Just finished remodeling my bathroom, and now I'm stuck with a pile of old copper pipes, faucets, and random plumbing bits. Feels kinda wrong just tossing them in the trash, you know? But I'm not even sure if these things are recyclable or worth anything. Has anyone here dealt with this before or know if recycling centers actually take this stuff?
Copper pipes and fixtures are definitely recyclable—actually, copper can fetch you a decent bit of cash at scrap yards. A few quick tips from experience:
- Separate copper from other metals (brass faucets, steel fittings, etc.) to get the best price.
- Call ahead to your local recycling or scrap yard; some places are picky about faucets or mixed materials.
- Don't expect to retire early on it, but hey, might cover pizza and drinks after all that remodeling work...
Good points here, especially about separating metals. I've also noticed that scrap yards sometimes give better rates if the copper is clean—meaning no solder or paint residue. It's a bit of extra elbow grease, but sanding or wire-brushing those joints can bump up your payout noticeably. Plus, don't overlook brass fittings; they're not copper-level valuable, but still worth sorting out separately. Might as well maximize what you get back after all that work...
Good advice on brass fittings—I almost overlooked those when I replaced my old plumbing.
"It's a bit of extra elbow grease, but sanding or wire-brushing those joints can bump up your payout noticeably."
Definitely true. When I redid my kitchen pipes, I spent an afternoon cleaning up the copper joints with a wire brush attachment on my drill. It wasn't exactly fun, but the scrap yard did pay noticeably better for the clean copper. Worth the extra effort if you're already putting in the work anyway.
Interesting points about cleaning up the copper joints—I hadn't thought about that. Does anyone know if recycling centers typically have restrictions on older fixtures, like faucets or showerheads, especially if they're mixed materials? I've got a box of old plumbing stuff from various properties I've renovated, and I'm wondering if it's worth sorting through or if they'll just reject certain items outright.
