U.S. Janet B. wrote:

> On Sun, 9 Aug 2020 13:10:04 -0400, jmcquown >
> wrote:
>
> > I'm expecting delivery of one if not tomorrow then later in the
> > week.
> >
> > My probably 20 year old GE 23.5 cu. foot side by side fridge
> > started giving me trouble towards the end of June. I have a home
> > warranty plan and they sent someone out from Sears to repair it.
> > Service call deductible is only $45. The evaporator coil was
> > frozen solid. He had to take the inside of the freezer apart. He
> > used a steamer to defrost it. He got it working temporarily. He
> > said he'd order the necesary part but with a fridge that old they
> > likely couldn't get one. Sure enough...
> >
> > So, the fridge went out again a few weeks later. Okay warranty
> > people, talk to the repairman. They can't find the part. Time to
> > replace the fridge. They initially offered me $499. I disputed
> > that. Counter-offer: a check for $650. Is that your final offer?
> > Yes. Okay, I'll take it. Time to shop for a new fridge!
> >
> > Meanwhile, the freezer side of the mostly kaput fridge is still
> > cold enough to act as a refrigerator. So I didn't lose all my
> > food. And thank goodness, I have a stand-alone freezer. I have
> > had to buy bags of ice for cold drinks in the meantime.
> >
> > I finally got around to buying a new side-by-side fridge on Friday.
> > I did a lot of comparison shopping. I was hoping to buy locally (I
> > guess I can call Hilton Head "local"). Help small business during
> > the pandemic, don'tcha know. Bill Wood Appliances. In business
> > for 45 years. The woman I spoke with said they simply didn't have
> > any refrigerators in stock because of the pandemic. Their supply
> > chain has been disrupted. At least they're still open and someone
> > was there to answer the phone.
> >
> > I wound up buying one from Lowe's. There's a Lowe's in town but I
> > bought it online.
> >
> > It's a Frigidaire, 22 cu. ft. side by side with ice/water
> > dispenser. I drink a lot of ice water and I'm soooo not going back
> > to ice cube trays again! Free delivery but every place now charges
> > for hauling away the old appliance.
> >
> > My stand-alone upright freezer is a Frigidaire and I haven't any
> > any problems with it.
> >
> > Once again, thanks to the virus, it might be delivered tomorrow but
> > they'll call ahead of time to let me know. That's a good thing,
> > actually. I need time to remove what few things are in the old
> > fridge/freezer before they install the new one and haul the old one
> > away.
> >
> > At least Lowe's had two of them in stock. Supply seems to be a
> > real problem everwhere I looked.
> >
> > Jill
>
> You are so right. Everyone charges to haul away these days.
> Mattresses, refrigerators, sofas. If you can get the refrigerator
> guys to haul it to the curb, will your waste management company come
> by to haul your old fridge away? Here, if I give them a call, they
> have a special truck that does nothing but haul that kind of stuff
> away -- you just have to get it to the curb for the special pick up
> day.
> Janet US

When we got our new one, we paid for haul away but ended up freecycling
it locally to a family that needed it, which was better than landfill
destination. It was still fully working.