So you ordered a dumpster for your project and you’re ready to get started loading it up with materials. You’ve calculated approximately how much room you’ll need for all your waste materials and ordered a dumpster size that will hold just the right amount of tons needed (if you haven’t gotten that far yet, check out What Size Dumpster Do I Need?). Then you realize you misjudged how much junk you have and how much it really weighs and it’s looking like you’re going to have to pay some overage charges. Not so fast… here are some tips to help lower the weight that they’ll haul away…
Dumpsters generally are charged by weight or tonnage (weight in tons). Most include a limit depending on the size of the dumpster and charge an extra fee for each ton of material over the allotted amount. For example, a 15 yard dumpster may include 2 tons of material with the rental with an $80/ton fee for each ton over the 2. If you think you might go over the weight limit and are trying to avoid having to pay the overage fee (which can be as much as $100/ton), here are some tips:
*These are for temporary dumpsters with household material. Commercial and demolition or material specific dumpsters such as for only shingles or concrete have some different rules.
Protect Your Dumpster From the Elements
When people try to calculate how much their material is going to weigh, they generally add up what they have to put into the dumpster. But what they may not think about is what Mother Nature will add to the total. All residential dumpsters from Connecticut Dumpster Rentals are open top, meaning they don’t have anything that stops rain, snow, hail and sleet from getting into your dumpster and adding to it’s weight. This is common among almost all dumpster rental companies since it’s easier for customers and businesses to fill and empty the containers. H2O in any of it’s forms can be absorbed by many items you may put into the dumpster including mattresses, clothes, furniture or anything else that absorbs liquid, adding significant weight. And if it’s cold enough, especially with snow, you may not even need anything in the dumpster to absorb it (if you’ve ever shoveled snow, you know how heavy it can get). An easy way to avoid this extra weight is to put a tarp over the dumpster. It will keep rain and snow out of the dumpster and can be held down with a variety of items you can find around (rocks, milk or other containers filled with water, bungee cords or wood) so it won’t blow away. And if you live on a busy street, this will also dissuade people walking by from throwing their junk into your dumpster.
Recycle All That You Can
Towns have been pushing “green” solutions more now then ever. Before putting certain items in the dumpster, see if your town offers any free bulky pickups or recycling programs in your area. Appliances containing Freon (like refrigerators or AC units) generally will cost you extra to add into the dumpster, so it’s worth checking to see if your town will pick them up for no cost. Any larger items that can be recycled may also be taken by the town for free, so don’t hesitate to call up your public works department to see what they’ll take. If you have any clean fill (clean soil, rock, stone, etc) see if there’s a place to put the material or if any local companies are looking to buy it. For food waste, composting is a free and Earth-friendly solution. Towns in Connecticut are beginning to add food composting to their recycling programs, so keep an eye out for that too.
Give Away (Or Sell) As Much As You Can
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, as they say. You may have quite a bit of “trash” that someone else may actually be willing to pay for. If possible, you could hold a tag sale or list some items on Craigslist to see if anyone is interested in any of your furniture, appliances, clothes or other “junk.” Since you’re going to get rid of it anyways, you can sell it at a really cheap price and the buyers will haul it away at no fee! If this seems like it’s too much work or just isn’t the right solution for you, leaving items at the end of your driveway with a “FREE” sign on them may be an easier solution. It can be very tough for people to pass up on anything that’s free, especially if it has any value to it. Another idea is to see where you can donate certain items. Clothing, appliances, furniture, toys and many other items can be donated to local charities if you have the ability to get them there.
These are some simple tips to reduce the weight of material in your dumpster rental. Of course, if you have any questions or concerns, give us a call at (860) 609-4027.