How to Look for Scrap Metal Around the House

If you are interested in doing your part to protect the environment, preserve our planet’s natural resources, and support our local economy, then scrap metal recycling is the right enterprise for you. Not only does recycling metal support all of these initiatives, but it also puts some cash back into your pocket. So, you can feel good about being an active participant in the world initiative to conserve and reuse, while also making a decent profit at the same time. Start looking for things of metal to recycle right at home. You would be surprised at how much junk you have to get rid of once you start your search.

Continue below to learn some tips on how to look for scrap metal around the house, and where to get paid for your freight in Central Indiana.

Central Indiana Scrap Metal Buyers 1-888-586-5322
Central Indiana Scrap Metal Buyers 1-888-586-5322

Finding Household Scrap Metal

Copper

Anything made of or containing copper will sell quickly at a scrap metal recycling center because copper is a widely sought-after commodity for its chemical and conduit properties. As for the home, it is likely the most valuable scrap metal you will have on hand. Look for copper plumbing fixtures, tubing, electrical wiring, and even old or broken electronics. Such devices contain a computer board that is fitted with copper wiring and even gold-plated metal fingers.

Brass

Do not get brass confused with bronze, nor copper. Brass is actually an alloy made of copper and zinc. Bronze is also an allow of copper and zinc, but with a much higher copper content than brass. As for scrap brass around the house, look for plumbing fixtures, pipes, turnings, shells, and similar materials. Also consider any old or broken brass instruments, like trumpets and trombones.

Aluminum

Aluminum can be found all around the house, in the form of food and soda cans mostly, but also as outdoor furniture, fencing, roofing, siding, gutter systems, sheet metal, and even old cookware. Many bicycles and car wheels are also made of aluminum, so you if have an old set laying around the house, sell them to a local scrap yard for safe recycling.

Stainless Steel

Appliances like refrigerators and dishwashing machines are often made with stainless steel because the metal alloy is durable and resistant to corrosion. If you have old or broken stainless steel appliances, you can recycle them at your local Indianapolis scrap metal recycling center. Other items to consider for recycling include pots and pans, plumbing fixtures, plumbing pipes, old auto parts, power tools, and kitchen sinks.

Cast Iron

There are many household items that are made from cast iron, all of which can be recycled and repurposed over and over again. Look for old cast iron skillets, as well as old appliances like radiators, boilers, and other types of heating systems, as well as things like bathtubs, pots, pans, and cookware.

How to Get Paid for Scrap Metal in Indianapolis, Indiana

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to sell scrap metal in Indianapolis, Indiana. We pay cash on the spot for all metal and metal commodities, including vehicles, car parts, appliances, construction equipment, farming equipment, and much more! Collect all the scrap metal you can, and then sell it to us for the highest profit in town! Request a free estimate or information, today.

Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322
Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322

Facts About Zinc Metal

What has the sign “Zn” and an atomic number “30” on the periodic table of elements? The answer is zinc! What makes zinc so important? Well, there are many reasons why this bluish-silver chemical element is so vital to our society, and even our health! Continue below to learn the basic facts about zinc metal, including it common properties and applications.

Indianapolis Scrap Metal Buyers 1-888-586-5322
Indianapolis Scrap Metal Buyers 1-888-586-5322

Most Zinc is a Man-Made Alloy

Zinc is mainly mined from natural ore containing zinc blende, zinc sulfide, or sphalerite. Although pure zinc is a naturally-occurring metal well-abundant in Earth’s crust, the majority of zinc are alloys, or blends of zinc and other elements. In fact, the use of zinc alloys can be authentically dated back as far as 500 BC! And did you know that if you add some copper to it, you get brass? It’s true! Brass is a common zinc alloy. Artifacts of zinc alloys can be dated back to the Roman Empire and beyond, from coins and weapons, to art, instruments, jewelry, and more.

In the year 1837, a man by the name of Stanislas Sorel announced his new development known as galvanization, which is the process of coating other metals and metal alloys with a layer of zinc for cathodic protection and more. In fact, galvanization is the primary industrial use of pure zinc today. Take some time to learn about the most common techniques for galvanizing metal to understand the process even better! But Sorel cannot take all the credit. It wasn’t until a man named Luigi Galvani stumbled upon the enlivening impact of electricity while dissecting frogs for autopsy!

Zinc Facts That Will Stimulate Your Mind

Zinc is a base metal. What are base metals? Well, there are many definitions depending on the context. Primarily, they are metals that are neither noble nor precious, but widely available and low in cost. When zinc is room-temperature, it is brittle, and appears blue-silver in color. After a good polishing, it can appear bright silver.

The most common application of pure zinc in today’s society is steel galvanization. Other applications include the manufacturing of marine components and commodities, as well as musical instruments, fire retardants, trophies, medals, and of course, brass production.

Zinc is not considered a strong metal. It is weak, containing less than 50% the tensile strength of mild carbon steel. It is also brittle, yet can endure high impacts. For this reason, it is not used in heavy-load applications, but often used for die-casting mechanical parts from zinc.

Zinc is a ductile metal between the temperatures of 212 and 302 degrees Fahrenheit. Within this temperature range, it is also very malleable. If it gets hotter, it returns to being very brittle. Zinc is a moderately conductive metal. It does retain strong electro-chemical properties, which is why it is often used in the battery making process.

Zinc is an essential trace element for people! In fact, it is the 2nd most abundant trace element behind iron in human beings. If you are zinc-deficient, you might experience a loss of appetite. Eat more red meat, nuts, oysters, lobster, whole grains, and beans for natural sources of healthy zinc. Or simply take OTC zinc supplements.

Zinc is a non-ferrous metal, which means it does not contain iron. Non-ferrous metals are 100% recyclable, and therefore, can be reused infinitely.

Where to Recycle Scrap Metal in Indianapolis

Call Garden City Iron & Metal at 1-888-586-5322 to recycle scrap metal in Indianapolis, or in Central and Southern Indiana. We pay cash on the spot for both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as, junk cars, automotive parts, appliances, construction equipment, motorized farming equipment, and much more! Get rid of your junk and make some fast cash at the same time.

Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322
Garden City Iron and Metal 1-888-586-5322