Interested In Getting Money From Recycling? Where To Find Copper In Your Home

Recycling your scrap metal is not only good for the environment, it can be good for your wallet. Non-ferrous metals, like copper, contain no or little iron, so they have a higher resistance to rust and corrosion. While you can recycle both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals typically are worth more. If you aren't sure where to find copper, consider exploring old items in your home first. Here are a few places you can find copper to recycle.

In Your Old Electronics

Sockets, circuit boards, cables, CPU heat sinks, circuit boards, and computer chips all contain copper. If you aren't planning on refurbishing an electronic or donating it to an organization for further use, you may want to look through your cell phones, DVD players, or computers for scrap copper. Keep in mind that even when you find the scrap metal, the electronic device should still be recycled correctly so that it doesn't pollute the environment.

In Your DIY Projects

If you are planning on remodeling an area of your home, ask the contractor to set aside scrap metal for your use. For instance, if you are updating an area of your roof, you may find copper in gutters, downspouts, or soffits. If you are remodeling a wall or a place with plumbing, you may find copper tubing and pipes.

In Your Old Appliances

Do you have any old appliances that you need to get rid of and aren't worth the money in repairs? Copper coils can be found in old air conditioners, refrigerators, washers, and dryers. In general, larger appliances are more viable for earning scrap metal money over smaller appliances. For example, toasters, mixers, and microwaves often have a high volume of plastics and few metals, so they aren't worth taking apart.

In Your Car

Before you take a car to the junkyard, be sure to remove or have someone remove viable scrap metal. For example, the radiator, brake tubes, wire harness, alternator, and starter motor may have copper components that can be recycled.

In Your Cooking Equipment

Do you have an induction cooktop? Induction cookware needs to be made of cast iron or magnetic stainless steel in order to work, so if you have old copper pots that aren't being used, these could be recycled for scrap.

These are just a few areas in and around your home that may have scrap copper. Before you start tearing items apart, make sure any electronics are unplugged so that you don't hurt yourself. Wear thick gloves when working with sharp copper edges. If you need to remove copper wiring from casings, be sure to wear gloves so that your hands are protected from wire strippers, pliers, or razor blades as you extract the scrap.

If you aren't sure how to remove scrap metal yourself, contact a copper recycling company. They may decide to pick the item up and remove the scrap themselves. 

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