Before you host a yard sale, consider looking through your unwanted items to see if you have a considerable amount of scrap metal. You may not be able to find someone to buy that old alarm clock for a quarter, but you may be able to sell some of the wiring at a scrap metal yard. Use this guide to find scrap metal throughout your home you can turn into extra cash.
Gather Your Unwanted Small Appliances
If you have old toasters, electric can openers, or other corded appliances you no longer want, remove the cords and set them aside in your scrap metal pile. The cords contain copper wiring you can sell for scrap, and some of the plus at the end of the cords may contain brass you can sell separately. While the amount of scrap found in each item may be small, it can add up quickly if you have a lot of old appliances. Be sure to have the actual devices recycled to save space in your landfill.
Get Rid Of Old Pots And Pans
Pieces of cookware that have seen better days can be sold as scrap. Go through your kitchen cabinets and sort through your pots, pans, baking sheets, roasting pans and muffin tins to see which you want to keep and which you are willing to part with. Place the items you want to sell in a container marked as scrap and set them aside for your trip to the scrap metal yard.
Sell Your Aluminum Siding
If you are considering replacing your home's aluminum siding, don't let your contractor haul it away for you. Instead, keep the siding in your garage or backyard shed until you are ready to make a trip to your local scrap yard or recycling plant. You'll likely have a large amount of siding you can sell back for its scrap value, which can help to offset the cost of your new siding installation.
Disassemble Your Old Computers
The wires in your computer monitor contain copper, just as your small appliances do. The inside of your computer tower also houses some valuable scrap metal. Remove all of the wiring from inside the computer and set it aside with the cords you collected from your small appliances to add to your copper scrap pile.
When you are ready to take your scrap to the recycling plant (such as American Northwest Recycling) or scrap metal yard, begin to keep an eye on the prices of metals. You can call the location ahead of time to monitor the price from one day to the next. Once you feel comfortable with the going rate for your metals, transport your scrap to the facility for sale. If you are selling your aluminum siding for scrap, consider borrowing a truck from a friend or renting one for the day to make it easier to get everything loaded in one trip. You may be surprised at the amount of money you get from collecting scrap metal you find around your home.
