If your home has collected scrap metal over the years, you may want to clean it up and sell it for a little cash. With the price of metals being so high, it can be worth the effort. Not all metals are equal though. Some metals are worth a lot more than steel, which is why you may want to look a little closer when cleaning up. Metals like copper, brass and aluminum can bring you more cash for your efforts. Here are some things that you will want to know before you begin cleaning up your scrap metal:

1. Selling Ferrous Metals For The Lowest Price

Ferrous metals are materials like steel, iron and tins. Most metal buyers will accept these materials at one price. A magnet will stick to these items. It is a good idea to take these heavier items first to be recycled, which will make it easier to transport the more valuable metals in a separate load. Make sure that there are no valuable metals on these materials before you take them to be recycled.

2. Using A Magnet To Find The More Valuable Metals

A magnet is a great tool when scrapping out metals. If an object is not magnetic, this is usually a sign of more valuable metals like aluminum. Stainless steel can also be more valuable if it does not have magnetic properties. The magnetic stainless steel materials may be plated, rather than being solid. If the stainless steel is magnetic, you will want to take it with other ferrous materials. Stainless steel is used in things like sinks, aluminum will be in things like metal siding, gutters and tools such as old ladders.

3. Common Objects That You May Mistake For Steel Scrap

Many people make the mistake of taking old parts like car motors, transmissions and heads as a whole assembly to be recycled as steel. Many makes of cars have aluminum parts, which can be very valuable if you separate them from the steel. Some compact cars even have motor blocks that are made from solid aluminum.

4. Separating More Valuable Metals That Are Attached To Parts

There are also occasions when there may be more valuable metals attached to parts. This can be found with domestic appliances with electric motors. Sometimes, separating the copper from the steel can give you the best price. There are also brass and bronze fittings that are found on all sorts of parts, and separating these parts will give your more money for your recycling efforts.

These are some things that you may want to know before you begin cleaning up scrap metal. If you have metal that you want to clean up and sell, contact a scrap metal service to find out the current prices of metal and where you need to take your metal. For more information, visit http://www.puremetalrecycling.com/.