Water Heater Removal Cost in Memphis, TN

Most people pay $110–$220. Updated for 2026.

A replaced water heater in Memphis, TN usually ends up in the garage, because the plumber quoted separately to take the old one and nobody wanted to pay twice.

An empty 50-gallon tank weighs 120 to 150 pounds; full, it is closer to 550 and immovable. Everything about removing one starts with draining it.

An old refrigerator and washing machine standing in an empty room with bare walls.

Water Heater Removal in Memphis: what actually moves the price

60% of Memphis homes are detached houses, so water heater removal here is usually a straight drive-up: the truck reaches the driveway and the load never sees a staircase. That is the cheap end of the range on this page.

Most homes in Memphis were built around 1970, and the layout of that era decides more about a water heater removal job than the price list does.

With renters in 54% of Memphis homes, a lot of water heater removal here happens on a deadline. If yours does not, saying you are flexible on the day is worth more than any haggling.

610,919

Residents (2024)

296

Square miles of land

2,063

People per square mile

Local figures: U.S. Census Bureau — Memphis city. Checked 2026-08-21.

Water Heater Removal in Memphis: where the city stops and a hauler starts

The free route in Memphis has hard edges, and they are the reason people end up paying: A bulky pile may not go over ten cubic yards, and it sits within three feet of the street.

Past those limits the city is not an option at all — not slower, not pricier, simply unavailable. That is the line a hauler exists for, and it is worth knowing exactly where it sits before you start carrying anything.

Collection in Memphis is run by City of Memphis Solid Waste Management. Below is what they will take, straight from their own rules — and where each route runs out.

What the regular cart will not take

The pile stays clear of mailboxes, parked cars, fences, trees and low-hanging limbs, and nothing goes out once the crew has passed. Tree debris has to be under five feet long and under thirteen inches thick. The city asks you to call 311 so the crew knows a pile is waiting. Construction and demolition debris — dirt, brick, rock, concrete, scrap, lumber, roofing, fencing material, carpet — is prohibited by ordinance, and a contractor who creates waste has to remove it. Up to four tires, sizes to 11 x 22.5, can go at the curb, sometimes by special arrangement. Carts go out no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before collection and come back in by 8 a.m. the day after.

Checked against the operator’s own page on 2026-09-15. Source

Drain it first — it is not optional

Attach a hose to the drain valve and let it empty, ideally the night before. A crew cannot move a full tank and will not try, so an undrained heater means either a wasted trip or a long wait on your clock. Give it time; sediment in an old tank makes it drain slowly.

The connections are a licensed job

Gas heaters must be disconnected by someone qualified, and electric units need the circuit isolated. Junk removal crews take away the tank; they do not break gas unions. If the heater is still connected when they arrive, that is a return visit rather than a removal.

Typical water heater removal cost

$110 – $220

A national range, not a quote. Your actual prices come from local pros bidding on your job.

How JunkerClub works in Memphis

Post your job

Describe what needs to go and add a photo. It takes a minute and costs nothing.

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Local pros in Memphis bid on your job from your photos — no site visit.

Pay your pro directly

Pick the offer you like. You pay your pro directly when the job is done — cash or card, no platform markup.

Water Heater Removal pricing breakdown

Service Typical market price JunkerClub estimate
Standard tank, drained and disconnected $130 – $200 $105 – $165
Basement or attic location $180 – $280 $145 – $230
Commercial or large-capacity tank $280 – $450 $225 – $370

Estimates only. The final price depends on how much there is, how easy it is to reach, and what the pro quotes.

How we build these ranges — and why a real quote can land outside them →

FAQ

Water Heater Removal in Memphis — common questions

How much does water heater removal cost in Memphis?

Most people pay $110–$220. That is a national range for water heater removal, not a quote — your real price comes from local pros bidding on your photos, and it moves with volume, stairs and how far the item has to travel to the truck.

Can the crew disconnect it for me?

Not the gas line — that is licensed work and a responsible crew will decline it. Have a plumber disconnect and cap it, then removal is a simple pickup. Some pros will handle a straightforward electric isolation, but ask rather than assume.

Is an old water heater worth anything as scrap?

The steel tank has modest scrap value and that is already reflected in what you are quoted — it is part of why tank removal sits below furniture of similar weight. It is not enough to make the removal free.

How long does draining take?

Between twenty minutes and a couple of hours depending on sediment. Start it the evening before the pickup and open a hot tap somewhere in the house to let air in — that alone roughly halves the time.

How quickly can it be picked up?

It depends on how many pros cover your area. On our first jobs the first quote arrived within one to three days, and we email you the moment one comes in. Once you pick a pro you choose the date and time window; same-day or next-day pickup is possible when a crew has room on the truck.

What does JunkerClub charge me?

Nothing. Posting a job and collecting quotes is free, and you pay your pro directly when the work is done. The pro pays the platform a small fee only when they win the job — it never gets added to your price.

Do I have to carry it outside myself in Memphis?

No — the crew does the lifting and loading, and that labour is most of what you are paying for. In Memphis 60% of homes are detached, so most jobs are a driveway carry and the truck can usually get close to the door. The median home here was built around 1970; single-width staircases are common in that stock and lifts are rare. Say which floor it is on and whether there is a lift when you post the job; that is the part that moves the quote. Housing figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau.

What makes a junk removal quote in Memphis different from the national average?

Access and housing type, mostly. In Memphis, 60% of homes are detached and the city runs at about 2,063 residents per square mile — most homes here have a driveway a truck can reach, which usually keeps a job at the simpler end. Renters occupy 54% of occupied homes here, which also shapes when the work happens. The prices on this site are national ranges; the number you actually pay comes from local pros bidding on your photos. Housing figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Where the city stops in Memphis:

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