Your refrigerator and freezer work nonstop, keeping food fresher longer, chilling your favourite drinks, and keeping vegetables and fruits crisp. But once your fridge breaks and needs to be replaced, the once-efficient appliance becomes a bulky paperweight! Not to mention, it may start to smell very quickly after the power goes off.
It’s a problem to get rid of a broken fridge. It takes up space; you can’t just toss it in a skip bin. These are heavy and very difficult to move or remove. If you are fortunate enough to load it onto a truck, you need to find a rubbish removal company that specialises in removing the gases from the unit. The best way to get rid of your broken fridge is to hire a professional company.
Aus Rubbish Removals in Sydney offers efficient and quick “we load it, we take it” fridge removal services. Our same-day service will help you get rid of your fridge so you can have your space ready before your new one arrives.
Why Removing a Fridge is Harder Than You Think
Whether you’re removing a regular, two-door type fridge or a French Door model, refrigerators can be tricky to remove because of the following factors:
Weight & Size
Massive double-door fridges or French Door models are very heavy, weighing up to 100kg or more. It takes muscle and the right equipment to lift, move, and load them in a truck. Also, moving a heavy, bulky refrigerator through narrow hallways or down flights of stairs by yourself is an instant recipe for back injuries, not to mention damaged walls and floors.
The “Settling” Myth
Transporting a refrigerator can be tricky. Even with a broken unit, keep it upright to prevent compressor oil from entering the cooling lines, which can cause permanent damage or failure [1]. This makes DIY trips to the tip to dispose of a fridge inconvenient, especially if you don’t have a truck or the equipment to keep the unit upright.
Property Damage
Dragging a fridge without a trolley can damage your wooden floors or crack tiles. If you’re renting, you may lose all or part of your bond or security deposit and be responsible for repairs or replacements for items you damaged. In the worst case, it may constitute a breach of the lease if your contract requires you to avoid damage to the property.
Removing a fridge is harder than you may think, so leave it to the pros. We have the right equipment to move and load refrigerators and freezers, such as heavy-duty trolleys, straps, and protective gear, and we can do it on the same day.
We Remove All Types of Refrigeration Units
Our team can remove all types of refrigerators and freezers, whether they’re residential or commercial.
Standard Fridges
Standard units may look simple to dispose of, but most are heavy, and top- or bottom-mounted units are challenging to remove and haul. Also called full-size or standard-depth fridges, these are mostly 30 to 36 inches wide, 66 to 72 inches tall, and 29 to 36 inches deep [2]. These extend slightly beyond the kitchen countertops.
Large Residential
Large homes need large fridges. Large units such as side-by-side refrigerators, French doors, and smart fridges are bulky and heavy, difficult to maneuver and load. We use specialised trolleys and equipment, along with additional manpower, to carefully remove these giants from your home and load them into our trucks.
Chest Freezers
Chest freezers keep food fresh longer, and in homes, they are usually placed in garages, pantries, and basements, areas that can be tricky to access. These are heavy and awkward to move with compact units (those under 5 cu. ft.) measuring 32 to 36 inches in height and large units (18+ cu. ft.) spanning from 20 to 80 inches [3], requiring an experienced company to dispose of them properly.
Commercial Fridges
Commercial establishments such as supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, and delis use storage and display units to store and display food. Our team can help remove all types of display fridges, under-bench Skope units, and even heavy stainless steel units.
Wine Fridges & Bar Fridges
Smaller specialised fridges, such as wine and bar fridges, are easier to load but still require specialised removal. We can dispose of these units for you and make sure your space is ready in time for your new fridge.
The Environmental Aspect: Safe Degassing & Recycling
Refrigerators and freezers are more than basic home appliances. Inside their plastic or metal bodies are refrigerant gases that require careful handling and removal to prevent environmental harm.
Refrigerant Gases
Refrigerators contain dangerous greenhouse gases called hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are used as refrigerants. CFCs are found in older refrigerators (manufactured before 1995). These are very destructive to the ozone layer and are about 10,000 times more powerful as greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide [4]. Thus, fridges and freezers must be handled and disposed of carefully to prevent the release of these toxic gases into the atmosphere.
The Process
We transport broken fridges and freezers to certified recycling centres where these harmful gases are safely and effectively captured. Known as degassing, this process must be completed before components are extracted and recycled.
Metal Recycling
After a unit is degassed, the steel, copper coils, and compressor are removed and shredded. The metal will be recycled to make new products.
Plastic & Glass
Refrigerators with plastic and glass shelves and drawers are also taken apart and processed. Plastic may be turned into new products, while glass is melted and processed further to make new glass items.
With a trusted rubbish removal company, you’ll have complete peace of mind that your broken appliances won’t be sent to landfills, where they could pollute the environment. You are disposing of rubbish responsibly and safely.
How Our Removal Process Works
Our refrigerator and freezer removal services are easy and stress-free.
Step 1: Get a Quote
Please give us a call or use our online booking service so we can start right away. Don’t forget to mention whether access to the broken fridge is tight or if there are stairs.
Step 2: The Pickup
Our team will arrive on time to pick up your broken fridge. You may also book our same-day rubbish removal services.
Step 3: The Lift
Your broken fridge is carefully lifted, secured, and wheeled out to ensure there’s no damage to your property.
Step 4: The Disposal
We head to the recycling facility, where its parts are sorted and recycled. We never take broken appliances or any rubbish to landfills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need to empty the fridge first?
A: Yes, please remove all food and glass containers from your fridge. We also collect food waste separately (as rubbish) upon request. The unit must be empty before we lift and transport it to ensure safety.
Q: How much does fridge removal cost?
A: Fridge removal cost depends on the unit’s size (commercial vs residential fridges) and access. Please call us to get a free quote.
Q: Can you take commercial restaurant fridges?
A: Yes, we can take commercial restaurant units. We have large trucks and the workforce to handle heavy commercial fridges.
Q: Do you take the packaging from my new fridge?
A: Absolutely. We also take the cardboard and Styrofoam from your new fridge.
Book Same-Day Fridge & Freezer Removal in Sydney
Don’t risk hurting your back or damaging your floors by moving a heavy fridge! Leave this to the professionals who can guarantee fast, safe, and eco-friendly household junk removals, minus the hassle.
Do you need that old fridge gone before the new one arrives? Call Aus Rubbish Removals today on 0402 244 036 for fast, responsible refrigerator and freezer removals.
References
[1] Whirlpool – How to move a refrigerator
[2] KitchenAid – Standard refrigerator sizes and dimensions guide
[3] Maytag – Guide to freezer sizes and dimensions
[4] Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water – Refrigeration and air conditioning – Consumers