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A public resource guide
Every free and paid way to get rid of a water heater in St. Petersburg, verified October 2026.
Checked against St. Petersburg Sanitation
727-893-7398
or SeeClickFix, to schedule a Special Pickup before anything goes out
Free
furniture, TVs, computer equipment, and appliances on a scheduled Special Pickup
5
Brush Sites, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, free for yard waste, metals, and appliances
Every route for a water heater in St. Petersburg, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full St. Petersburg guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in St. Petersburg, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
St. Petersburg Special Pickup: water heaters
Free, with a step firstA drained water heater goes on a Special Pickup or to a Brush Site.
Who qualifies: Properties paying an active City of St. Petersburg Sanitation collection charge.
How to schedule: Request a Special Pickup through SeeClickFix (a photo speeds it up) or call 727-893-7398 before putting anything out. Furniture, TVs, computer equipment, and standard household items are picked up free; large accumulations, building materials, and brush are quoted at $25.65 per cubic yard. Set items out only on your confirmed date.
Limits: Free for ordinary household bulk items; fees for volume loads. Yard waste is not collected curbside at all.
Set-out: At your normal collection point (curb or alley) on the confirmed Special Pickup date, not before. Unscheduled items are left.
St. Petersburg Brush and Recycling Sites: water heaters
FreeAppliances accepted.
Where: Five sites citywide, including 2500 26th Ave S (large logs); full list at stpete.org/brushsites
How it works: Daily 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for properties with an active city sanitation charge (Florida license with a city address, or ID plus a city water account). Yard waste, mixed metals, appliances, cement roofing tiles, and recyclables.
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. Petersburg: 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. Petersburg: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
St. Petersburg, Florida (#85 nationally) is one of the few major cities where the City Sanitation Services directly provides residential collection, not contracted to a private hauler. The City of St. Petersburg Sanitation Services serves more than 76,000 residential accounts. Trash is collected on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, OR Friday depending on your zone, there is NO Wednesday trash collection. Bi-weekly recycling runs on a 8-zone color-coded system. Special bulky pickup is request-based: call (727) 893-7398 FIRST to schedule before placing items at the curb. The City operates 5 free brush sites open 7 days/week 9 AM-5:30 PM. HHW is handled at the Pinellas County Solid Waste Disposal Complex. This guide covers every disposal option for City of St. Petersburg residents.
The St. Petersburg rule for water heaters: A drained water heater goes on a Special Pickup or to a Brush Site.
Program basics: Free for ordinary household bulk items; fees for volume loads. Yard waste is not collected curbside at all. At your normal collection point (curb or alley) on the confirmed Special Pickup date, not before. Unscheduled items are left.
What the city will not take: Hazardous waste, liquids, commercial waste, and yard waste (five free Brush Sites instead).
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of St. Petersburg Sanitation: Special Pickup, City of St. Petersburg: Brush and Recycling Sites. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Hazardous and regulated components in St. Petersburg. All commercial and residential garbage that is generated in Pinellas County is sent to the Solid Waste Disposal Complex (SWDC) in St. Petersburg, managed by Pinellas County Solid Waste, which includes a Waste-to-Energy Facility and landfill. HHW is handled at the SWDC for Pinellas County residents.
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 St. Petersburg households needing same-week or in-home pickup, items the city won’t accept (construction debris, hazmat), or service when crew labor is needed (heavy items, multi-piece sets), LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Tampa Bay area for upfront-priced pickup.
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. Petersburg with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside St. Petersburg proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete St. Petersburg 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. Petersburg: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does St. Petersburg pick up water heaters for free?
Yes, drained, after scheduling, or a Brush Site.
How much does paid water heater removal cost in St. Petersburg?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single water heater pickup in St. Petersburg starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For St. Petersburg households needing same-week or in-home pickup, items the city won’t accept (construction debris, hazmat), or service when crew labor is needed (heavy items, multi-piece sets), LoadUp connects you with independent loaders in the Tampa Bay area for upfront-priced pickup.
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. Petersburg page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full St. Petersburg guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.