19 September 2022
 Categories: , Blog

Not only can hauling your old scrap metal down to the junk yard help to free up some much-needed space in your home or garage, but it can also help to put some much-needed cash in your pocket. This is especially true when choosing to use the three tips below to help ensure you get every dollar you can when making a trip to your local scrap metal yard. 

Tip #1: Always Take The Time To Sort Your Metal

Different types of metals will have different values. This is because the value of a specific type of metal will depend upon both the available supply of that metal and the current demand for that metal. Metals such as copper and aluminum tend to sell for a much higher price than more common materials such as steel and tin. Unfortunately, most scrap metal yards will pay you the lowest dollar amount for your entire load if all of your different metals are mixed in together. In order to ensure you are getting the highest possible price per pound, you will need to take the time to sort the different metals before arriving at the scrap yard. 

Tip #2: Remove Any Significant Debris From Your Metal 

Your scrap metal does not need to be clean and shiny in order to be worth money. However, if there is significant debris in or on your scrap metal items, you could find that you receive a much lower price per pound or even that these items are rejected altogether. There are two reasons for this. The first is that any significant amount of debris will add to the weight of your items. Since most scrap metal yards pay by the pound, these junk yards must reduce their price in order to compensate for the weight of the debris. The second reason is that items that are heavily soiled will often need to be cleaned before they can be recycled. This creates more work for the junk yard. Consequently, they will not be willing to pay as much for your items. Taking just a moment to rinse off any debris can ensure that your purchase price is not reduced. 

Tip #3: Take Large Items Apart So That You Can Separate Their Components

Large items such as household appliances are often made up of several different types of metal. As previously discussed, some of these materials will sell for a much higher price than others. In order to get the most money from these larger items, you will want to take a moment to disassemble them prior to taking them to the scrap metal yard. This will allow you to sort the different materials along with the rest of your load. 

To learn more, reach out to a scrap metal yard.