You finally got the old stove out of your kitchen in Fountain Square, and now it's sitting in the driveway. Good news: a stove is considered heavy trash in Indianapolis, so it can go by your cart on heavy trash day. The city takes up to two heavy items a month.
A fridge is another story. Freezers and AC units are too, because they hold Freon and need a special pickup.
Freon is the cooling gas sealed inside a fridge or AC unit. Its general name is refrigerant, and anything that holds it stays out of the heavy trash pile, even a mini fridge that would fit in your cart.
Find your appliance here:
| Appliance | Heavy trash? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Fridge or mini fridge | No | Freon pickup: Mayor's Action Center, 317-327-4622 |
| Freezer | No | Freon pickup |
| Window or room AC unit | No | Freon pickup |
| Dehumidifier, water cooler or under-counter ice maker | Likely no: they hold Freon | Call the Mayor's Action Center |
| Stove or range | Yes | Heavy trash day: one of your two items |
| Water heater | Yes | Heavy trash day: one of your two items |
| Heat pump water heater or heat pump dryer | Ask first | Ask the Mayor's Action Center |
| Washer, dishwasher or regular dryer | Should be: no Freon | Heavy trash day. The city only names stoves and water heaters, so call 317-327-4622 to be sure |
Some of those cooling rows surprise people. The EPA's list of small appliances with refrigerant names dehumidifiers, water coolers and under-counter ice makers.
ENERGY STAR says heat pump water heaters and heat pump dryers use refrigerant too. That's why we'd call before setting one out.
What is considered heavy trash in Indianapolis?
Big stuff that won't fit in your trash cart. That includes appliances without Freon, like a stove or a water heater. The city's Trash 101 page caps how much you can set out.
Two items by your cart on heavy trash day. Two a month in all. If you're clearing out a whole house, that limit comes up fast, so plan which two go first.
Read the exact wording
"Heavy trash generally consists of bulky items that would not fit into your trash cart. Common items include: Appliances without Freon, such as a stove or water heater (for appliances with Freon, contact the Mayor's Action Center to arrange pickup)"
"On your heavy trash pickup day, you can place up to TWO heavy/bulky items on the curb next to your trash cart for collection. You are limited to TWO heavy/bulky items per month."
The city's heavy trash day finder shows your day.
What else counts
Trash 101 lists other common heavy trash items, and some come with a rule:
- Mattresses and box springs: lay them flat on the ground, not leaning on anything.
- Furniture: a couch, desk, dresser, table or chairs.
- Lawnmowers: drain the gas and oil first.
- Swing sets and bikes: take bikes apart.
- Tree limbs: bundle them. A bundle 3 feet across and 3 feet long counts as one item.
What the city won't take
Some things are off the list. The city won't take building scraps as heavy trash. Haulers won't pick up TVs either, so take an old TV to an electronics recycler and don't try to take one apart.
Moving a gas range?
A gas range still counts as heavy trash. But don't pull an old one away from the wall yourself. Citizens Energy says moving it, even a little, can break an old brass gas connector, and only a qualified plumber, HVAC or appliance repair pro should check it. More in what Citizens Energy says about old gas connectors.
Which two go first?
Put out the two things you most want gone. Keep the rest until next month.
Can't wait? The transfer station below takes the extra on Saturdays for a small fee.
The night before heavy trash day
- Check the day. The city's finder has it.
- Count to two. That's two for the whole month, not two per pickup.
- Set them on the curb next to your cart. Lay mattresses flat, drain mowers and bundle limbs.
- Pull out anything with Freon. It goes on its own pickup.
Can you put a refrigerator out for bulk trash pickup?
No. In Indianapolis, a fridge goes on a separate Freon pickup that you book with the city, and it can't just sit by the cart on heavy trash day.
Call the Mayor's Action Center at 317-327-4622, or book on the city's Report a Trash Pickup Issue page. That page says to "allow ten business days for collection of a scheduled freon pickup." Book early.
Ten business days is two full work weeks, so if a new fridge is on its way, call the city the same day you order it. While the old one waits outside, make the door safe. The city has a rule about the doors on an old fridge.
What about a mini fridge?
It can't go in your cart, either. Size doesn't matter. Trash 101 lists "Appliances containing Freon or refrigerants" among the things the cart can't take.
For every option, from the city pickup to a hauler or scrap yard, see how to get rid of an old fridge or freezer in Indianapolis.
What if you have more than two heavy items this month?
Take the rest to the Marion County Citizens' Transfer Station. The city's Trash 101 page says it takes heavy trash and extra household trash, which helps after a big clean-out or a move.
- Where: 2324 S. Belmont Ave.
- When: Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Cost: $2 a carload, or $5 for an SUV or pickup. Bring cash. You can make two trips a day, and trailers, moving trucks and big trucks aren't allowed.
The page doesn't list fridges or freezers there. For those, stick with the Freon pickup.
Should you fix it before you toss it?
Maybe. A repair price is how you find out, and it's better to know before you haul a heavy box to the curb and pay for a new one.
Before you call
- Write down the brand and model number. It's on a label on the appliance.
- Note what it's doing. A burner won't light, the oven won't heat, or the washer won't drain.
- Know how old it is, even roughly.
Then see who we send repair calls to, and why.