About Me and the Scrap Yard

Many people make a huge mistake when they are remodeling the exterior of their home. They pull the materials off of their home and then dispose of them in large garbage bins. But, what these people may not realize, is that they could be throwing away metal that can be recycled and can make them extra money. If you are remodeling the exterior of your home, here are a few metal items that you may want to consider taking to a scrap metal yard instead of just throwing away.

Gutters

The gutters and downspout on your home are made from metal. The most common metal used to make gutters is aluminum, but occasionally, stainless steel is also used.

It is much easier to find recyclers who will take aluminum. Unfortunately, not all recyclers accept stainless steel. As such, you will need to figure out what kind of scrap metal you are dealing with to take it to the appropriate recycling location. One of the easiest ways to tell the difference between stainless steel and aluminum is to use a magnet. A magnet will stick to stainless steel, but will not stick to aluminum.

Aluminum Siding

Another material that is found on the exterior of your home that can be made from metal is aluminum siding. However, aluminum siding is often painted, so you may be unaware that you even have aluminum siding. Luckily though, only the front is painted. Once it is removed from your home, the backside of the siding will have gray, metal-like appearance.

Roofing Materials

If you have a metal roof, that roof can be recycled when it is time to remove it. The great thing about metal roofs is that when they are recycled, they can typically be turned right back into another new roof. This makes them a green product.

Unfortunately, metal roofs are often made of two different metals. Most metal roofs are composed of a thin layer of steel that is coated with a layer of aluminum. As such, recyclers have to take the time to melt and separate these two types of metals in order for them to be reused. This means that you won't get a lot of money for the metal, but since roofs are so large, you can still make a decent amount of money recycling your old metal roof panels.

If you are looking to install new gutters, replace your aluminum siding or replace your metal roof, don't throw the materials away. Instead, recycle them. This is a great way to do something for the Earth while also recouping some of the renovation expenses. To learn more, contact a company like Pure Metal Recycling with any questions or concerns you have.