Appliance Removal in Boise

Fridges, washers, dryers, water heaters, stoves and the occasional chest freezer sitting in a garage — appliance removal in Boise usually isn't one item. It's whatever got replaced during a kitchen update or a move, piled by the door or still sitting where it last worked.

The tricky part isn't lifting it. It's what you're allowed to do with it once it's out, and how it gets from a basement or garage to a truck without tearing up a doorway or a driveway.

The City's Bulky Pickup Covers Some of This

Boise residents on Republic Services' Curb It program get a set number of free bulky item pickups each household per year, and appliances are on the approved list — fridges, AC units, water heaters. The catch with fridges and AC units: the Freon has to be removed before Republic will take it, which means scheduling that step ahead of the pickup date.

That program works well for a single appliance you can get to the curb or alley yourself, on their schedule. It makes less sense when you've got several appliances at once from a remodel, when the unit is stuck in a basement or upstairs, or when you just don't want to deal with draining refrigerant and waiting for a pickup window.

If you haul it yourself, know that Ada County's Hidden Hollow Landfill off Seamans Gulch Road accepts refrigerated appliances, but charges a fee for them, same as scrap metal and tires get their own line.

Getting It Out of an Older Boise Home

A lot of what makes appliance removal slower in Boise isn't the appliance — it's the house. North End and East End bungalows and Victorians often have narrow stairwells and tight basement doorways that a modern fridge barely clears. Bench and West Bench ranches tend to have garages and wider hallways, which usually makes the job quicker. Newer subdivisions in West Boise, Southeast Boise and Barber Valley are generally the easiest access of the bunch.

A few things worth checking before anyone shows up:

• Measure the doorway and stairwell the appliance has to pass through, not just the one it's sitting in now
• Unplug and let a fridge or freezer sit so it isn't still holding cold air and condensation
• Disconnect and drain hoses on a washer so it doesn't leak on the way out
• Clear a path to the driveway or alley — boxes, rugs, pets
• Check with your HOA if you're setting anything at the curb overnight
• Know whether your unit still has Freon in it, since that determines where it can legally go

Whether you use the city's free pickup or hire it out usually comes down to how many appliances you've got and how hard they are to reach. Boise Junk Removal can give you a free estimate either way.