When working on a roof, you may see copper used as decorative pieces such as flashing or as a more practical piece like a gutter. These items can make a building look great and be excellent to scrap when they rip or break.
Different Types Of #3 Copper
This lower-graded Copper can typically be broken up into three categories:
That being said, depending on the weight, dimensions, and how clean your material is, it may also be graded by your local yard differently than the above grades. You may get names and prices more in line with these metals:
All of these mean the same thing, but you can make more money by knowing what to look for while separating and sorting it. If you have roofing copper that has tar, nails, screws, wood, or other attachments, you will get dirty grade prices, but if you can have it completely clean, you may upgrade it to a #2 or even clean copper flashing. Keep your Sawzall handy to remove any pieces with these contaminants attached.
3,000 Strokes Per Minute, Variable Speed Trigger, Bare Tool Only (DCS380B), Black/Clear
Scrapping Your Old Copper Roof
Make sure you ask your local scrap yard how they want it prepared, and then you can have it done correctly the first time. Don’t forget the copper flashing from the cut-offs of new roofing copper, which can be classified as clean roofing copper or clean copper flashing and should be kept aside while scrapping.
Pricing Roofing Copper for Scrap
When scrap yards are classified as roofing copper, it depends on the copper’s cleanliness and the attachments. Suppose you have clean copper cut-offs that will be priced as a #1 flashing copper price. If there is tar, nail, and adhesive on the copper, it will be classified as a #3 copper, which can be anywhere from $0.10-0.30/lb. less than the #2 copper price. Be sure to check with your scrap yard their copper prices. You may be able to shop around at other yards for the best price in the area. Remember, you can always report your scrap prices on the iScrap App to record what you’ve received at your yard over the last few weeks or months.
