Freon Removal & Refrigerant Recovery in Ottawa and Gatineau

What refrigerant recovery is

A fridge or freezer cools by moving a refrigerant through a sealed loop of tubing. When the appliance is retired, that refrigerant should be drawn out with recovery equipment into a sealed cylinder, not let into the air. Depending on the type, a refrigerant can damage the ozone layer, add to climate change, or both.

“Freon” is a brand name that many people use for any refrigerant, and your appliance may contain something else. Older fridges and freezers may hold CFC or HCFC refrigerants; many newer ones use an HFC such as R-134a, or a hydrocarbon such as isobutane (R-600a), which is flammable. The type is printed on the appliance's rating label, and it decides how the job is done.

When you need refrigerant removed before disposal

• You're taking a fridge or freezer to an Ottawa landfill. The City of Ottawa says refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and dehumidifiers must have their cooling chemicals removed and be tagged by a certified technician first. Untagged units are refused, and the City does not pick these appliances up at the curb.
• A hauler, scrap dealer or building manager wants the refrigerant out before they take the appliance.
• You're clearing a rental unit, an estate or a renovation and the fridge or freezer won't be used again.
• A repair finding showed a failed sealed system and you've decided to replace the fridge rather than fix it.

Fridge and freezer refrigerant removal: what we cover

Household refrigerators and freezers: top-freezer, bottom-freezer, side-by-side and French-door fridges, and upright and chest freezers. Every job is accepted only after we have seen the rating label and confirmed the appliance and its refrigerant.

This page covers fridges and freezers. For any other appliance that contains refrigerant, call or text before booking and we'll tell you plainly whether we can help.

How to book refrigerant removal

Call, text or email hello@repairwell.ca with:

1. The appliance: fridge, upright freezer or chest freezer, and the brand.
2. How many units need refrigerant recovery.
3. The location: address or postal code, and where the appliance sits (kitchen, basement, garage, outside).
4. Access: stairs, narrow doorways, parking, and whether the appliance is still plugged in.
5. A photo of the rating label showing the model number and the refrigerant type. Not sure where it is? See finding a model and serial number.
6. Where the appliance goes next: landfill, GoRecycle, a scrap dealer or a hauler, so we can check the paperwork suits that place.

We check the label, confirm we can take the job and give you the price. Then we book a time with you. Please empty the appliance before the visit.

Recovery, repair or pickup: three different jobs

• Refrigerant recovery captures the refrigerant so the appliance can be scrapped or recycled. That's this page. The appliance isn't repaired and won't cool afterwards.
• Refrigeration repair fixes a fridge or freezer that still has years left. If yours might be worth saving, book a diagnosis first: see refrigerator repair, freezer repair and how we decide repair or replace. Sealed-system repairs are also done by the certified refrigeration technician we work with.
• Pickup and recycling means moving the appliance out and taking it away. Refrigerant recovery doesn't include removal or hauling unless your quote says so.

What Freon removal costs

Refrigerant recovery is quoted per job, before you book. The price depends on:

• how many appliances there are
• the refrigerant type and the size of the appliance
• the location and the access
• what documentation the receiving site needs

Our $89 + tax diagnostic is for repair visits. It isn't the price of refrigerant recovery.

Freon removal in Ottawa and Gatineau: local disposal rules

One mobile team covers both sides of the river, from Kanata, Barrhaven and Orléans to Hull, Aylmer and Chelsea. See all service areas. Disposal rules differ by city, so check yours first:

• Ottawa: the City requires the refrigerant removed and the unit tagged by a certified technician before it accepts a fridge or freezer at its landfill, and it doesn't collect these appliances at the curb. Check the City's special items page for the current rules.
• Gatineau: since 6 July 2026, home collection of fridges and freezers is run by GoRecycle. It's free at eligible addresses, the appliance is collected from outside, and GoRecycle deals with the refrigerant during recycling. The city's écocentres also accept these appliances. If you qualify, you may not need us at all.

Freon removal questions