With copper being a highly sought out commodity in the scrap metal industry, it can pay off to know where to look for scrap copper for your haul. Even when the scrap prices are low, copper scrap is still a great item to look for. The iScrap App wants to make sure you know some of the common places you can find copper.
Places To Find Copper Scrap For More Money
When you are searching for all types of metal to bring to your yard, copper is usually one of the most common metals that scrappers are looking for. Not only is it worth a lot of money, but it is common in a lot of different places you can find scrap copper. Below we list some of the common places and appliances you can find copper.
Remodeling/Demolition Sites
Ever just stumble upon a demolition site or remodeling site that needed someone to clean up the scrap? Wish we could all be so lucky! One valuable part of any demolition or remodeling site is the electrical wire that is usually scraped up by the electrician for scrap when the job is over. If they’re not scrapping the wire for copper ask to take it off their hands – then run with the scrap before he changes his mind! If you have the time it could be worth it to consider stripping the wire for the bare bright wire inside.
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Household Plumbing
Next time your pipes freeze in the middle of winter think about the cash you can get for those copper pipes! Most pipes and plumbing materials are made from copper-like your pipes and parts of your water heater. Don’t just throw them out when they need to be replaced, scrap them for some extra cash! As the owner of the house or building, you have every right to ask your contractor to leave the left over broken pipes with it. Want a bonus? There’s usually brass tied in with the copper, and you can scrap that too!
Copper Statues & Décor
We’ve all seen those hideous statues hidden in our garage or basement that someone thought would make the perfect lawn ornament or living room décor. Unfortunately, they thought wrong which is why it luckily landed in your possession. Don’t frown every time you go to Spring clean your garage at the little copper gnome smiling up at you. Go ahead and cash it in as scrap copper! You’ll breathe a lot easier – unless the Mrs. catches wind of it and you didn’t ask first!
Household Appliances
The older the better! Older appliances have more copper which gives you more scrap and more money. Washers, dryers, refrigerators, and air conditioners make great scrap appliances for their copper coils. Beware that most states have laws that permit appliances to be scrapped unless it’s done professionally (which your local scrap yard can take care of) because of the fumes. Take advantage of the other scrap inside your appliances like the steel for an extra buck! Remember when you are taking apart appliances like refrigerators, to get the proper service to remove freon.
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Roofing Cooper
Know anyone with copper roof accents? Over the past 20 years, replacing your roof with copper has become popular because of its long lifespan and the fact that copper is 100% environmentally friendly and recyclable. When a roof needs to be replaced or repaired keep your eye out for the scrap copper and try to get your hands on it (legally of course!) Also sometimes, people can have copper gutters for accents on their house. They can be collected and scrapped with roofing copper. If the roofing pieces have a lot of tar on them, be sure to separate them from the clean pieces.
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Old Electronics
If you’re desperate for a little extra cash, take your old electronics and their charges out of storage where they sit collecting dust and cut out the copper wire. The electrical wire from a home can lead to large amounts of scrap copper, but it’s a completely different story with electronics wiring. This work can be tedious since the wires are so small, and you’ll need a lot of it to make it worth your time, but hey when your wallet is thin you need to fill it! Also, be sure to remove the small transformers off the end of the wires too.
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Computers
When you are searching through your electronics, you can open up desktop computer towers for some good copper wires too. The ribbon wire and smaller copper wires can be collected and brought to your scrap yard. The wires are typically too small to strip for the copper inside, but instead can be collected for computer wire scrap. After a while, you can collect about 1-2 pounds per computer tower and that can add up. Also inside computers, you may find copper heatsinks that you can collect for scrap value too.
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Kitchen Copper
You can search for copper in kitchens by seeing if there are any pots or pans. Many times people will buy copper pans and pots for specific cooking styles or they may even use it for decorative purposes. The copper pots and pans will usually be thinner than typical pans, so, therefore, may not weigh as much but are still worth collecting. When you have copper pots for scrap, check the handles with a magnet, as the screw may be steel. If this is the case, be sure to remove it and separate it from the copper pot to get the most money for it.
Where Are Your Best Places To Find Scrap Copper?
Comment below with your tips and tricks when finding scrap copper in your area. Also, be sure to check out the iScrap Facebook Group for tips and helpful information on scrapping copper and other materials. You can also share your own photos and experiences with hundreds of scrappers.
