4 Ways to Increase Your Scrap Metal Sale Earnings

Selling scrap metal offers an excellent opportunity to give back to the environment and remove clutter around your house. However, the process also affords a great way to earn some extra cash.

While the amount you can make from scrap metal recycling fluctuates often, here are some steps you can take toward maximizing the return on your efforts. Learn how you may be able to earn more for your scrap metal.

1. Know What You Have

Precisely identify what types of metals you have, since not all metal holds the same value. Metal is typically divided into two categories: ferrous and non-ferrous. Ferrous metals include alloy, cast iron, and steel, while copper, aluminum, and zinc are all examples of non-ferrous metals.

The main difference is that ferrous metals are more common and contain iron, while non-ferrous metals, conclusively, are less common and do not contain iron. The rarity of non-ferrous metals often keeps their demand at a higher level, which also means they are more valuable.

Take the time to identify your metals so that you can separate them based on their class and avoid mistakenly mixing the metals. When you keep everything separate, you ensure the metal is weighed correctly.

2. Protect the Metals

Just because the metal will be melted down does not mean that its condition doesn't matter, especially when the metal contains rust. Understand that rust doesn't go away easily. Once the metal is melted and reformed, the rust will appear again. If you have a piece of heavily rusted metal, the scrap yard may not accept your metal.

Even if the yard will take the rusted parts, you will likely receive a reduced amount. Scrap yards value metal based on weight. Rusted metal weighs less than metal in a solid form, which means rusted metal's value is less as well. If some time will pass before you can recycle the metal, ensure you keep the pieces protected.

3. Learn About Demand

You cannot guarantee that the cost of metal today will be the cost of metal a few weeks from now. If you're not in a rush to get rid of the metal pieces, learn about and track demand. For example, say a massive explosion happened at one of the area's largest steel providers that would result in several months of declined production.

An incident like this could create a steel shortage, which could in turn increase demand for the metal. If you wait to recycle the metal, a similar situation might present the perfect opportunity to sell the steel pieces since its value is likely to be higher than it was in the past.

4. Consider Delivery and Storage

To maximize your return, always factor delivery and storage into your cost.

For example, if you perform a significant home remodel and you know you're to have a lot of metal pieces, you might consider the cost-effectiveness of partnering with a local recycling center that provides container and transport services than to rent a dumpster and truck rental to transport the metal to the yard on your own.

Any extra money you spend on the rental services will increase your cost and decrease the amount of profit you earn from selling the scrap metal.

If you want to make more from selling your collected scrap metal, the process begins with you, so ensure you're an educated seller. Once you're ready to sell, Bruce Metal & Salvage is here to help. As a trusted salvage and recycling company, we pride ourselves on providing professional and fair service - and we will make the same commitment to you.