Keeping the old unit is a separate purchase decision
“We can put it somewhere” leaves an outgoing appliance without a plan. Write down the extra storage task, intended location and how often the old refrigerator would be used. Check its instructions and have appropriate professionals confirm the proposed location and connection. Space alone does not establish suitability.
ENERGY STAR's refrigerator calculator includes a remove-an-extra-unit comparison. Enter the old unit's available details and your electricity rate from a current bill. Record the result as an estimate, not a measured saving; actual use and equipment condition vary. Compare that ongoing expense with the specific storage job you identified.
Match removal to the replacement date
Winston-Salem's bulky-item collection is an annual neighborhood service, not an on-demand delivery-day pickup. Check the address, property eligibility and next collection date. The page says trucks make one pass, so a missed date cannot serve as the removal plan.
The City's white-goods guidance lists refrigerators and describes a Hanes Mill Road Landfill drop-off route. Confirm current acceptance, preparation and transport arrangements before relying on it. A listed destination is not a booked collection. Alternatively, obtain the retailer's or provider's exact haul-away scope, including disconnection, access and timing. Do not assume delivery includes those tasks.
For a property outside City service or with shared building access, verify the applicable provider and management arrangements. Bring the outgoing-unit decision into your Winston-Salem kitchen planning scope.
Your outgoing-fridge decision sheet
| Check | Your record |
|---|---|
| Second use | Specific storage job, frequency and suitable location; or no defined need. |
| Running cost | Model details, bill rate, dated estimate and assumptions. |
| Removal | Confirmed provider or accepted destination, preparation, transport and separate charges. |
| Timing | Named responsible person, replacement date, removal date and agreed fallback. |
A worked buying example
Hypothetical example: a Winston-Salem household wants to retain its old fridge for occasional overflow. It records that limited purpose and estimates running cost. Because the annual collection date does not match delivery, the household also requests a written haul-away option. It then chooses between a suitable second location and confirmed removal before accepting the delivery arrangement.
Questions to settle before ordering
Does the calculator prove my actual savings?
No. It provides an estimate. Keep the inputs and assumptions; actual consumption can differ.
Can I assume the City takes it when the new fridge arrives?
No. Verify the specific collection or drop-off route, eligibility, preparation and timing. Arrange any transport separately.
