Recycling Your HVAC Unit

With proper maintenance, prompt attention to necessary repairs and a little bit of old-fashioned luck, your central A/C unit or HVAC system should last for many years.

When it does come time to replace or upgrade the system, though, it’s a good idea to make sure that you dispose of the old unit properly, recycling items that can be used again as well as safely ridding the unit of anything that could pose a safety or health concern.

You can likely save yourself a lot of aggravation by making a couple of calls first. One call should go to a local recycling facility. Ask if they accept larger items such as appliances and, depending on the answer, take things from there. Some municipalities even have special centers for hard-to-recycle-items. A quick Internet search should give you some leads in your area.

Granted, some of these facilities charge a fee to recycle larger items. Others are willing to waive those fees in order to properly dispose of the items. Local government offices can also be of help, as can landfills, if there is one in your area. Either way, the environment is better off without another A/C unit indiscriminately dumped in the trash.

Also, check to see if your local power company has a program to accept discarded appliances. Occasionally, utilities will even pay a modest fee to buy back older appliances, provided they are still in good working order. Pick up and drop off options can sometimes be negotiated.

If your units still has some “miles” on it, you might also consider donating it to a local charity or low-budget organization. Even if none of those groups are able to use your old unit, they may know of someone in your community who can.

One family we know of switched from evaporative cooling to central air. When it came time to dispose of the old unit, the installer mentioned a neighbor of his who would be “thrilled” to take if off the family’s hands.

Whatever option you end up choosing, be sure to ask questions about whether the unit needs to have fluids or refrigerant drained and/or collected. This can be a critical step in making sure that the unit is disposed of properly.

Questions about what to do with an old A/C unit? Give A/C World a call today!