Old refrigerator

The purchase of a new refrigerator is often associated with the appearance of a new problem - where to put the old refrigerator? Of course, you can get rid of it by throwing it at a garbage dump, but this is not so easy to do because of the weight and dimensions. According to the law, the 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 fine for improper disposal. In this article, we will look at possible ways how to get rid of an unnecessary refrigerator. Or, on the contrary, you change your mind to throw it away when you learn the ideas of its useful application in the household.

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Rules for disposing of household appliances

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 as refrigerant in old refrigerators in large quantities.

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

Therefore, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the issue of recycling household appliances. Consider how to do it correctly:

• Please specify in the homeowners association( HOA) whether there is a schedule for the removal of bulky waste or the availability of a special container for such garbage. If such a practice exists, you will only have to take the old refrigerator to the container.
• For the utilization of household appliances in large settlements, municipal services are being established. 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 to get rid of the old refrigerator you will help the company for the removal of garbage.

If you are ready to spend money to get rid of the old refrigerator, then you can use the methods listed above. But first see how it can be done with the benefit for yourself.

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How is it advantageous to get rid of the old refrigerator?

The most popular ways to put an old refrigerator with benefits for yourself are:

• If the main goal is to vacate a place in an apartment instead of getting a profit, you can submit a free ad on the site or in a local newspaper that you want to give free of charge the refrigerator on self-delivery conditions. There is a high probability that within an hour you will be taken away.
• In these same newspapers and on the websites you can find ads about the free export of old equipment or the purchase of refrigerators for spare parts. In the first case, you do not lose anything and get a free seat in the apartment. And in the case of purchase - in addition to the fact that free of charge will be taken out of junk, you can earn some money.
• If the equipment is in working condition, it can be presented to the shelter.
• Ask neighbors - maybe someone is just looking for a cheap refrigerator.
• Contact the stores of home appliances - they periodically offer an exchange of the old refrigerator for a discount when buying a new one or for a discount when buying other equipment. At the same time, your old refrigerator will be taken away for free.

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If you do not like to throw things away

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

Creative approach using decoupage techniques and prints will turn an old refrigerator into a cabinet in which you can store books or things. In this case, the internal space can be altered or left unchanged.

Important! Motorists( for bodywork) and amateurs are skilled in making high-quality sheet metal from which the refrigerator body is made.

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Second life of a refrigerator in a country house

Owners of country houses or suburban areas can remake a non-working refrigerator under very useful things:

• With the door horizontally up, you can get a box for storing firewood, garbage or composting, and after removing the door - use as a flower bed.
• Beekeepers can store frames, adapting the old unit for this.
• You can make a dehumidifier for the cellar. You need to make a sealed cover with two holes, or cut two holes in the door. A fan is installed on the input port, for this purpose a retractable cooler of the computer's system unit can be used. The system works on this principle: the fan chases air and moisture from it settles in the coldest place. It remains to periodically remove the ice from the compartment.
• Vegetable storage on the site. First of all, the walls of the refrigerator must be protected with waterproofing, for this you can apply tar or tar. In the shade, a pit is fitted, into which the refrigerator closes the door. The top is covered with a lid - the warehouse for conservation is ready.

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

• Smokehouse. To make it, you need to remove all plastic. Inside there is an electric tile, on which a container filled with alder chips is placed. Observing technological processes, this way you can smoke both fish and meat.
• Dryer for fruits and mushrooms. Replacing the shelves with nets and installing a fan heater downstairs, you can get an excellent dryer for fruits, mushrooms and greens.
• After making 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 toolbox.
• For those engaged in agriculture, an incubator can be made from an old refrigerator.
• House for a dog. On the bricks the board is laid, and the 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 in them or even replace the doors with grills, 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! This is far from all the ideas for the useful use of an old refrigerator. You can visit the forums on this topic on the Internet and find many interesting ideas there.

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What is valuable in the old refrigerator?

Generally, the utilization 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 freon. This dangerous gas can be reused.

The equipment is then disassembled and the elements sorted:

• Plastic - do not represent a particular value and are sent for recycling. Disassembling the unit at home, plastic parts can be thrown away.
• Scrap of black metal is pressed and sent for melting.
• Breakage of non-ferrous metals. The old Soviet refrigerator contains a large number of non-ferrous metals. The electric motor can contain up to three kilograms of copper. Copper or its alloys are in the tubes through which the coolant circulates. The freezer compartment of the two-compartment refrigerator is made of pure aluminum, without alloys. All these metals can be used in production after processing.
• Electronics. These parts contain precious metals, they are sent for refining - the separation of precious metals from impurities.

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Second life of the compressor

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. In order to remove it, you need to unscrew the bolts and nuts, and then saw off the radiator with a metal hacksaw.

The compressor can be used to repair other equipment( replace the faulty compressor), but he found the widest application in the garage. With the help of the compressor it is possible:

• Pump up tires, pump out liquid( eg oil or water, etc.).
• The most popular option for using a compressor from an old refrigerator is to use it for airbrushing purposes. If a special compressor for the spray gun is out of order, it can be replaced by a compressor from the refrigerator. Of all the home appliances it is he who can create the necessary pressure for the correct operation of the airbrush.

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