Does Home Depot or Lowe's Haul Away Old Appliances?

It is one of the most common questions when replacing a major appliance: “Will the store just take my old one away?” The short answer is usually yes — both Home Depot and Lowe's offer old-appliance haul-away when they deliver a new unit — but there are conditions, fees, and limits that trip people up. Here is how it really works, and what to do when store haul-away is not an option.

The general rule: haul-away comes with delivery

Big-box appliance haul-away is tied to delivery of a new appliance. When you buy a refrigerator, washer, dryer, range, or dishwasher and schedule delivery and installation, you can typically add haul-away of the old, comparable appliance — usually for a modest per-item fee selected at checkout. The delivery crew removes the old unit when they bring the new one. It is convenient precisely because it happens in the same visit.

The conditions that trip people up

Store haul-away is not a general junk service, and the details matter. Policies vary by store, region, and third-party delivery contractor, so confirm the specifics for your order, but these are the common catches:

• You have to be buying a new appliance. The stores generally will not come out just to remove an old one — haul-away rides along with a delivery.
• Like-for-like. They typically take the same type of appliance you are replacing (old fridge out, new fridge in), not extra unrelated items.
• It must be disconnected and accessible. The old unit usually needs to be emptied, disconnected (water, gas, power), and clear for the crew. Delivery teams often will not disconnect gas or built-in units.
• There is usually a fee per appliance, added at purchase.
• Condition/access limits. Crews may decline units that are in unsafe spots, badly damaged, or leaking.

What about the refrigerant in fridges and freezers?

Refrigerators, freezers, and AC units contain refrigerant that federal Clean Air Act rules require be recovered before the appliance is scrapped. Reputable retailer haul-away programs route the old unit into a recycling chain that handles this. If you go any other route — scrapping it yourself, for instance — the refrigerant still has to be professionally recovered first. See our refrigerator disposal guide for the full picture.

Disconnection and installation: read the fine print

One detail that surprises people: the delivery crew's job is delivery and basic install of the new unit, not full-service plumbing or electrical work. For a refrigerator with a water line, or a gas range or gas dryer, the crew often will not disconnect the old unit's gas or water — that has to be done beforehand, sometimes by a licensed pro, or the haul-away simply will not happen that day. Built-in and cabinet-depth units, over-the-range microwaves, and anything hard-wired can also be excluded. Always ask, when you order, exactly what the crew will and will not disconnect so you are not caught flat-footed on delivery day.

Washers, dryers, and the rest

Haul-away is not just for refrigerators. Washers, dryers, ranges, dishwashers, and other major appliances are generally eligible on the same like-for-like, add-a-fee basis when you buy a replacement. The key limits are consistent across categories: you must be buying new, the old unit must be disconnected and accessible, and it is typically one old unit per new one. Anything outside that — an extra freezer in the basement, a dead dryer you are not replacing — falls to a hauler.

When store haul-away won't work

Retailer haul-away is great when it fits — but plenty of situations fall outside it:

• You are not buying a replacement — the old fridge just died and you are going without, or you are clearing out a rental or estate.
• You have multiple appliances or a mix of appliances and other junk to clear.
• The appliance is a type they will not take, or it is a second unit beyond the one-for-one swap.
• It is in a hard spot — a basement, a tight laundry closet, or a unit that needs disconnecting the crew will not do.
• Your delivery is weeks out and you need the old one gone now.

The local alternative: full-service appliance removal

That is exactly where we fit. We remove old appliances whether or not you are buying a new one, take as many as you have, and carry them out of wherever they sit — basement, garage, or upstairs laundry. We route refrigerant-bearing units through proper recovery and recycle the metal. And if you have other junk to clear at the same time, it all goes in one trip. For a single dead appliance or a whole houseful, call or text (812) 803-2110 for an up-front price in the Terre Haute area.

Quick comparison

	Store haul-away	Full-service removal
Requires buying new	Yes	No
Takes multiple/extra items	Usually no	Yes
Removes from basement, etc.	Often no	Yes
Timing	On delivery day	On your schedule, often same-day
Other junk too	No	Yes

Bottom line: if you are buying a new appliance and the old one is accessible, store haul-away is a fine, cheap add-on — take it. For everything else, a local hauler is faster and more flexible.

Sources & further reading

• U.S. EPA — Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) & refrigerant rules
• Vigo County Solid Waste Management District
• Republic Services — Terre Haute trash & recycling

Local facility names, programs, and rules above were last verified August 2026. Fees, hours, and event dates change — call the facility to confirm current details before you haul.