Appliance Removal in Northern Virginia
One or two appliances start at $99. The refrigerator is the only one that costs meaningfully more — +$125 — and there is a specific, non-negotiable reason for it that has nothing to do with its size.
Old appliance pickup in Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, Loudoun and Prince William follows the same volume pricing as any other load: from $99 for one or two items, about $225 for three to six. A washer and dryer pair is a two-item job. A kitchen gut — fridge, stove, dishwasher, microwave — is a small load. The one line on the bill that surprises people is the refrigerator, so let's start there.
Why refrigerators, freezers and AC units cost +$125
Anything that makes cold contains refrigerant: refrigerators, freezers, window AC units, mini-splits, dehumidifiers and wine coolers. Under federal refrigerant handling requirements, that refrigerant has to be recovered by a certified technician before the unit can be crushed or scrapped. It cannot be vented to the atmosphere, and a scrap yard will not take a sealed system that hasn't been evacuated.
That recovery is a real step done by a real person with real equipment, and it gets billed. The +$125 is that cost passed through — not a penalty for size or weight. A dorm fridge and a full side-by-side both have a sealed system to evacuate.
How to tell if your unit carries the charge: ask whether it cools. If the appliance actively makes something cold, it almost certainly has a sealed refrigerant system and falls under the +$125. If it only heats, spins, washes or stores, it does not.
What carries no surcharge at all
This is the half of the conversation that gets skipped. The following are ordinary household metal at normal load pricing with no add-on:
- Washing machines and dryers, gas or electric
- Stoves, ranges, wall ovens and cooktops
- Dishwashers, microwaves and countertop appliances
- Grills, including propane models with the tank removed
- Water heaters
- Metal bed frames, filing cabinets and shelving
So washer and dryer removal is a two-item job from $99, and a stove swap is a single item. There is no hidden "appliance fee" beyond the refrigerant line.
| Appliance | Surcharge | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator (any size) | +$125 | Certified refrigerant recovery |
| Chest or upright freezer | +$125 | Same sealed system as a fridge |
| Window AC, mini-split, dehumidifier | +$125 | Contains refrigerant |
| Wine cooler / beverage fridge | +$125 | Small, still a sealed system |
| Washing machine | none | Standard load pricing |
| Dryer, gas or electric | none | Gas line capped by a pro |
| Stove, range, wall oven | none | Gas line capped by a pro |
| Dishwasher | none | Water shut off and disconnected |
| Microwave, countertop appliances | none | Standard load pricing |
| Grill | none | Keep the propane tank |
| Water heater | none | Drain before pickup day |
| Rebar, beams, bulk construction metal | not accepted | Billed by the ton at the landfill |
Read this before you assume we can't help. A lot of people see "we don't take metal" on hauler websites and never call. That phrasing is wrong and it costs both sides. What no standard box truck can take is bulk construction material billed by the ton — rebar, beams, concrete, dirt, sand, brick, roofing tile. A half truck of that weighs more than a full truck of furniture. Household appliances are always accepted: refrigerator, washer, dryer, stove, grill, water heater, filing cabinets. The dividing line is weight per ton, not whether the object is metal.
How to prepare an appliance for pickup
Disconnect water and gas
Shut off the valve and disconnect the water lines on a washer, dishwasher or fridge with an ice maker, and have towels ready — there is always more water in the line than you expect. Gas is different: have a qualified professional disconnect and cap the line on a gas dryer, range or water heater. Not a crew task, not a DIY task. An improperly capped gas line is the one mistake here that can hurt someone.
Empty and dry the refrigerator
Pull everything out, including the freezer, and let it defrost before pickup day. A fridge loaded with standing meltwater and forgotten food is a mess in the truck and a smell in your hallway on the way out. Wipe it dry, unplug it.
Doors: only if it's going to sit
If a hauler is taking the unit the same day and it stays in the kitchen or garage until then, you do not need to remove the doors. If it is going to sit outside, on a porch, or unattended for any period, remove the doors or strap them shut — an empty fridge or freezer is a child entrapment hazard, which is the entire reason the advice exists.
Clear the path
Measure the doorway on a wide side-by-side, move the car out of the garage, and mention stairs when you book. A tight basement stairwell is a different job than a first-floor kitchen, and a good company would rather know beforehand than adjust the price in front of you.
What happens to the appliance after it leaves
Appliances are mostly steel, aluminum and copper, which have real scrap value, so a properly handled unit does not simply go into a landfill. Refrigerant is recovered from sealed systems first, then the unit goes to a metal recycler to be separated and processed. That is also why nobody can just throw a fridge in with the couches — recovery has to happen before the metal stream will take it.
Retailer haul-away: when it works and when it doesn't
If you are buying a replacement, the delivering retailer will often take the old unit. Worth asking — when it works it is the cheapest option you have. The limits that catch people:
- Same type only. A delivered washer means they'll take a washer, not the old fridge in the basement.
- It has to be disconnected and accessible. Delivery crews generally will not shut off water or cap gas.
- Stairs are often out of scope. A basement or third-floor unit frequently gets declined at the door.
- It is one unit, not a cleanout. Clearing several appliances, or appliances plus furniture, is cheaper as one pickup.
When retailer haul-away falls through on delivery day — which is common — you are left with the old unit in the driveway. That's a one-to-two-item call from $99.
Utility appliance recycling programs
Some electric utilities run recycling programs for old, working refrigerators and freezers, sometimes with free pickup and a rebate, on the logic that an aging second fridge in the garage costs them grid capacity every summer. Availability, eligibility and any rebate amount depend entirely on your provider, so check directly with your electric utility — we are not going to name programs or dollar figures that may have changed. Two things are usually true: the unit has to be working, and there are size limits.
Putting it together
Most appliance jobs here are small and predictable. A fridge alone is $99 plus the $125 refrigerant recovery. A washer and dryer is a two-item minimum. A kitchen remodel — fridge, stove, dishwasher, microwave, plus cabinets and old flooring — is a small load at about $225, or a quarter-to-half truck at about $450 once debris is included. See what haulers take from a renovation, and the junk removal cost guide for the full ladder.
Get a firm price on the appliance today
Send a photo of the unit and where it sits — we come back with the number, refrigerant charge included if it applies. Same-day pickup across Northern Virginia. Se habla español.
Common questions
How much does appliance removal cost in Northern Virginia?
One or two appliances start at $99 and three to six items run about $225. The only appliance add-on is $125 for refrigerators, freezers and AC equipment, which covers certified refrigerant recovery. Washers, dryers, stoves, ovens, dishwashers, microwaves and grills have no surcharge.
Why does refrigerator disposal cost more than other appliances?
Refrigerators, freezers and AC units contain refrigerant that federal refrigerant handling requirements say must be recovered by a certified technician before the unit is crushed or scrapped. That recovery is a real, billed step, and the $125 add-on is what it costs. It is not a markup for size or weight.
Do you take metal appliances if you do not take scrap metal?
Yes. Household appliances are always accepted: refrigerators, washers, dryers, stoves, ovens, dishwashers, microwaves, grills, water heaters, filing cabinets and metal bed frames. What we cannot take is bulk construction metal such as rebar and beams, plus concrete, dirt, sand, brick and roofing tile, because landfills bill that material by the ton. The limit is weight per ton, not the material being metal.
Do I need to remove the refrigerator doors before pickup?
Not if a hauler takes it the same day and it stays indoors or in the garage until then. If the unit will sit outside or unattended, remove or secure the doors, because an empty fridge is an entrapment hazard for children.
Will the store that delivers my new appliance take the old one?
Often, but with conditions. Haul-away is usually limited to the same type of appliance being delivered, the old unit has to be disconnected and accessible, and delivery crews frequently will not carry an appliance up or down stairs or take a second unit from the basement.