Broken Appliance Hauling and Removal in Toledo

Published 2026-10-16 · iHaul Toledo

A broken appliance sitting in your kitchen, basement, or garage is not just taking up space — it is dead weight that is difficult and potentially dangerous to move without the right equipment and knowledge. A washing machine weighs 150 to 250 pounds. A refrigerator weighs 200 to 350 pounds. Getting them through doorways, down stairs, and into a truck safely requires at least two strong people and ideally an appliance dolly rated for the weight.

Common broken appliances we haul

Refrigerators and freezers

Refrigerators are the most common large appliance removal because of their size, weight, and the complications they create when they die. A full-size refrigerator weighs 200 to 350 pounds and stands 5 to 6 feet tall, making it the most difficult common household item to remove through standard doorways.

Before a refrigerator can be hauled away:

Empty it completely. Remove all food, shelves, drawers, and any ice from the freezer. A thawed refrigerator with water pooling in the bottom adds weight and creates a mess during transport
Unplug it 24 hours before removal if possible. This allows ice in the freezer to melt and drain. Place towels around the base to catch meltwater
Secure or remove the doors. On older models, remove the doors entirely to reduce width for tight hallways. On newer models, tape or strap the doors shut so they do not swing open during transport

Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers contain refrigerant (commonly R-134a or R-410A) that must be recovered by a licensed technician before the unit is scrapped or landfilled. The Clean Air Act prohibits venting refrigerant into the atmosphere, with fines up to $44,539 per day per violation. A legitimate removal service handles this requirement.

Washing machines and dryers

Washers weigh 150 to 250 pounds, with front-loaders on the heavier end due to the concrete counterweight inside the drum. Dryers are lighter at 100 to 170 pounds. Both require disconnecting utility connections before removal:

Washers: Turn off both hot and cold water supply valves behind the machine. Disconnect the supply hoses (have a bucket and towels ready — residual water will drain out). Disconnect the drain hose from the standpipe or utility sink
Electric dryers: Unplug the 240V outlet. The plug is larger than a standard outlet and may be behind the dryer in a tight space
Gas dryers: Turn off the gas valve behind the dryer (the valve handle perpendicular to the pipe means closed). Disconnect the flexible gas connector. If you smell gas at any point, stop and call your gas utility. Do not attempt to disconnect a gas line that appears corroded or stuck — a professional should handle it

Washers that have been sitting unused with water remaining in the pump or hoses may have developed mold and a strong odor. Warn the removal crew so they can prepare accordingly.

Stoves and ovens

Electric ranges weigh 100 to 200 pounds and simply need to be unplugged from the 240V outlet and pulled away from the wall. Gas ranges require the same gas shutoff procedure as gas dryers: close the valve, disconnect the flex line, and cap or plug the open gas line afterward. If the range has a built-in vent hood, it may be connected to ductwork that needs to be disconnected separately.

Wall ovens are bolted into cabinetry and wired directly into the electrical system (no plug). Removing them requires shutting off the circuit breaker, disconnecting the electrical junction box, and unbolting the unit from the cabinet frame. This typically takes 15 to 30 minutes.

Dishwashers

Dishwashers weigh 60 to 100 pounds and are one of the more complicated appliances to remove because they are installed under the countertop with multiple connections:

Water supply line (usually a braided steel connector to a valve under the adjacent sink)
Drain hose (connected to the sink drain or garbage disposal)
Electrical connection (either a plug under the sink or direct wiring in a junction box on the dishwasher)
Mounting brackets screwing the unit to the underside of the countertop

The dishwasher slides out from under the counter once all connections are removed and the leveling legs are lowered. Tile or hardwood flooring installed after the dishwasher was put in can trap the unit — the floor may need to be protected with cardboard or hardboard while sliding the appliance out.

Water heaters

Water heaters weigh 100 to 150 pounds empty but can weigh over 500 pounds when full. They must be completely drained before removal:

Turn off the power (circuit breaker for electric, gas valve for gas)
Turn off the cold water supply valve above the heater
Attach a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom and route it to a floor drain, sump, or outside
Open a hot water faucet somewhere in the house to break the vacuum and allow the tank to drain
Draining takes 20 to 45 minutes depending on tank size and sediment buildup. Sediment can clog the drain valve — opening and closing it a few times usually clears it

Once drained, disconnect the water lines (top) and the gas line or electrical connection. Water heaters in basements present the same stair challenge as other heavy appliances.

What happens to the appliances

Scrap metal recycling: Most large appliances are primarily steel and have scrap value. Washers, dryers, stoves, and water heaters are shredded and the metals separated magnetically and by eddy current. This is where the majority of hauled appliances end up
Refrigerant recovery and recycling: Units containing refrigerant go through a proper recovery process before the metal is scrapped
Refurbishment: Appliances that are broken but repairable — a washer with a bad pump, a dryer with a burned heating element — may be sold to refurbishers who repair and resell them. This is more common for units that are less than 5 to 7 years old
Donation: If the appliance still works (you are replacing it, not disposing of it because it is broken), organizations like Habitat for Humanity ReStore accept working appliance donations in the Toledo area

Why not leave it at the curb

Republic Services, the primary waste hauler in the Toledo area, does not pick up large appliances as part of regular curbside trash collection. An appliance left at the curb will sit there until you arrange removal, and it may result in a code violation notice from the City of Toledo's Department of Neighborhoods. Toledo Municipal Code prohibits storing large items on the curb or in the yard beyond collection day.

Appliance removal in Toledo

If you have a broken appliance that needs to go, I Haul Junk Toledo handles the disconnection, the heavy lifting, the stairs, and the proper disposal. We service the Toledo metro area including Perrysburg, Sylvania, Maumee, Oregon, and surrounding communities.