Copper is found in many places that you might never have suspected. It is one of the most valuable scraps on the market. This can be a very lucrative business for the right person. It’s also a way to earn a bit of money while helping to reduce environmental waste at the same time. You can find hidden copper in a variety of places. Most of the time, even though it is visible, it is found in things that you would never have imagined. Knowing where to look will help you in your recovery efforts. Below are five of the best places to look for scrap copper.
1. In domestic furniture. This is especially true in older houses. Pipes and other types of plumbing will have copper. Be careful though, it is illegal to take copper from a house you don’t own. You can safely get them from demolition sites and if someone is remodeling them and has thrown them away.
2. Appliances used to have a lot of copper. Not so much now, but there’s still quite a bit in them. The older the appliance, the more copper is in them. Washing machines, old refrigerators, dryers, and microwaves all have copper coils and wires. With air conditioners and refrigerators it is dangerous to remove the copper unless you know how to prevent the release of the toxic gases used in them.
3. If you find a house that is being demolished, you can get the wiring. Once stripped of the insulation, it will produce quite a bit of copper. Although most electricians have beaten you to it. They are in a unique position to get to copper first. There is still a lot thrown away, so check the remodel and demo sites regularly.
4. Finding old copper statues and other household items as decorations can also be a good source for copper recovery. Things like kettles, pots, taps, and even beverage dispensers can produce enough copper to be worthwhile. A great place to find things like this are garage sales and thrift stores. You can buy them for a really cheap price, most of the time less than what they will be worth at a recycling store.
5. Cars are also a great place to look for junk of all kinds. If you take a motor apart, you’ll find that a lot of copper has been used there. Radiator coils and heating cores are also a good source of copper. You can also get traces of things from on-board computers.
You see that everything is in what you know. Did you know that you can not only find copper in computers but also gold? And that’s quite a haul seeing how much it costs per ounce. But that is a topic for another article.