Houston Heavy Trash Pickup: What the City Won’t Take
The City of Houston picks up heavy trash at the curb every other month. Here’s how it works, what it leaves behind, and what to do when you can’t wait two months.
Veteran-owned & Texas VetHUB certifiedWe haul what the city leavesFree quotes from a photoOpen 24/7, including weekendsHow heavy trash pickup works
| City of Houston rule | |
|---|---|
| How often | Every other month, up to six pickups a year |
| Your day | Look it up at houstontx.gov/solidwaste or in the HTX app |
| When to set it out | After 6 p.m. the Friday before, and no later than 7 a.m. on your pickup day |
| Where | Just behind the curb in front of your house. Not in the street, on the sidewalk, or against mailboxes, meters, poles or hydrants |
| How much | Up to 8 cubic yards per pickup, about the size of a minivan |
| Tree limbs | No more than 8 inches thick or 10 feet long |
| Tires | Up to 4 passenger tires. They can take up to a week to be picked up |
| Who gets it | Occupied homes with City trash service. Not apartment buildings with more than 8 units |
What the city takes
- Furniture, mattresses and box springs
- Carpet, rolled and tied
- Toilets, bikes and toys
- Stoves, washers, dryers and water heaters
- Refrigerators and freezers, only with a technician’s tag saying the refrigerant was removed
- Tree limbs, branches and stumps
- Up to 4 cubic yards of building material from your own project (no shingles, brick, plaster or concrete)
What the city won’t take
- Regular household garbage (that goes in your weekly cart)
- Electronics, paint, chemicals and other household hazardous waste
- Dirt, sod and soil
- Roofing and shingles
- Fridges, freezers and AC units without the refrigerant tag
- Construction or demolition debris, and anything a contractor, roofer or tree service produced
- Bagged leaves and grass clippings (those go out with yard waste)
One bad item can get the whole pile left
The City says that if items it doesn’t take are mixed into your pile, it may leave the entire pile. That means a couple of shingles or a paint can tucked inside can leave a full pile sitting at the curb for another two months.
Your options when it gets left, or you can’t wait
- Wait for the next heavy trash month. Free, but that’s about two months of a pile out front
- Take it to a City drop-off yourself. Houston residents can use the neighborhood depositories with a Texas ID and a utility bill. See where to take junk
- Electronics, paint and chemicals: take them to one of the City’s Environmental Service Centers
- Have it hauled away. We load it and take it to a proper facility, usually the same or next day
What Dump Hero hauls that the city won’t
- Remodel and construction debris, including contractor debris
- Roofing and shingles (heavy, so we price them by weight)
- Refrigerators and freezers, no tag needed
- Piles over the 8-yard limit
- Anything you don’t want sitting in front of the house for weeks
We can’t take paint, oil, chemicals or batteries either. Junk removal starts at $80, and most typical jobs run about $300 to $400. See the cost guide, or text a photo to 832-501-9988 for an exact price.
Heavy trash questions
When is heavy trash pickup in my Houston neighborhood?
Heavy trash is picked up every other month on your assigned day. Look up your day with the City’s service lookup at houstontx.gov/solidwaste or in the HTX app.
Will the city take debris from my remodel?
Only a little. The City takes up to 4 cubic yards of building material from a project you did yourself, but not shingles, brick, plaster or concrete. Anything a contractor tore out is the contractor’s job to haul off.
Can I put an old refrigerator out for heavy trash?
Only if a certified technician has removed the refrigerant and tagged it. Without the tag the City leaves it. Dump Hero hauls refrigerators and freezers to a proper facility, so you don’t need the tag.
How many tires can I put out?
Up to four passenger tires per pickup, and the City says they can take up to a week to be collected after your heavy trash day.
What happens if my pile has items they don’t take?
The City says the whole pile may be left if items it doesn’t take are mixed in. Keep anything questionable separate, or have it hauled away instead.
Do you pick up in Houston?
Yes. Dump Hero serves Southwest and South Houston plus Fort Bend and Brazoria County. Text a photo to 832-501-9988 for a price.