Question 1

How much does refrigerator removal cost?

Accepted Answer

Dropcurb picks up a fridge for $109, with additional fridges at $59. Rolling it to the curb yourself is what keeps curbside pricing flat and upfront.

Question 2

What happens to the refrigerant in my fridge?

Accepted Answer

Federal law — Section 608 of the Clean Air Act — requires refrigerant to be recovered before a fridge is scrapped, and makes the final facility in the disposal chain responsible for verifying that recovery. That's also the reason a fridge can't just go out with the regular trash.

Question 3

Can my fridge be picked up same-day?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Book by 2 PM and it's typically gone within about 3 hours of being out. After 2 PM, it's picked up by 8 AM the next morning. Weekends available.

Question 4

Do I need to be home?

Accepted Answer

No. Once the fridge is at the curb, driveway, or alley, you're done — a photo confirmation texts to you the moment it's picked up.

Question 5

Do I need to defrost or empty it first?

Accepted Answer

Empty it, yes. If it's been running, unplug it the night before so the freezer defrosts and it isn't dripping across your driveway. No need to remove doors or drain anything else — door removal is a rule some cities like New York apply to their own curbside appliance collection, not to this pickup.

Question 6

Will you take a dead fridge, or one with a broken compressor?

Accepted Answer

Yes — condition doesn't matter for pickup. Dead fridges are exactly what utility rebate programs and retailer haul-away won't take, since both require working or replaced units.

Question 7

Can I get paid to get rid of my fridge?

Accepted Answer

If it still works, yes. $50 is the standard utility rebate — DTE Energy, Consumers Energy, and JCP&L all pay $50 for a working fridge they haul away free, and a few programs pay up to $100. The unit typically must be 10–30 cubic feet, plugged in and cooling at pickup, and appointments schedule out weeks.

Question 8

How do I move a fridge to the curb by myself?

Accepted Answer

An appliance dolly with a strap is the standard answer — rentable cheaply from hardware stores — and a second person makes it easy. Garage-to-driveway counts as curbside, so the move is often shorter than you think.

Option	Timeline	Cost	The catch
Dropcurb curbside pickup	Same-day (book by 2 PM)	$109	Roll it to the curb, driveway, or alley — working or dead — and the refrigerant is handled properly at the disposal facility.
Utility recycling rebate program	2–4 weeks	Free, plus a $50 rebate (some up to $100)	The best deal going — but only for working, plugged-in fridges (typically 10–30 cubic feet), only where your utility runs a program, and only on their pickup calendar.
Retailer haul-away	With new appliance delivery only	$25–$50	Home Depot charges $25–$50 per unit and Lowe's about $30 — but only with a new appliance delivery, and the old fridge must be empty, defrosted, and disconnected before the crew arrives.
City appliance collection	2–6 weeks, by appointment	Free	NYC requires a CFC-recovery appointment and doors removed by law; Phoenix bulk trash won't take refrigerant appliances at all. Rules and waits vary city to city.
Scrap metal collectors	Unpredictable	Free	Scrappers want fridges for the metal, but EPA rules put refrigerant-recovery responsibility on the disposal chain — the informal route can mean it's vented, not recovered.

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