Tips For Making More Money When Scrapping Unwanted Appliances
If you have some old appliances to scrap and want to get the highest amount of money possible, you will need to disassemble them. Most appliances contain some copper, brass, or aluminum, and all three of these metals are worth a lot more than scrap steel. Here are some tips to help you know what to look for when scrapping old appliances.
Remove All Cords From Appliances
Most old, unwanted appliances have electrical cords attached to them, and you will make more money if you remove these cords from the appliances before scrapping the items. You can remove them simply by cutting them off in the area where the cord is attached to the appliance. Once you cut them off, you can either sell them as they are or take one more step.
Electrical cords from appliances contain copper, and copper is one of the most valuable types of metals you can find. It is worth money if it is wrapped in plastic coating, like the coating you see on the cords; however, it is worth more money if it does not contain plastic.
This is why you may want to spend some time removing the plastic coating from the wire before you scrap it. You can do this in many ways, but a common method is to use a copper wire stripper. This tool is relatively affordable to purchase, and it will make removing the plastic relatively easy. It will take some time to get this done, though, especially if you have a lot of cords to strip. When you are finished with this, you can discard the plastic and keep the copper to turn in at a scrapyard.
Look For Electric Motors
Washing machines and dryers both contain electric motors in them, and you are likely to make more money from your old appliances if you remove these motors and sell them separately. The reason is that electric motors usually contain copper inside, and sometimes they also contain aluminum. While it might not be worthwhile for you to take these motors apart, a scrapyard will still typically pay more for them than they will pay for regular steel items.
If you look inside old washers and dryers and can locate these motors, simply disconnect them and keep them separate from your other scrap piles. You may get a certain rate per pound for these, such as $0.15, or you might get a certain amount of money per electric motor.
Remove Compressors
Most appliances that are capable of providing cooling, such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and freezers, contain a compressor. The compressor is used to help turn heat into cool air, and compressors typically contain copper in them. If you remove the compressors from these types of appliances before scrapping them, you will be able to earn a little extra money.
Look For Any Parts Made Of Brass Or Aluminum
If you want to get the most out of scrapping your unwanted appliances, grab a magnet. A magnet will help you locate brass, aluminum, or other types of non-ferrous metals. Non-ferrous metals do not contain any iron, which is why a magnet will not stick to them. If you rub your magnet over the appliances, you might be able to find some of these metals. If you do, remove the parts and keep them separate.
One place you might find brass is on an old hot water heater. Hot water heaters often have nozzles, and these are usually made of brass. You might be able to find aluminum on the doors of your appliances.
Scrapping old, unwanted appliances and other types of metal items can help you earn some extra cash. To learn more about the going rates of metals, contact a scrap metal buyer, such as Big Daddy Scrap.
