, ovens, microwaves, stoves, refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, trash compactors and home furnaces.[1]
The materials that need special handling. Refrigerants, PCB or DEHP capacitors, compressor oil and mercury switches are singled out in the law.[2] They must be removed before an appliance is crushed, shredded or disposed of, and they can't go to a solid waste facility.[3] Only a state-certified appliance recycler may remove them, except that an EPA-certified appliance technician may remove refrigerant.[4]
Why older units matter. Older fridges, freezers, window ACs and dehumidifiers can contain ozone-depleting refrigerants and foam, along with mercury, contaminated oil and PCBs.[5] Under the federal Clean Air Act, the last business in the disposal chain, such as the scrap recycler or landfill, must make sure refrigerant is recovered from household fridges, freezers and window units.[6] If the refrigerant was already removed, that business needs a signed statement saying who did it and when; a sticker isn't proof.[6]
Central air. A home's central AC system is taken apart on-site and has its refrigerant recovered under EPA rules before disposal.[6]
Microwaves and small electronics. Microwave ovens are on California's trash-ban list alongside TVs and computers.[7]
Don't cut refrigerant lines or tip a compressor to drain it before pickup. Refrigerant removal is legally limited to certified recyclers and EPA-certified technicians.
What affects the price
- Weight. Upright freezers, side-by-side fridges, cast-iron ranges and full water heaters are the heaviest pieces. More weight means more labor.
- Where it sits. A garage fridge by the driveway is the easy version. A stacked washer-dryer in a second-floor closet is not.
- Tight fits. Built-in or cabinet-flanked fridges, doors that have to come off and narrow laundry closets all add time.
- Stairs. Every flight between the appliance and the truck is slow, careful work.
- Several at once. Clearing a kitchen or laundry room in one visit uses one truck trip instead of several.
Free city options vs. paying a hauler
LA is generous with appliances. The other three cities are not.
| City | Curbside appliance pickup | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | Free for homes with LA Sanitation curbside service[8] | 1 business day notice; fridge and freezer doors removed |
| Burbank | $12.14 per appliance[9] | Fridge doors must come off[9] |
| Glendale | Free for residents[10] | AC, washer, dryer, stove, fridge, small freezer on the list[11] |
| Pasadena | Not taken: no fridges or AC units[12] | Other appliances aren't on the exclusion list |
LA's program doesn't take commercial appliances.[13] The free county household hazardous waste events won't take white goods such as refrigerators, stoves and washers,[14] and Glendale's HHW facility and Recycling Center don't take AC units, though the HHW facility will take bottled Freon.[15]
EPA warns that appliances left at the curb may end up landfilled or disposed of unsafely, and recommends booking collection through public works, a retailer or a recycler instead.[5]
A crew makes sense when the appliance is inside and heavy, when your city charges or won't take it, or when a new one is being delivered and the old one needs to be gone first. More in the guides for Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena.
Where it goes afterward
Reuse. Working appliances have some donation routes. Habitat LA ReStores take working, uninstalled appliances less than 8 years old.[16] The Salvation Army takes working, non-built-in appliances[17] but not gas appliances or anything with mechanical problems.[17] Goodwill Southern California doesn't take major appliances or water heaters at all.[18]
Metal recycling. Appliances are mostly steel. Sun Valley scrap yards take large appliances,[19] and sellers must show government photo ID.[19]
Landfill, with conditions. Sunshine Canyon charges a per-appliance fee on top of disposal,[20] and refrigerant rules still apply to whoever ends up with the unit.
Related guides and areas
- How to get rid of a refrigerator in Los Angeles
- How to get rid of a washer and dryer
- TVs and electronics
Appliance pickup by area: North Hollywood, Sun Valley, Burbank, Reseda, Pasadena.
What customers said about this job
Cannot recommend Ricardo and his company more! We had a massive amount of large furniture cardboard boxes, a dozen old paint cans, an old desk top, and a heavy wine fridge on the 3rd floor of our townhome that we couldn’t get rid of by …
needed some old appliances removed and they were here within an hour. fast and affordable and professional too. thanks for your help. highly recommended.
I highly recommend Legacy Junk removal. Ricardo is amazing! Professional and easy to communicate with! We had a difficult situation. My fiancé had just broken his leg and the next day our refrigerator broke. So scheduling doctor …
Where we do this
Based in North Hollywood, working mostly within 10 miles: the east and central San Fernando Valley and the neighborhoods just over the hill.
Appliance removal: questions
Do I need to disconnect the appliance before pickup?
Yes. Unplug electric appliances, and for washers and dishwashers shut the water off and disconnect the hoses. Gas stoves and gas dryers should be disconnected and capped by someone qualified before the crew arrives. If you're unsure whether a line is shut off, say so when you book.
Does the refrigerator have to be empty?
Yes. Clear out all food, drinks and ice, and wipe up spills. Defrost a freezer a day ahead if you can, since melting ice leaks during the carry and adds weight.
Can you take just one appliance?
Yes. A single fridge, washer or water heater is a common job. Send a photo of the appliance where it sits and of the path to the door, and the price comes back by text.
Why can't a fridge just go to the landfill?
California law requires refrigerants, PCB capacitors, compressor oil and mercury switches to be removed before a major appliance is crushed, shredded or disposed of, and those materials may not go to a solid waste facility. Only a state-certified appliance recycler can remove them, except that an EPA-certified technician may remove refrigerant.
Does the City of LA pick up old appliances for free?
Yes, for homes with LA Sanitation curbside service. Refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers, air conditioners and water heaters are collected free with at least one business day's notice before trash day. Remove refrigerator and freezer doors first.
What does Burbank charge to pick up a fridge or washer?
Burbank adds a $12.14 Special Handling Fee per item for appliances, including refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, stoves, dishwashers, water heaters and AC units. The fee goes on the Burbank Water & Power bill, and only the account holder can book it.
Will Pasadena's bulky pickup take my refrigerator?
No. Pasadena's City bulky pickup excludes refrigerators and air conditioners, as well as e-waste. You'll need an appliance recycler, a retailer take-back when you buy new, or a hauler.
Can I donate a working appliance?
Sometimes. Goodwill Southern California doesn't take major appliances. Habitat LA ReStores take working, uninstalled appliances under 8 years old, and the Salvation Army takes working, non-built-in appliances but not gas units or anything with mechanical problems. Call ahead with the age and model.
Is a microwave an appliance or e-waste?
Both, legally. California counts microwaves as major appliances and also lists microwave ovens on its trash-ban list for electronics. Either way, it can't go in the regular trash.
Can I sell an old appliance for scrap myself?
Scrap yards in Sun Valley take large appliances, and anyone selling scrap metal there must show a valid government photo ID. Refrigerant appliances still need the refrigerant handled properly, so ask the yard about its rules before you haul one in.
Can you get a fridge out of a tight kitchen or up from a basement?
Usually, yes. Mention narrow doorways, stairs, tight turns or a fridge boxed in by cabinets when you text photos, so the crew comes ready to take off doors or handles if that's what it takes.
Do you take central air conditioning units?
We take all appliances, including fridges, freezers, stoves, washers and dryers. A central residential system is the exception to a simple pickup: it's dismantled on-site and its refrigerant has to be recovered under EPA rules before disposal, so that part calls for a technician who can recover refrigerant. Window and portable units come out like any other appliance. Ask us about anything else before you book.
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026. Rules, fees and hours change; check with the city or program before you go.
- [1]Public Resources Code §42166 — California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
- [2]Public Resources Code §42167 — California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
- [3]Health and Safety Code §25212 — California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
- [4]Health and Safety Code §25211.1 — California Legislative Information (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
- [5]Appliance Disposal — US EPA (epa.gov)
- [6]Stationary Refrigeration Safe Disposal Requirements — US EPA (epa.gov)
- [7]Waste Banned from the Trash — CalRecycle (calrecycle.ca.gov)
- [8]Metal Appliance Pickup, LA Sanitation & Environment (sanitation.lacity.gov)
- [9]Bulky Item Pick-Up, Public Works (burbankca.gov)
- [10]Collection Services, Glendale Integrated Waste Management (glendalerecycles.com)
- [11]Bulky Item Pick Up (PDF) (glendalerecycles.com)
- [12]Residential Refuse Service & Recycling, Department of Public Works (cityofpasadena.net)
- [13]Schedule a Bulky Item Pickup, LA Sanitation & Environment (sanitation.lacity.gov)
- [14]Temporary Events, CleanLA (cleanla.lacounty.gov)
- [15]Collection Services, Public Works (glendaleca.gov)
- [16]Donate Building Materials, Appliances, & More, Habitat for Humanity Greater LA (habitatla.org)
- [17]Salvation Army Thrift Store and Donation Center FAQs (satruck.org)
- [18]Goodwill Southern California, Donation Guidelines poster (goodwillsocal.org)
- [19]SA Recycling Sun Valley Tujunga Ave (sarecycling.com)
- [20]Disposal Costs, Sunshine Canyon Landfill (sunshinecanyonlandfill.com)
Facilities and organizations mentioned are general local information, not Legacy Junk Removal partners.
Get a quote
Tell us what needs to go and where. We text back a price.
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