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A public resource guide
Free air conditioner removal in Allentown, PA
Every free and paid way to get rid of a air conditioner in Allentown, verified October 2026.
Checked against City of Allentown
Home › By item › Air conditioner › Allentown
A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of a air conditioner in Allentown, verified October 2026.
Checked against City of Allentown
1
bulk item per week on your second trash night, between 5 and 10 p.m.
$20
for a refrigerant appliance pickup by appointment at 610-437-8729 (other appliances free)
3 TVs
per year through the city's appointment-based electronics recycling, 1 per appointment
$20
Appliance and electronics pickup appointments, $20
Every route for a air conditioner in Allentown, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Allentown guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Allentown, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Allentown second-night bulk item collection: air conditioners
Scheduled pickup; $20 for refrigerant appliancesAir conditioners are refrigerant appliances: $20 by appointment.
Who qualifies: Residences with City of Allentown trash collection (twice-weekly service).
How to schedule: No appointment for one bulk item: on your second trash night of the week (Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday night zones) set out one bulk item, or up to 40 pounds of contained construction material, between 5 and 10 p.m. Appliances and large metal items are a separate scheduled pickup: call 610-437-8729, $20 for refrigerant appliances, free for others.
Limits: One bulk item (or 40 pounds of contained construction material) per week on the second collection night. Appliance pickups by appointment.
Set-out: At the curb in front of your property between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. on your second collection night. Containers back within 12 hours.
Appliance and electronics pickup appointments: air conditioners
$20Refrigerant appliances.
Where: Curbside by appointment, 610-437-8729
How it works: Metal items and non-Freon appliances free; Freon appliances $20. Electronics recycling by appointment: TVs, computers, and computer equipment, limit 1 TV per appointment and 3 per year.
Freemoval (free pickups through partner organizations)
FreeFreemoval funds free junk removal and cleanouts for households referred by trusted partner organizations, such as nonprofits, housing programs, and senior services. Families don’t apply directly. A partner submits the request and vouches for the need.
Status in Allentown: Not yet available. Freemoval currently serves metro Atlanta and plans to expand nationwide.
How it works where it operates: One free pickup per household, covering air conditioners, furniture, appliances, and bulk household items within standard LoadUp marketplace service. Funded by LoadUp customer round-ups and direct contributions, spent at standard LoadUp rates.
If you run a nonprofit or housing program in Allentown: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Allentown, Pennsylvania includes bulk item pickup as part of twice-weekly trash collection at no separate fee, on the second collection night of the week. Set-out is between 5:00 PM and 10:00 PM, with up to 5 bags or 2 containers per collection night for regular trash plus bulk items alongside on the second night. The city changed waste haulers on June 1, 2025: J.P. Mascaro & Sons replaced the prior contractor. Collection nights and core service rules stayed the same, but yard waste shifted from weekly April through November to every other week year-round. Electronics and document shredding are by appointment at the Bureau of Recycling and Solid Waste, 641 S 10th St.
The Allentown rule for air conditioners: Air conditioners are refrigerant appliances: $20 by appointment.
Program basics: One bulk item (or 40 pounds of contained construction material) per week on the second collection night. Appliance pickups by appointment. At the curb in front of your property between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. on your second collection night. Containers back within 12 hours.
What the city will not take: TVs, computers, and electronics (never at the curb; appointment-based electronics recycling, 1 TV per appointment and 3 a year), tires, auto parts, batteries, liquid paint, and hazardous waste.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Allentown: Trash and Recycling rules (2025 limits), City of Allentown: Trash limits (bulk item and appliance recycling). Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Hazardous and regulated components in Allentown. Hazardous household materials cannot go in any curbside collection in Allentown. Pennsylvania’s Covered Device Recycling Act also bans most electronics from trash and recycling.
Why air conditioners are different from ordinary bulk. The refrigerant is the whole story. Older units use R-22, which was phased out of production in 2020; newer ones use R-410A, which is itself being phased down under the AIM Act. Both are potent greenhouse gases and both must be captured, which is why landfills refuse ACs and why some cities charge a small refrigerant recovery fee.
Three mistakes that get air conditioners left at the curb:
Paid options matter when the unit is a heavy central condenser with no contractor involved, or when the city only offers a drop-off you cannot get to.
HVAC technician refrigerant recovery
$50 to $150An EPA-certified technician can recover the refrigerant from a window unit or condenser at your home and tag it. After that, the unit is ordinary scrap metal and any recycler or bulk program will take it.
Worth it for central condensers that need to be moved by a general hauler rather than an HVAC company.
LoadUp paid air conditioner pickup
$80+For households not eligible for free programs, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Allentown area. Upfront pricing, same-week scheduling, and licensed disposal handled for you.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your air conditioner. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes.
Pricing: Starts around $80 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
If you can pay for a pickup, your booking helps fund free pickups for someone else. Every paid LoadUp customer can opt in to round up at checkout, and 100% of round-ups go directly to Freemoval’s subsidized jobs.
Book air conditioner pickup in Allentown with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Allentown proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Allentown junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national air conditioner disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Allentown: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Allentown pick up air conditioners for free?
Yes, by appointment, $20 refrigerant fee.
How much does paid air conditioner removal cost in Allentown?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single air conditioner pickup in Allentown starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households not eligible for free programs, LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Allentown area. Upfront pricing, same-week scheduling, and licensed disposal handled for you.
Can I throw a window air conditioner in the trash?
No. Air conditioners contain refrigerant regulated under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, and landfills and transfer stations refuse them. Use a city appliance pickup, a scrap recycler with recovery equipment, or a retailer or utility takeback.
Do I have to remove the refrigerant myself?
You cannot legally do it without EPA certification. City programs, scrap yards with recovery equipment, and HVAC technicians handle it. Your job is to deliver the unit intact with the lines uncut.
Is there a fee to dispose of an air conditioner?
Many cities collect ACs free with appliance pickup. Some charge $10 to $30 for refrigerant recovery, and a few require drop-off at a solid waste facility. Scrap yards are usually free. HVAC technicians charge $50 to $150 for on-site recovery.
What about portable air conditioners on wheels?
Same rules. Portable units contain refrigerant and go through the same appliance channels as window units. Drain the condensate tank before moving it.
Is this Allentown page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Allentown guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.