Water heater disposal in Indianapolis comes down to four options: an $11 pickup from Indy Pickup 1111 (set the tank outside or in the garage), free drop-off at our recycling facility at 3004 Stanley Avenue, haul-away by the plumber installing your new unit, or the city’s monthly heavy trash pickup — capped at two bulky items.
Last updated: September 2026
A dead water heater is an awkward thing to own. It’s too heavy for the trash cart, too bulky for the trunk, and it’s usually sitting in a basement or utility closet dripping rust while the new one gets installed next to it. The good news: because the tank is almost all steel, it’s one of the cheapest items in your house to get rid of — if you know which route to take.
We’re Indy Pickup 1111, and hauling old water heaters is a normal Tuesday for us. Tanks ride on our trucks to our own recycling yard, so here’s the straight version of every option, with real prices.
Your Options for an Old Water Heater in Indianapolis
| Option | Cost | Timeline | You Handle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indy Pickup 1111 pickup | $11 (outside or garage) | Often same-day or next-day | Draining it and setting it out |
| Free drop-off at our yard | $0 | During business hours | Loading, hauling, unloading |
| Plumber haul-away | Usually built into the install quote | Same day as the new install | Nothing — ask before booking |
| City heavy trash | $0 | Once a month, on your trash day | Getting it to the curb; 2-item monthly cap |
| Scrap yard (sell it yourself) | Pays you roughly $8–$16 | Whenever you haul it | Everything, plus the scale line |
If a plumber is already installing your replacement, ask them to take the old tank — most installers haul away the old unit as part of the job (Family Handyman, 2025). Confirm it’s in the quote before they show up.
If the old tank is already disconnected and sitting in your garage, that’s our lane. Water heaters are on the $11 pickup list with no surcharge — they’re mostly steel, which is exactly what our business runs on. Book through the appliance removal page or text (317) 350-1111.
What Water Heater Disposal Costs in Indianapolis
The flat $11 base fee covers a water heater left outside or in the garage. No surcharge, no volume pricing, no on-site renegotiation. That $11 is prepaid at booking, and it’s the whole bill.
Need it carried out of the house? Published surcharges apply on top of the $11: $31 total from the main floor, $51 total from a basement or second story. The unit has to be disconnected and drained first — our crews remove, they don’t do plumbing.
One cost worry you can cross off: water heaters contain no refrigerant, so there’s no freon-recovery step and no freon surcharge. Federal recovery rules apply to refrigerators, freezers, and AC units (EPA, 2026) — which is why a refrigerator pickup runs $36 while your water heater rides for $11.
For comparison, full-service junk removal companies in Indianapolis charge $99 to $500+ for appliance removal. Our guide to getting rid of old appliances ranks every option in the market if you’re weighing more than just the water heater.
Old water heater in the garage? It rides for a flat $11 — same-day or next-day across most of the metro, and you don’t have to be home. Book Your $11 Pickup →
Can You Put a Water Heater in the Trash in Indianapolis?
Not in the cart — but yes at the curb, within limits. Indianapolis heavy trash accepts appliances without freon, and the city’s Trash 101 guidance names water heaters specifically. The service is free, runs once a month on one of your regular trash days, and is capped at two bulky items per household per month. Find your heavy trash day by entering your address at indy.gov.
Honestly? If the water heater is your only item, you can wrestle it to the curb, and “sometime this month” works for you, use the city and keep your $11. We’d rather tell you that than book a stop you didn’t need.
The city option falls apart in three common situations: the tank is in the basement and nobody wants to carry it, you missed this month’s heavy trash day, or the water heater is one of six things leaving the house — and the two-item cap eats your whole month. Our Indianapolis recycling guide covers the city-vs-private math item by item.
Is an Old Water Heater Worth Money as Scrap?
Yes — but barely. Can you scrap a water heater? Any Indianapolis yard will take one; tanks are bought as “white goods” or sheet iron, which paid $175 per ton — under nine cents a pound — on the Indianapolis scrap board in September 2026 (ScrapMonster, September 10, 2026). A 40-gallon tank runs from about 95 pounds empty for a slim electric model up to 180 for a big gas one, per A. O. Smith’s published shipping weights. Run the math and the tank grosses $8 to $16 at the scale. Before gas, loading, and the wait at the yard.
That range is not a coincidence to us. What a water heater is worth as scrap lands right on top of what we charge to make it disappear from your driveway — the metal is our margin, which is why the $11 model works at all.
Two honest tips if you want the money anyway:
- The heating elements, fittings, and anode rod contain copper and brass, which pay real money — Indianapolis boards showed copper at $4.30 to $4.50 per pound in September 2026 (ScrapMonster, 2026). If you’re handy, pull those and sell them separately. Our guide to what scrap metal is worth money shows what to look for.
- The stripped tank itself isn’t worth your Saturday. Bring it to our yard at 3004 Stanley Avenue and drop it free — metal drop-offs skip the $11 fee entirely. Details on the FAQ page; call ahead at (317) 350-1111 so we’re ready for your load.
How to Prepare a Water Heater for Pickup
Whoever hauls your tank — us, the city, or your own truck — it has to be disconnected, drained, and reachable first. Disconnecting the fuel source and draining the tank are the two non-negotiable steps (Family Handyman, 2025). A tank full of water weighs hundreds of pounds more than an empty one.
- Shut off the fuel. Gas: turn the gas valve to off. Electric: flip the breaker.
- Shut off the cold water supply at the valve on top of the tank.
- Let it cool for a few hours. Tank water sits at 120°F or hotter.
- Drain the tank. Connect a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom and run it to a floor drain or the driveway. Open a hot tap upstairs to break the vacuum.
- Disconnect the lines — water lines, gas line or electrical, and the vent pipe on gas models. If you’re not comfortable here, this is the plumber’s five minutes, not yours.
- Set it outside or in the garage where the crew can reach it. You don’t need to be home — pickup is contactless.
Booking takes about two minutes: pay the $11 when you book, and cancellations with more than 2 hours notice get a full refund. Same-day and next-day service covers the core metro, Greenwood to Carmel, Avon to New Palestine — check the service area map.
How Do You Know a Water Heater Is Done?
If you’re reading this before the tank fails, you’re ahead of most people. ENERGY STAR’s guidance is blunt: “If you suspect your water heater is more than 10 years old — it is time to consider replacing it before you’re left with an emergency decision,” per ENERGY STAR’s replacement guide, written by Nate Jutras (ENERGY STAR, 2024). Rust-tinted hot water, moisture around the base, and rumbling sounds are the classic warnings. Replacing on your schedule beats replacing during a basement flood — and it means the old tank gets staged in the garage instead of dripping while you scramble.
Old water heater? $11 pickup, or drop it off free. 2,173 Google reviews at 4.9 stars say we’ll make it easy. Book Now →
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I dispose of an old water heater in Indianapolis?
Four places: book an $11 Indy Pickup 1111 pickup with the tank outside or in the garage, drop it free at our recycling facility at 3004 Stanley Avenue, have the plumber installing your new unit haul it, or set it out for the city’s monthly heavy trash pickup, which is capped at two bulky items per household.
Can I put a water heater in the trash?
Not in the 96-gallon cart, but Indianapolis heavy trash accepts water heaters — the city lists appliances without freon as eligible bulky items. Collection is free, happens once a month on a regular trash day, and is limited to two items per household. Enter your address at indy.gov to find your heavy trash day.
Is a water heater worth scrap money?
A little. Yards buy tanks as white goods at $175 per ton (ScrapMonster, September 2026), and an empty 40-gallon tank runs roughly 95 to 180 pounds depending on whether it is electric or gas (A. O. Smith published shipping weights) — so figure $8 to $16 before gas and time. The copper and brass in the elements and fittings pay better if you separate them yourself.
Do plumbers haul away old water heaters?
Usually, yes. Most installers include haul-away of the old unit in a replacement quote, though some price it separately — confirm before the install date. If the plumber already left and the tank is still standing there, that’s the exact situation our $11 pickup exists for.
How much does water heater pickup cost in Indianapolis?
Indy Pickup 1111 charges a flat $11 for a water heater left outside or in the garage, prepaid at booking. Inside removal costs more: $31 total from the main floor, $51 from a basement or second story, disconnected and drained first. Full-service junk removal companies charge $99 to $500+ for the same appliance.
Do I need to be home for the pickup?
No. Pickup is contactless — set the drained tank outside or in the garage, and the crew takes it during the scheduled window. During business hours, scheduling replies typically come within the hour by text, and same-day or next-day service covers the core Indianapolis metro, Greenwood to Carmel, Avon to New Palestine.