As the number of smart home devices grows, so does your need to find room for them. When you’re done with an appliance, though, it’s often hard to decide what to do with it. You might be wondering if there is anything you can do besides throwing away your old appliances and buying new ones. The answer is yes.
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Why You Must Not Throw Away Old Appliances
You shouldn’t throw away old appliances for several reasons. The first reason is that it’s probably not worth buying a new device if you can still repair the one you’re throwing out. Some repairs are fairly inexpensive, like replacing an electrical cord or power switch. This repair often only costs about $10–$20 at your local hardware store, plus the price of immediately available parts if needed. Second, it’s also vital because eventually, you’ll need to replace these devices anyway. Throwing them out adds to the waste problem in landfills and increases overall pollution-related costs (which nobody wants).
The rule of thumb is that you should always ask yourself before throwing away your old appliance, “Can I repair this?” If the answer is no, donate it to charity or your local thrift store or sell it at a garage sale. In the case of large appliances, you can also contact your community’s solid waste department to see if they can take them back for recycling.
With that said, here are a few ways you can do to part ways with your old appliances:
Recycle Old Appliances Instead of Throwing Them Away
When it comes to parting ways with a nearly new appliance you don’t need any longer, the first thing that comes to mind is throwing them away. This isn’t a perfect idea, though. First of all, it’s terrible for the environment since appliances made from particular materials will take years to decompose in landfills. Second, some devices that are comfortable at home might not be safe around kids or pets.
When it comes to recycling old appliances, the best thing is to contact reputable companies that can dispose of them for you. They’ll go and pick up your old appliances soon after you call. You don’t have to worry about the cost since they usually pass it on to their customers. You also don’t have to worry about uninstalling old appliances and hauling them away, leaving you with more free time for other tasks.
Get Your Appliance Repaired and Donate It to Charity
If your old appliances are still in good condition, you can get them repaired and donate them to charity. You can contact local charities to see if they’ll accept them, such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army.
For example, you have an oven that won’t heat, or the gas burner won’t light. It won’t make much sense to throw it away, even if you might use this as an excuse to get an oven. What you can do is to get your oven repaired to working condition and see if any charities will accept your donation. Better yet, you can give your old range directly to a family in need to help them set up a home-baking business.
The best part of donating your old appliances is the tax write-off. You’ll get a deduction on your taxes when you write off the cost of your charitable donation. Plus, it’s good to know that your donated items are being put to use so that they won’t be sitting in landfills.
Host a Garage Sale or Post on Craigslist or Gumtree
Another way to get rid of your old appliances is by hosting a garage sale or posting them on sites like Craigslist or Gumtree. You can sell to people in your community without having to deal with professional haulers.
This option isn’t the best if you’re looking for cash since it’s hard to find someone willing to pay top dollar for appliances that they might only need for a short period. On the other hand, you can manage to get rid of old appliances this way if it’s not worth your time to make repairs or handle hauling away junk.
Trade in for a New Appliance Instead of Recycling It
What if your old appliances are still in good condition? Instead of recycling them, you can get a new one that has way more advanced features. So instead of taking up space in the garage, your new appliance will be sitting in your living room or kitchen. Furthermore, some stores offer up to 25% in trade-ins so that you can get a new device for just a fraction of its cost.
The caveat in this option is that it can be hard to find a store or retailer that will give you the trade-in value for your old appliance. If you try searching online, you might find some sites willing to offer top dollar for certain branded products only.
When shopping for a new appliance, make sure that it’s not too energy-intensive. Even if recycling old appliances can lessen your impact on the environment, you should still try to conserve resources by using an efficient appliance.
There are many ways to get rid of old appliances today. The best thing you can do is find the most convenient one for your lifestyle and home needs.
For help understanding signs of a failing appliance and when to consider a replacement, please see the resource below.
Provided by Gene May Heating & Cooling – ac repair Joliet