Key Takeaways

Never remove a furnace yourself unless you are a licensed HVAC technician — gas lines, electrical connections, refrigerant, and asbestos risks make this a professional-only job.
Your HVAC installer usually removes the old unit as part of the replacement job, often at no extra charge.
Furnaces contain valuable scrap metal — steel, copper, aluminum, and sometimes cast iron can be worth $20 to $80 at the scrap yard.
Older furnaces may contain asbestos — units manufactured before 1990 may have asbestos insulation or gaskets that require licensed abatement before removal.
Refrigerant recovery is legally required for furnaces with integrated heat pump components, per EPA Section 608 regulations.

Why Furnace Removal Is Not a DIY Job

A furnace sits at the intersection of gas, electricity, and sometimes refrigerant. Removing one involves:

Gas line disconnection — requires a licensed professional to cap the line properly and prevent leaks
Electrical disconnection — furnaces run on dedicated circuits, and many are hardwired rather than plugged in
Ductwork separation — the supply and return ducts must be properly sealed after removal to prevent conditioned air loss
Flue/exhaust disconnection — gas furnaces vent combustion gases through a flue pipe that must be capped
Refrigerant recovery — if the system includes a heat pump, the refrigerant must be recovered by an EPA-certified technician before disposal

Beyond the technical requirements, there is a real asbestos risk with older furnaces. Units made before the mid-1980s (and some into the early 1990s) may contain asbestos in insulation wraps, gaskets, and duct connectors. Disturbing this material without proper containment and equipment violates Oregon DEQ regulations and creates serious health hazards.

For more on refrigerant handling requirements, see our guide on how appliance freon recovery works.

The Typical Furnace Replacement Process

Most homeowners get rid of their old furnace when a new one is installed. Here is how that process usually works in Oregon:

HVAC contractor assesses the existing system — they note the furnace type, size, fuel source, and any potential hazards.
Old furnace is disconnected — gas, electrical, duct, and flue connections are all properly terminated.
Asbestos check — reputable contractors will flag potential asbestos and recommend testing if the unit is older.
Old unit is removed — the contractor or their crew carries it out and loads it onto their truck.
New furnace is installed and connected.
Old furnace is disposed of — most HVAC companies handle disposal as part of the job, routing the unit to scrap recycling.

In most cases, the old furnace removal is included in the installation price. If it is not, expect a separate charge of $100 to $300 depending on the size and accessibility of the unit.

What If You Are Not Replacing the Furnace?

Sometimes you need a furnace removed without a replacement — maybe you are converting to a different heating system, gutting a room during renovation, or cleaning out a property. In these cases, you have two main options:

Hire an HVAC company to disconnect and remove it. This costs $200 to $500 depending on the unit and complexity.
Hire a junk removal company to haul it away after an HVAC tech has disconnected it. The disconnection and hauling can be coordinated separately.

Scrap Value of an Old Furnace

Furnaces are heavy, and heavy means valuable at the scrap yard. Here is what is inside:

Material	Where It Is	Approximate Value
Steel	Cabinet, heat exchanger	$5–$20
Copper	Tubing, wiring, heat exchanger (some models)	$10–$40
Aluminum	Heat exchanger fins, some components	$3–$10
Cast iron	Heat exchanger (older models)	$5–$15
Electric motor	Blower motor (copper windings)	$3–$8

Total scrap value for a typical residential furnace ranges from $20 to $80. High-efficiency models with more copper and aluminum components trend toward the higher end.

Most HVAC contractors keep the scrap value as part of their removal service, which is fair — they are providing the labor. If you haul the furnace to a scrap yard yourself (after professional disconnection), you pocket the money.

For current scrap rates and tips on maximizing value, check our guide on metal scrap value in junk removal.

Asbestos: The Hidden Cost

If your furnace was manufactured before 1990, there is a real chance it contains asbestos. Common locations include:

Insulation wrap around the furnace body and ductwork connections
Gaskets and seals between sections of the heat exchanger
Cement board or millboard used as heat shields

Oregon DEQ requires that asbestos-containing materials be tested and removed by a licensed abatement contractor before any demolition or renovation work. This is not optional — it is state law.

Asbestos testing costs $25 to $75 per sample. If asbestos is found, professional abatement adds $500 to $2,000+ to the removal project, depending on the extent of contamination.

Do not skip this step to save money. The health consequences of asbestos exposure are severe and can take decades to appear.

Oregon-Specific Disposal Rules

Refrigerant recovery: If your furnace has heat pump components, refrigerant must be recovered by an EPA Section 608 certified technician before the unit is scrapped. Venting refrigerant is a federal violation with fines up to $44,539 per day.
Scrap yard requirements: Oregon scrap yards will not accept HVAC equipment that still contains refrigerant. They may require documentation that refrigerant has been properly recovered.
Landfill restrictions: Furnaces are accepted at most Oregon transfer stations, but fees are higher than scrap yard payouts. Recycling is the better economic and environmental choice.
Asbestos disposal: If asbestos is present, it must be bagged, labeled, and disposed of at an approved facility. Your abatement contractor handles this.

Professional Junk Removal for Furnaces

Once your furnace is disconnected by a licensed HVAC technician, junk removal crews can handle the hauling and disposal. This is a good option when:

Your HVAC contractor disconnected the unit but does not offer removal
You are cleaning out a property and the furnace needs to go along with other items
You want the furnace recycled rather than landfilled

Professional removal of a disconnected furnace typically costs $80 to $200, depending on size, weight, and accessibility (basement units cost more due to stair carry).

The Bottom Line

Furnace removal is one of those jobs where cutting corners can be genuinely dangerous. Gas lines, electrical connections, refrigerant, and potential asbestos all demand professional handling. The good news is that most HVAC installers include old furnace removal in their replacement service, and the scrap value of the unit offsets some of the cost.

If you need a disconnected furnace hauled away, or you have a whole basement full of old HVAC equipment and other junk, we can help.

Schedule your furnace removal with Otesse today.