Old fridge

Buying a new refrigerator is often associated with a new problem - where to get the old refrigerator? Of course, you can get rid of it by throwing it in a landfill, but this is not so easy to do because of the weight and size. According to the law, an old refrigerator must be disposed of in a special way. Therefore, even if you manage to move it to a landfill, there is a risk of paying a penalty for improper disposal. In this article, we will consider possible ways to get rid of an unnecessary refrigerator. Or, on the contrary, you change your mind about throwing away when you learn the ideas of its beneficial use in the household.

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Household appliance disposal rules

Let us dwell on the question of why household appliances should be disposed of according to certain rules. First of all, this is due to the fact that freon was used in large quantities as a refrigerant in old refrigerators.

This is a very dangerous gas that boils at low temperatures. When released into the atmosphere, it decomposes into components under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, which actively interact with ozone. And this leads to a decrease in the ozone layer.

Therefore, you should responsibly approach the issue of recycling household appliances. Consider how to do it right:

• Check with the Homeowners Partnership (HOA) whether there is a schedule for the removal of bulky garbage or whether there is a special container for such garbage. If this practice exists, you just have to take out the old refrigerator to the container.
• Municipal services are being created for the disposal of household appliances in large settlements. In the management of housing and communal services you can tell where to go. This is a paid service and you will need to pay according to the tariffs.
• For a fee, a garbage collection company will help you get rid of the old refrigerator.

If you are willing to spend money to get rid of the old refrigerator, then you can use the methods listed above. But first, see how this can be done to your advantage.

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How to get rid of an old refrigerator?

The most popular ways to put an old refrigerator to your advantage are:

• If the main goal is to free up space in the apartment, and not to receive benefits, you can submit a free advertisement on the website or in the local newspaper that you want to give away a refrigerator for free on a pick-up basis. There is a high probability that he will be taken from you within an hour.
• In the same newspapers and websites you can find ads on the free removal of old equipment or the purchase of refrigerators for spare parts. In the first case, you lose nothing and get free space in the apartment. And in the case of a purchase - in addition to taking junk out for free, you can earn some money.
• If the equipment is in working condition, it can be donated to the shelter.
• Ask your neighbors - maybe someone is just looking for where to buy a refrigerator cheaply.
• Contact household appliance stores - they periodically offer an exchange of the old refrigerator for a discount when buying a new one or for a discount when buying other appliances. At the same time, your old refrigerator will be taken for free.

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If you don't like throwing things away

A broken or outdated refrigerator can be turned into something useful.

A creative approach using decoupage techniques and prints will turn the old refrigerator into a cupboard in which you can store books or things. In this case, the internal space can be redone or left unchanged.

Important! Motorists (for bodywork) and tinkerers will find it useful to use high-quality sheet metal from which the refrigerator body is made.

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The second life of the refrigerator in a country house

Owners of country houses or summer cottages can remake a non-working refrigerator for very useful things:

• By placing the door horizontally upward, you can get a box for storing firewood, garbage or making compost, and removing the door can be used as a flower bed.
• Beekeepers can store frames by fitting an old unit under it.
• You can make a dehumidifier for the cellar. It is necessary to make a sealed cover with two holes, or cut two holes in the door. A fan is installed on the inlet, for this a retractable cooler of the computer system unit can be used. The system works according to this principle: a fan drives air and moisture from it settles in the coldest place. It remains to periodically remove the ice from the compartment.
• Storage for vegetables on the site. First of all, the walls of the refrigerator must be protected with waterproofing, for this you can use roofing or resin. A pit is equipped in the shade, into which the refrigerator is placed with the door up. It is covered with a lid from above - the warehouse for conservation is ready.

Important! Before placing the refrigerator in the pit, call the wizard to pump out the freon.

• Smokehouse. To make it, you need to remove all the plastic. Inside, an electric stove is placed, on which a container filled with alder chips is placed. Observing technological processes, in this way you can smoke both fish and meat.
• Dryer for fruits and mushrooms. Replacing the shelves with grids and installing a fan heater below, you can get an excellent dryer for fruits, mushrooms and greens.
• Having made holes for the pipe and air supply, you can get a box for the generator, while the generator will work twice as quietly.
• From the shell of the freezer compartment, fishermen can make a tool box.
• For those involved in agriculture, an incubator can be made from an old refrigerator.
• The house for the dog. A board is laid on the bricks, and a refrigerator is placed on top - so that the open door serves as a ladder.
• Cage for rabbits. If you make holes in the doors and insert lattices into them, or even replace the doors with lattices, you can get an excellent cage for rabbits.
• Greenhouse for growing seedlings. To do this, remove the doors, place the seedlings inside and cover with glass.

Important! These are far from all ideas for the beneficial use of an old refrigerator. You can visit the Internet forums on this topic and get many more interesting ideas there.

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What is valuable in an old refrigerator?

In general, the disposal of refrigerators is a profitable occupation. Consider how to properly disassemble this technique and what you can get with it.

First of all, you need to pump out freon. This hazardous gas can be reused.

Then the technique is disassembled and the elements are sorted:

• Plastic - do not represent special value and are sent for processing. When disassembling the unit at home, plastic parts can be discarded.
• Scrap of black metal is pressed and sent for remelting.
• Non-ferrous scrap. The old Soviet refrigerator contains a large amount of non-ferrous metals. An electric motor can contain up to three kilograms of copper. Copper or its alloys are in the tubes through which the refrigerant circulates. The freezer of the two-chamber refrigerator is made of pure aluminum, without alloys. All these metals after processing can be used in production.
• Electronics.These spare parts contain precious metals, they are sent for refining - separation of precious metals from impurities.

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Second compressor life

The review would be incomplete without mentioning the compressor. It is located at the bottom of the refrigerator and looks like a big black bowler hat. In order to remove it, you need to unscrew the bolts and nuts, and then saw off the radiator with a hacksaw for metal.

The compressor can be used to repair other equipment (replace a broken compressor), but it found the most widespread use in the garage. Using a compressor, you can:

• Inflate tires, pump out fluid (e.g. oil or water, etc.).
• The most popular use of the compressor from an old refrigerator is to use it for airbrushing. If a special compressor for the spray gun is out of order, it can be replaced with a compressor from the refrigerator. Of all household appliances, it is he who is able to create the necessary pressure for the correct operation of the airbrush.

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Stock footage

As you can see, there are many options where to put the old refrigerator. Choosing the right method for you, do not forget about protecting the environment.