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A public resource guide
Free water heater removal in St. Louis, MO
Every free and paid way to get rid of a water heater in St. Louis, verified October 2026.
Checked against St. Louis Refuse Division
Home › By item › Water heater › St. Louis
A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of a water heater in St. Louis, verified October 2026.
Checked against St. Louis Refuse Division
3
large items per household during your monthly bulk week, out by 6 a.m. Monday
BOAT-E
batteries, oil, appliances, tires, and electronics are recycled in the same week
1 load
pickup-truck load per visit at a city transfer station for residents
Every route for a water heater in St. Louis, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full St. Louis guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in St. Louis, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
St. Louis monthly bulk and BOAT-E pickup: water heaters
FreeA drained water heater is an appliance for bulk week.
Who qualifies: Properties served by the City of St. Louis Refuse Division (city limits only; St. Louis County has separate trash districts).
How to schedule: No appointment. Once a month, during your region's bulk week (find it at stlouis-mo.gov/my-pickup or 314-622-4800), set up to 3 large items out by 6 a.m. Monday. BOAT-E items (batteries, oil, appliances, tires, electronics) are recycled during the same bulk week. Crews have the whole week; report misses to the Citizens' Service Bureau on Friday.
Limits: Up to 3 large items per household per month. City residents can also bring one pickup-truck load to a city transfer station.
Set-out: Roll-cart homes: at the curb in front of the house. Alley-dumpster homes: in the alley directly behind the house, away from the dumpster, not blocking the alley. Never in or next to the trash container.
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 St. Louis: 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 water heaters, 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 St. Louis: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
St. Louis residents have a generous combination of free services: monthly bulk pickup organized by region, plus 12 free loads per year at the city’s two transfer stations. This page walks through every option in order from free to paid, with the specific rules that apply in St. Louis City.
The St. Louis rule for water heaters: A drained water heater is an appliance for bulk week.
Program basics: Up to 3 large items per household per month. City residents can also bring one pickup-truck load to a city transfer station. Roll-cart homes: at the curb in front of the house. Alley-dumpster homes: in the alley directly behind the house, away from the dumpster, not blocking the alley. Never in or next to the trash container.
What the city will not take: Railroad ties, construction and remodeling debris (transfer station), household hazardous waste, and regular trash mixed with bulk.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of St. Louis Refuse Division: Bulk and BOAT-E item pickup, City of St. Louis: Residential Collection overview. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Hazardous and regulated components in St. Louis. St. Louis Refuse Division accepts automotive batteries and motor oil at Transfer Stations free for City residents. For other household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals, pesticides), check stlouis-mo.gov for periodic HHW collection events. Several retailers offer ongoing free recycling: Home Depot for batteries and CFL bulbs, AutoZone for motor oil and car batteries, Best Buy for electronics, and most pharmacies for unused medications.
Why water heaters are different from ordinary bulk. The weight problem is entirely water. People try to tip a tank that has not fully drained and discover that 30 remaining gallons weigh 250 pounds. Sediment at the bottom can also clog the drain valve, leaving the tank heavier than it looks. Flushing with the cold supply on for a minute often clears it.
Three mistakes that get water heaters left at the curb:
Paid options come into play for basement tanks with difficult stairs, heat pump units, and situations where no replacement is being installed.
Self-haul to a transfer station or scrap yard
Free to $15A drained tank lies flat in a pickup bed or a large SUV. Scrap yards take them free; transfer stations may charge a small bulky item fee.
Strap it down. An empty tank rolls.
LoadUp paid water heater pickup
$80+For households who can’t wait for monthly bulk Monday or have construction debris not accepted by city services, LoadUp offers professional removal in St. Louis with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your water heater. 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 water heater pickup in St. Louis with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside St. Louis proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete St. Louis junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national water heater disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for St. Louis: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does St. Louis pick up water heaters for free?
Yes, drained, during your bulk week.
How much does paid water heater removal cost in St. Louis?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single water heater pickup in St. Louis starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households who can’t wait for monthly bulk Monday or have construction debris not accepted by city services, LoadUp offers professional removal in St. Louis with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
How do I drain a water heater before disposal?
Turn off the gas or the breaker and shut the cold water supply. Connect a garden hose to the drain valve and run it to a floor drain or outside. Open a hot tap upstairs and the T&P valve to let air in. When the flow stops, open the cold supply briefly to flush sediment, then close it and let the tank finish draining. Expect 20 to 40 minutes for a 50 gallon tank.
Can a water heater go out with bulk trash?
In most cities, yes, as long as it is drained. Some cities treat it as an appliance with its own appointment. Check the local rule in the directory below.
Will a scrap yard pay for an old water heater?
Usually a few dollars for the steel, more for a tankless unit with a copper heat exchanger. Most yards require the tank to be fully drained and some ask that the drain valve be removed.
Is there anything hazardous in a water heater?
Standard gas and electric tanks contain no refrigerant or regulated materials. Heat pump water heaters contain refrigerant in the compressor and must be handled like a refrigerator. The glass lining and the magnesium or aluminum anode rod are inert.
Is this St. Louis page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full St. Louis guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.