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Hidden £££: Identifying Metal in Households Objects and Appliances to Scrap

If you’re a bit strapped for cash, there may be a source of income sitting under your very nose in the form of scrap metal. The scrap metal trade can be quite lucrative, as bits and pieces of scrap can soon amount to an impressive sum. Scrap metal can be found in the unlikeliest of places. It can be found in your kitchen appliances, chairs, tools – even your old telly contains scrap metals you could exchange for cash. Therefore, we’ll be showing you exactly where to look for valuable scrap metal in your household.

Common Places to Look for Scrap Metal

When you first set out to look for scrap metal, it can be a little daunting at first. Most people aren’t chemists – it can be difficult to tell what types of metal are which, which are valuable and which aren’t. Fortunately, there are some key areas to check for scrap metal including:

  • The Kitchen: An array of things in your kitchen can be recycled. Your old copper and iron pans, stove, silverware, aluminium foil and more can be exchanged for cash. Large amounts of washing machines and fridge-freezers can also be recycled.
  • The Bathroom: Metal shelves, taps and other assorted things can be recycled from your bathroom. Perhaps most noteworthy, however, are the copper pipes that make up your plumbing system. If you have to have repairs made, don’t just throw away your old copper pipes: recycle them for cash instead!
  • The Garden and Patio Area: Lawnmowers, metal swings, old gardening tools and old patio furniture can be taken to your local recycling centre as scrap. Metal fencing and gates can also be taken.
  • The Living Room and Bedroom: Lamp bases, door knobs, picture frames and other bits of metallic furniture, such as bed frames, can all be recycled.
  • The Loft: Your loft may have things stored in it that hasn’t seen use or even daylight in years, so take the time out to go through it and pick out metallic items for the scrap. The other items of interest outlined on this list are relevant here, too, but you should also think about old toys, Christmas decorations and more as well.
  • The Garage: Old and rusty tools, paint cans, nails and bicycles are all recyclable, as well as an old car’s chassis, battery and other major parts. Clearing out your garage and scrapping the contents may even provide you with the cash you need to convert your garage into something more exciting.

Common Places to Look for Copper Wire

One of the most commonly found valuable scrap metals in households is copper wiring. Copper wires can fetch a high price and are found in all manner of appliances, including, but by no means limited to:

  • Televisions and monitor screens
  • Computers
  • Washing machines, fridges and other large appliances; while all of these are an excellent source of steel, they also have copious amounts of copper wiring in them which will fetch its own price
  • Coffee makers, blenders, toasters and other smaller appliances have copper wiring

Ultimately, it’s worth noting that there’s nothing in your home that doesn’t necessarily have value to it. Do your research and don’t throw anything out on a whim – take it to your local recycling centre instead to see if you can exchange your old metallic items for cash.

At Hill Metal Recycling we pride ourselves on the fact that we are the leading recycler of ferrous and non-ferrous metals throughout Harlow, Essex and the surrounding areas. We are affiliated with the DVLA and Environment Agency bodies and are widely qualified and experienced to appropriately handle and dispose of all types of scrap metal. We offer a 24 hour scrap collection service, including cars, for commercial and some domestic needs. To discuss the best prices you can fetch for your scrap metals, don’t hesitate to get in contact with our friendly team today!