Getting Air Conditioners Ready: To Scrap

Posted: April 16, 2026

Hello folks and welcome back. As we all know summer and hot weather are coming so it’s time to check those air conditioners and make sure they are still operating. If they are not get them ready for the scrap pile. Here I’ll tell you a little how to maximize your cashback with them and what we at The Rock do, and do not accept.

Air Conditioners We Accept

First and foremost I will mention that we do not accept window units or uncompressed condensing units. Reason being that the freon and oil are still in the compressors. They are contents under pressure so when we go to disassemble the compressed oil has a tendency to spray and leak. The freon can be a hazardous material and then the oil leaves you with a mess on the ground and also harmful to the environment. So if you are a licensed HVAC technician we advise you to drain the system before coming down to our yard.

Large Industrial Air Conditioning Units

Next is how to get the most money for an AC unit. We do accept whole rooftop or home central air units, but no window units…but for the most return it’s best to take them apart. The best way to do it is to fully disassemble the unit and get the copper/aluminum coil, the fan motor, the compressor, and the small copper lines inside. Remember to be careful because once you cut a copper line the contents of the compressor will start to be released. The best way to contain a spraying unit, if it does happen,  is to cover the source with a wet t-shirt to absorb the leftover gas or oil spill.

Don’t forget always to wear gloves and safety glasses and do not try to drain things if you are not a licensed professional. When you have units that have freon in them you have to make sure you get it properly removed by an HVAC contractor.

Have Questions About Scrapping Air Conditioners?

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